In 2013, Baauer’s track Harlem Shake triggered a dance craze of pure silliness, its flailing noise the perfect backdrop for people in morph suits to prang out to. Tens of millions of YouTube hits later, he’s released a globe-trotting debut album, one that works best when it taps into the same lunatic energy. The build of GoGo! may be predictable, but its drop is spectacular, splashing the track into the concrete so it writhes in bewildered arrhythmia – and yet still bangs. Sow brilliantly blends thuggish rap production with the elbow-popping, post-colonial syncopation of Angolan kuduro. Unfortunately for Baauer, the trap style that made his name is falling out of fashion, and his stabs at en vogue sounds like trop house (Body) and UK garage (Way from Me) are a little tepid. He also clears out space for on-their-game vocal guests including MIA and Pusha T – but not quite enough, resulting in some diverting but ultimately earthbound rap tracks.
