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$11.99 CD
$17.99 Deluxe CD
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M.I.A.
/\/\/\Y/\
(Interscope)
 "Lovalot"
"Tell Me Why"
M.I.A.'s latest notes from the political-pop underground are a digital mosh pit of clashing sounds, public discourse vs. private themes, and 21st century technology. No longer the new "it" girl on the scene, but with more eyes on her than ever before, Maya Arulpragasam, offers up her edgiest, most abrasive, most challenging, and in my opinion, her strongest album to date. Still entrenched in the sound clash of the Mad Decent crew, production comes mainly from Diplo, Switch, Rusko and Blaqstarr, delivering M.I.A.'s take on the B-More sound clash of dancehall, crunk, dubstep, chip tune, and future ghetto beats. The album starts with an intro based on the children's rhyme game of hand-bone, updated as "the headphones connected to the iPhone, connected to the Internet, connected to the government," voiced by her brother Sugu. "The Message" may be child-like, yet the riffs on our own connections to and reliance on artificial intelligence in this digital age run deeper than any game. From there "Steppin' Up" sets gears grinding, churning and scratching, a pounding and screeching metallic assault, with M.I.A. riding the clanking rhythm in good stride.
Throughout, the collage of infectiously intrusive and in-your-face digital noises create an uneasy seesaw of contemporary beat making. The album sounds like nothing else around, outside of her inner circle; there are hints of Major Lazer and Sleigh Bells (whose Derrek E. Miller also worked on the album), yet feels overtly future-present, with a dense mix of industrial, punk, and grimy dancehall. Her lyrical content is inspired by her own real life international drama, as well as trying to tap into the undertow of global politics, albeit with a pop star's sound-bite aesthetic. But Maya's lyrics and voice often become just another high-pitched sound that gets chopped and screwed throughout, as on the six-minute "Teqkilla," which feels like a cyber-fiesta. "Born Free" samples Suicide's "Ghost Rider," "It Takes a Muscle" has the filtered Caribbean vibe of a Rhianna song. There are moments that hint at her past surprise urban radio hit "Paper Planes," on "XXXO" (which already has a remix featuring Jay-Z), and "Tell Me Why," with the sing-along quality she does so well. But overall the album gives the impression that M.I.A. was almost willfully avoiding any hit singles here, and even the most hook-filled tracks can turn on you at surprising moments. It took me a few listens, but I'm into it. A volatile mix of real life, hard beats, and global culture that fuels my fire. She's good like that. You know you wanna check it out. But be sure to have some aspirin nearby, just in case. [DG]
Order CD by Texting "omcdmiamaya" to 767825
Order Deluxe CD by Texting "omcdmiamayadeluxe" to 767825 |
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