Diplo presents Thomas Wesley Chapter One: Snake Oil review - 2020 just got even weirder

Diplo’s country album (2020, eh?) is proof that there’s still room for this year to get weirder.

The DJ’s knack of picking up-and-coming collaborators hasn’t dulled and Jonas Brothers aside, vocals come courtesy of artists yet to reach megastar status. The boundary-pushing Canadian Orville Peck makes an appearance in the Intro, which sets a scene that is never fully realised.

Diplo ambitiously attempts to infuse dancefloor bangers with country elements (or vice versa, it’s never quite clear) but lacks the authenticity crucial to the latter.

Do Si Do encapsulates the problem as Blanco Brown’s gravelly Southern drawl, a harmonica and the obligatory whistling tick the “country” boxes while doing battle with the DJ’s trademark EDM production values.

Lyrically, the record is missing country’s most enticing attribute — powerful storytelling. The not-so-catchy title sums up the album’s issues; just as he doesn’t quite commit to releasing the record under his real name, Diplo also clings to the beats and production he’s famous for. It’s neither one thing nor the other.