Joker: The Vision

Label: 4AD

Two things happen on Joker's long-awaited full-length debut: One is simply the album itself, after years of singles and EPs (which got him named "king of bass music" in 2009 by XLR8R). The other is that we start to see that in the hands of new-jack producers like him, the form is no longer really dubstep exactly; its nonstop updating and emergence as a genuine party sound has led cats like Joker into a realm of wickedly cool and soulful sci-fi dance music. The shuddering beats of "Tron" (actually a 2010 single) work all those angles, while the title track shows off futuristic party-swagger, with vocalist Jessie Ware (one of a handful of guests at this party) directing the vibe. Twelve tracks deep for those with The Vision, ready to launch off the dubstep platform to the next level.