So carried away was I by the youthful exuberance of Maya Arulpragasam’s debut album that I referred to her as a ninteen year-old. The latest report I read was that she was thirty-two at the time of the follow-up’s release so I suppose ‘Kala’ could be called a coming of age record. The truth is ‘Kala’ is as punchy and exciting as her debut, perhaps even more so.
M.I.A.’s skills revolve around her employment of Eastern music into a British-American framework. ‘Birdflu’ blends the use of jungle bird noises with the kind of Burundi drums last thought fashionable for Adam And The Ants records whilst ‘Paper Planes’ incorporates elements of ‘Straight To Hell’ alongside gunshots. In typical style, both songs still sound fresh and boomingly infectious. In fact, ‘Kala’ barely sits still and is a constant source of ideas. In the case of ‘Jimmy’, she resorts to Bollywood cliché but usually the fertile imagination reaps rewards. Even a potentially disastrous recording with a didgeridoo and children on ‘Mango Pickle Down River’ is delivered with elan. Kudos too for the nod to The Pixies for the shuddering digital pop of ‘20 Dollar’. Granted, M.I.A. can call on some big name producers and songwriters but her enthusiasm, good taste and genuine talent make her a more exciting prospect than, say, Madonna. The only question is how relevant this very modern music will sound in the future.
Web Sites:
M.I.A. Official Site
M.I.A. MySpace
I have to be honest and say I don’t get what all the fuss is about with MIA. Saw her live during the Summer at a festival and it was more pantomime than performance. But then I have virtually no interest in music like this. My friend, who really loves hip-hop, assured me the beats coming from the turntables were “top class”, but I had lost interest by that point