I’m finally getting around to making an entry on M.I.A. and her new album Arular, which I should have done, like, three months ago . . . screw it, I’m a little behind.
M.I.A., not to be confused with R&B singer Mya, is an up and comer from the UK. After escaping the civil war in her parent’s homeland of Sri Lanka, she found solace from the memories of death and destruction she witnessed through her art and music.
Political statements are strewn through out the album (her father is leading the Tamil rebellion in Sri Lanka) but her militaristic views fade into her sing-song raps and baile funk beats. Lyrically, she isn’t off the map, but there is something fresh in her voice and her beats.
M.I.A., real name Mathangl Arulpragasam, broke out late last year with the release of her single Ganlang. The single was followed by the mix tape Piracy Funds Terrorism Vol. 1 put together by Philly DJ and rumored love interest Diplo. Diplo’s obsession with the dirty beats and the gothic South is a perfect fit for M.I.A. More on the great work of Diplo later, or look at this early post. For now, listen to this.
Stuff to Sample: M.I.A - Bingo and Bingo (Diplo Mix)
Rumored love interest Diplo? Ha ha! That's funny. I remember seeing Diplo with eLarceny and both of us commenting that he has to spend a ridiculous amount of time in his bedroom/parent's basement playing with records. And then he lands a hot Sri Lankan rapper? Maybe life is fair.
Oh, PS...nothing to do with MIA (though I dig her tunes)...was anyone else a little disappointed with the new Daft Punk? There were a few great tunes, but on average it wasn't as good as Homework and not as breathtaking as Discovery. Boo hoo.
I too was dissappointed with the new Daft Punk album. I listen to it twice, all the way through, and have not listened to it for a couple of weeks now. I have no desire to either.
[1] You DID NOT just refer to Discovery as "breathtaking"! That's wrong on so many levels. hehe.
Anyway, Human After All is a big disappointment in my book. It sounds like those lazy Frenchmen were too busy drinking wine, eating bagets and (insert French stereotype here) to put together anything that sounded halfway decent.
So put another nail in the coffin of Great Electronic Music to emerge in the 1990s. Its so sad.