18 November 27 - December 3, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | New Era Major Lazer returns with its first full-length album in five years. BY OSVALDO ESPINO T here are only a handful of groups in electronic music with a cul- tural grip as firm as Major Laz- er’s. Nearly two decades in, the trio-turned-collective has gone from underground dancehall experiments to chart-topping global anthems, worldwide tours, and even an animated TV show at one point. The collective, built on Diplo’s globe- trotting curiosity, expanded into something far more dynamic with the additions of Walshy Fire in 2011 and Ape Drums in 2019, two forces who helped carve a hybrid sonic identity pulling from EDM, dancehall, reg- gaeton, soca, and house. Now, in 2025’s electronic-music gold rush, Major Lazer returns with Gyalgebra, its first full project in five years and the first with all four official members. That fourth member is singer America Foster, whose voice and presence have be- come central to the new era. When we hop on Zoom, Ape Drums appears first from his Mi- ami apartment, fresh off opening for Francis Mercier in London. Moments later, Foster joins from her flat across the Atlantic, radiat- ing the same frenetic charisma that anchors the tape. “Diplo came across me on social media,” she says. “He saw my energy and all the crazy stuff, but also the talent. I sent him demos, he saw my freestyles. Then I came to the studio and we made about five tracks last year, in- cluding ‘Bruk Down.’ By February 2025, I was confirmed as the fourth member. Diplo would tell the story better, but yeah, energy and talent.” If Gyalgebra is a reintroduction, then it wastes no time making that clear. The mix- tape opens with “Bruk Down,” featuring Sad- Boi and Parris Goebel. The track is a punch of “bad gyal, sexy, feisty, gangster,” as Foster puts it. “We want you to move, and if we’re moving, you’re moving.” Ape Drums sees it as a statement of intent. “We spent the last few years figuring out how we wanted to present the next Major Lazer era. How we want people to feel when they hear us again,” he says. “We want to remind everyone that Major Lazer is still here, still one of the biggest festival shows on the planet.” This year’s rollout has been physical, not digital. A block party during Miami Music Week, a sweaty takeover at ZeyZey during F1 weekend, packed Lon- don pop-up shows, and the surprise debut of the single “Gangsta,” a dancehall heater fea- turing Busy Signal and Kybba. “That’s our ethos,” Walshy Fire says after hopping into the call mid-conversation. “High energy, blending dancehall culture with sounds we’re into or discovering. Not many other people could pull off a record like ‘Gangsta’ the way we do.” The group’s first viral moment of the year, though, wasn’t a club set, but it was perform- ing “Gangsta” in Kai Cenat’s bathroom for his Twitch-streamed “Mafiathon”, soaked floor and all. “Completely mental,” Ape Drums says. “None of us knew what to expect. We walked in like, ‘Oh, this is actually happening.’ The floor was soaking. America and them were fighting for their lives not to slip. Somehow, no one did,” he laughs. Musically, Gyalgebra feels like a return to roots with dancehall, sound system DNA, and Caribbean cadences, but filtered through new cities and new collaborators. “Jump & Twist” melds baile funk, Miami bass, and festival- sized drums. Getting DJ Chipman, a home- town icon, was a full-circle moment. “He walked in, cut his vocals in one take, and bounced,” Ape Drums says. “People are going to recognize that voice immediately.” Other tracks lean even deeper into Ja- maica. “Peppa Pot,” one of Foster’s standout performances, channels classic riddims with snarling confidence. “The beat spoke to me instantly,” she says. “Sexy, bold, aggressive-a bit of everything. Lots of jokes in the studio, lots of fun. You can hear it in the song.” Ape Drums jumps in: “We were talking, I built a loop, America started freestyling, and it happened fast. In the same session, we did ‘Pendulum.’ We completed five songs in two days. It really felt like family.” Family is a great way to put the relation- ship between the members of the group. Throughout our conversation, everyone shows love to one another, cracking jokes and displaying infectious chemistry that will un- doubtedly translate during their live show. Getting back to the music, the most left- field collaboration might be “Miniskirt,” a rock-tinged, guitar-driven track that still lands squarely in Major Lazer’s universe. “We’ve wanted to make a record like this for years,” Ape Drums says. “We got a pro- ducer from Colombia to cut real guitars, then Wes (Diplo) brought in someone who I’m pretty sure they play with Red Hot Chili Pep- pers, to re-record everything. We added new drums and an Elephant Man sample and it turned into something huge.” Later on, a rep- resentative from the team, confirmed that it was, in fact, famous Will Ferrell lookalike, Chad Smith. The return to a dancehall-first identity feels intentional, especially now that Carib- bean culture continues to shape global music. “That’s the base of everything we do,” Walshy Fire says. “Jamaican and Caribbean culture is always going to be part of Major Lazer. It’s where the whole thing was born.” And with Jamaica facing storm damage and ongoing rebuilding efforts, the group feels a renewed responsibility to amplify the island’s legacy. “We always want to repre- sent Jamaica to the world,” Walshy Fire says. “It’s everyone’s favorite music, whether they realize it or not. Jamaica’s strong. It’ll rebuild.” What comes next might be even bigger. With festival season looming, we are soon go- ing to see Major Lazer’s first Coachella return in a decade, and Foster’s debut on one of the world’s biggest stages. “I was in the crowd in 2016 when Major Lazer played,” Ape says. “To me, that was their best show ever. Now we’ve gotta top that.” Walshy Fire jumps back in without hesita- tion. “Can you imagine the moment when we walk off that stage and realize the ripple ef- fect of what we just did? It’s going to be a problem. Probably the most exciting stage we’ll play this summer.” Fans won’t have to wait too long to experi- ence the spectacle for themselves as there is word of another Coyo Taco block party cele- brating the new release during Miami Art Week, when everyone around the world comes to party in the 305. With Gyalgebra, Major Lazer is evolving. And if the energy holds, they’re not just re- turning to the dancehall that built them. They’re redefining it for the world again. [email protected] ▼ Music From left to right: Ape Drums, Walshy Fire, America Foster, and Diplo. Photo by Julian Burgueño “WE COMPLETED FIVE SONGS IN TWO DAYS. IT REALLY FELT LIKE FAMILY.”
