Remember how good the retro-loving duo P.M. Dawn was in their ’90s hip-pop heyday? Lovers Holiday, the debut EP from Theophilus London, is similarly set adrift on memory bliss.

The Trinidad-born Brooklynite’s first non-mixtape release is a fresh, fun genre-blending bag packed with Purple Rain beats, Rick James funk, C+C Music Factory rhythms, and a little Blur and Moby mixed in for good measure. The Speak & Spell gets a shout-out too. Even London’s own voice becomes a virtual sampler. On “Wine and Chocolates,” he sounds uncannily like Dave Matthews on the verses, switching to Living Colour’s Vernon Reid on the chorus.

With these and more references pulled from London’s record collection — the name of his blog even references a Smiths song — it’s no wonder he’s best mates with Mark Ronson and part of his Business Intl. Like that ever-morphing musical lineup, Lovers Holiday finds London hooking up with a few industry connections. “Why Even Try” features Sara Quin of sister-act Tegan and Sara (mixed to sound like Kylie Minogue), Glasser contributes backing vocals on “Strange Love,” Dave Sitek (TV On The Radio, Maximum Balloon) helps deliver “Wine and Chocolates,” while on “Flying Overseas,” Devonté Hynes (aka Lightspeed Champion) and Solange Knowles join London’s journey.

Soaking up the slinky champagne funk of “Why Even Try,” I half-expect Prince, Wendy, and Lisa to show up and discover somebody’s been Calgon-ing in the clawfoot tub they long ago vacated. “Is the water warm, Sara?” “Yes, Theophilus.”

Things get even Revolution-ier on “Strange Love” and “Flying Overseas,” a beautiful, hazy fantasy that’s been fashioned into a fittingly trippy clip.

There will, of course, be inevitable comparisons to Kid Cudi and Lupe Fiasco (also players in this mixed-genre rap league), but London sounds like he’s having a much better time on Lovers Holiday than those two ever have. Even when he travels to a lyrically darker place, as on “Why Even Try,” the music remains infectiously upbeat.

“Why Even Try” isn’t the last side-collaboration featuring Sara, who performed the song live on Letterman on Monday night with London. Teaming up with Tegan, the sister act has completed two tracks for an upcoming album from DJ/producer/remixer Morgan Page.

Purchase Theophilus London – Lovers Holiday EP via iTunes, Amazon MP3.