Yeah, I know, I'm the millionth lame white boy to get down with M.I.A.
So, sue me. I love this CD, and her new one's great too. I bought the frekkin' hype - all of it.
This is one of those CDs that I heard / read about everywhere back in 2005. Every now and then that will happen. I'll hear so much about a new artist or album that I'll finally say "Enough!" and just buy the damned thing to see what the fuss is. More often than not, I'm glad I did.
M.I.A, in my opinion, is the consummate artist of the late '00s. Her amalgam of hip-hop, house, drum & bass, Baile, electronica, and damn near anything else is a reflection of our increasingly globalized / ipod shuffled world. Not to mention she's a mashup herself : Born in London, raised in Sri Lanka and L.A. , she's got it all (not to mention....smokin' hot. That helps too).
This song was the first single off of her debut album, and it's a great one. There's much better stuff on the CD, though, if you're into this kind of thing.
Some of my favorite parts: overall, I like how the song starts with a simple beat, then as it goes on builds with layer upon layer of bloops, blips, backbeats and squeaks until it's as dense as an old Bomb Squad production. I especially love those electric squawks that come in right on the beat about :50 into the song which last more or less for its duration. It's cool how I can't tell what she's saying, either (I catch "London calling, speak the slang", but that's about it. Oh, and "Too late you dooown"). It's almost as if the vocal is really not intended to be heard, but is just another instrument in the whole cacophany. And my favorite part - when the song cuts for the briefest of moments at 2:29, then she comes back with that loud "Ya-Ya-Heeey" chant to finish the song. Awesome.
I'm sure that haters are gonna have a field day in the comments section here, so go for it. At least you can enjoy the video on a visceral level, though:
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8 comments:
No hating here. I love M.I.A. My picks on Arular are URAQT and 10 Dollar. Kayla is pretty good too. I put "Jimmy" on my last podcast.
Sorry to disappoint. I will save my hating for the next time you post.
Oh, and M.I.A. is fine as shit too.
"Wrestle in the Comfortah / I'll let you be superior" danm.
damn.
Ah, good, then. I'm partial to "Bingo" and "Bucky Done Gun" on Arular, myself
I think that lyric you included is from "10 Dollar", right? I think in that song she's taking on the role of a third word prostitute ("What do you get for ten dollar? Anything you want"), so, as much as I'd love to imagine otherwise, I don't believe that M.I.A is the narrator :(
That's a good point. I can't tell which point of view she is taking since she seems to describe the prostitute some later . . . sucking on a lolly and whatnot.
Bucky Done Gun is a fave of mine to. "Get Crackin'"
You like Kayla?
like 80% of your music is springsteen. it's weird that it never comes up.
I know, right? I've noticed that - no Rush either.
Merk - I am a fan of Kala too. Hasn't grown on me like Arular, but getting there.
WTF is this? I've never even heard of MIA, and I consider myself to be fairly hip in the old school rap game. Do you ever listen to good music?
Her Casio must have like 300 buttons on it.
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