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Joker, ‘The Vision’ (4AD)

Even as dubstep breaks out in the U.S., its biggest names buck against the form: James Blake now favors torch-song balladry over cabinet-quivering bass, while Zomby opts for introverted, DJ-unfriendly études. As for Joker, he trades in his 8-bit bloops and Sean Paul remixes to reach for R&B ringtone ubiquity on this solo debut album, warming over Timbo’s jittery electro on “On My Mind,” but faring better when lashing a live wire across vicious first single “The Vision,” and whetting the stabbing synths of “Tron” and “Slaughter House.” On the latter, Danish rocker Silas croons, “They wrap you up in plastic and ship you to the store but…you were made for something more,” a sentiment Joker has taken to heart.