Kala

78/100. A vibrant burst of experimentation, packed with glitchy, scratchy, and explosive sounds. Bold and inventive, and for me, an even better record than her debut.

New to me. Enjoyed it!

still think (pre-covid) M.I.A. is very cool, still think her music has a lot of abrasive (and not in a way that appeals to me) and frankly annoying sounds Jimmy is the first song here that i don't find grating and then you get a good 3 song run of that, Hussel and Mango Pickle, but following that it sort of meanders on its way to Paper Planes before fizzling out with Come Around. a fine album that's elevated by Paper Planes being a generational banger

This is World Hip-Hop. Sounds like the music played in markets and teen/youth hangouts in action movies taking place in Southeast Asia or sub Saharan Africa. Prefer the songs with more lyrics to show off her vocal talents. The electronica/club beats are fine but not really my jam.

Paper planes flying straight to hell.

This was great fun!

Kala is the second album from M.I.A. (Maya, or Mathangi Arulpragasam). The album was driven by the success of the ubiquitous single, "Paper Planes," and made M.I.A. into an international star. Kala was named on many "Best Album of 2007" lists, and topped a few of them. M.I.A. makes electronic music with hip-hop rhythms, lyrics that wander towards rap, and world music influences. The resulting mixture is richly textured, upbeat, danceable songs with an engaging sound.

A globe-trotting firecracker of an album. Not every swing hits, but the fearless experimentation and infectious energy make it a standout.

I thought it was great. 10 years ago when it came out, I would have loved it to tears. Some tracks just didn’t do it for me and sounded like interludes but a majority of the album is pure quality.

I liked it! It was my first time listening. I would love to go to the club (do I go to the club) and hear this. I listened to it while driving home, grocery shopping and then sitting on my balcony. It made each activity more enjoyable.

Fun, clever, creative, and politically aware, but undeniably sounds like an Ali G. skit at times. 4.0/5.0: Great

Pops

Fun album and very catchy. Paper planes is a classic and this album has a few bangers for sure.

Tanssittaa! Vähän liikaa aggressiivisia kovia ääniä, jotta nousisi mun suosikiksi, mutta ajatusta on pistetty joka biisiin sen verran, että uppoaa hyvin. Uskon MIAa.

I know this is not for everybody. It is for me though. I was a big fan of this when it came out, and still like it to this day. It can be very obnoxious if you aren’t in the mood for it though.

Tøft

4/5

Paper planes. Brat before there was brat.

liked that the songs were all so different. i only knew „paper planes“

Not sure if you can just pigeonhole her to British hip hop/rap. MIA draws from a diverse sound of hip hop, electronica, South Asian music to an eclectically weird mix of empowering high energy music. Sometimes can be a bit much and fatiguing but gotta respect the vision and influence on other musicians.

It’s good. She’s a talent.

I think what a lot of the dads on here won't get is how influential this album is on modern dance music. Quite a few of these tracks wouldn't struggle to find a place on a 'forward thinking' Ilian Tape/Livity Sound/Hakuna Kulala/SVBKVLT release from this year (hell even Hyperdub was only a few years old and Night Slugs wouldn't start for years after the release of Kala) and none of those labels will ever achieve the reach M.I.A did with this. Bamboo Banga opens with trademark aggression. Birdflu is all 3/4 polyrythms and angsty doo wop. Boyz applies voice in the rythym track behind an early example of hard drum. Jimmy offers some reprieve from the aggression with an oriental disco banger. Hussel is straight up post-grime with south african bars and everything. Mango Pickle Down River is a cute little rap that presages the explosion of Indigenous Australian rap acts in the 2020s. Second half does fade a bit until XR2 comes out with a fucking Baltimore club number. Class. Paper Planes is a proper hit. M.I.A is rides the grime wave with bombast that few other female vocalists could achieve. There's not much to love in the list between 2000 and 2010. This is the highlight of the decade.

Never listened to the album in its entirety and I feel like I've really missed out. Love how it approaches themes of identity, cultural fear towards immigrants, and the struggle of capitalism from the perspective of refugees. Musically it's fun and stays fresh 18 year later somehow. Just very well done.

Forgot how much of a classic this album was.

Every few weeks I get an album that reminds me of why I am doing this project. I have heard of M.I.A., but never listened to M.I.A. - I didn't know what I was missing. Lots of layers/cultural influences, strong beats. I really enjoyed this. Paper Planes was the radio hit, and much more laid back than the rest of the album.

I do love this one.

I find it odd how polarizing this album seems to be. I enjoyed it - it has a unique sound, good energy any interesting themes. Paper Planes is obviously a banger.

This was way better than I was expecting. A lot more experimental!

It's so odd and all over the place that you can't help but admire the guts it took to make it. Strange beats and features, not every song works but it's definitely worth a listen just for the originality alone. Also it's hard to deny that Paper Planes is one of the most unique pop hits of the 2000s or maybe all time.

Danceable album with intrusive and infectious instrumentals that merge electronic beats, hip hop feel, and rhythms, instruments, and sounds from around the globe. It’s fun and energetic with some social commentary about global culture and struggles. Let the global masses shake their booties toward liberation!

I’ve long respected M.I.A as an artist. But her political endorsements of late are rather confounding. I still like her music, but thinking maybe I misunderstood her sociopolitical leanings. I know you can be a good person and still somehow have been led to support the current American presidential administration. But it’s going to take me a minute to reconcile this.

The British vocals and the Indian rhythms made this hip hop more compelling.

Fun with some variety. Paper Planes is a banger. 3.5* and I'm generously rounding up, as I like it more than most dance music.

Hadn't heard any of this besides "Paper Planes" and was in love from the "Roadrunner" interpolation on. On first listen, some of the weaker tracks can grate but the hits—"Boyz," "Jimmy," "World Town," "XR2," "Paper Planes"—GO THE FUCK OFF and I could see bumping up to a 5 with time.

Is there anyone who hasn't covered that Pixies track? Still, I liked this a lot, much better than the previous album on the list.

Very lively, upbeat shouting. I enjoyed this a lot, but I am bemused by there being 2 M.I A. albums in this list, which makes it seem like the author is just a fan.

Great album and I remember at the time of its release it was pretty revolutionary in popular music. It’s a good album imo however it’s a shame M.I.A is not an alt right wacko

It is good, but I like Arular more.

i recognize that this one is gonna be controversial for us, but this album slaps hard. it slaps hard today and it slapped hard in 2007. there's only one good single but the vibe is greater than the sum of its slaps. MIA's vocals are smooth and effortless slaps that both sting and cool. the first three tracks are intense, experimental slappers that slap firmly and get you all slapped up. her use of folk samples from around the world adds a certain depth of slap that was unique among hip hop slaps at the time and is executed in a really fun way. the middle third of the album was weaker and left me feeling unslapped but she slaps it back up in the last few tracks. paper planes is and will always be an eternal slap of a single and probably the slap she'll be remembered for but it stood out in the overall sound and felt sort of out of place to me. that said, come around was a perfect followup slap to end the album on. overall it's great, it's joyful and risky and socially conscious, a lot of love went into it and i miss MIA being cool. 4/5 ask not for whom the slap slaps, get vaccinated

I guess I wasn’t ready for this yet when it came out. This is a densely textured nightmare of sound in a very positive way, a really cool predecessor to the sick computer music that is still coming out now. I can’t believe this was made in 2007 on Logic. It’s not all hits, there are some misses on here but the aesthetic choices are so sick that it saves it. Shout out paper planes of course.

I like it. But not so much as to save it.

We should ban more artists from producing their albums in the USA. This is going to sound wanky but this feels like a good representation of voices from the global south (rural NSW counts) Jimmy samples a Bollywood song which as soon as I heard the strings on this I went seeking it rabidly as I'd heard it somewhere before. Turns out I had first heard it in You Don't Mess with the Zohan. I should watch the movie, Disco Dancer, to cleanse my mind of Zionist slop (even though Zohan is pretty funny icl). Paper Planes is also a certified GOLD banger and if it were the only good song on here this album would still receive 3/5 I am not going to pretend like this is kind of music is in my usual wheelhouse and that I will give this whole thing a spin regularly but I enjoyed the highlights on here far more than I expected and the album in general was novel and entertaining. There is a good variety of musical style here and the songs are arranged in a way that doesn't leave it back/frontloaded. On a second listen, the variety of style and the quality of the production here is too good to give this a middling 3/5. Also I respect any artist with a massive chunk of their Wikipedia page dedicated to their political/social shitflinging. Highlights: Jimmy, The Run, XR2, Paper Planes

Very fun and quite dark.

So many different styles, so much musical shoplifting. She's a one, isn't she? I love the DIY approach M.I.A. takes to making music: Fuck it. I'll do my own thing and see what comes out at the other end. I always feel energised after listening to her.

THE MOTHER OF MOTHERS

Mycket bra! Den här skivan klickade för mig. Gillar soundet och rytmen. Satt å digga med rejält från första lyssningen. Sen är ju paper plane aningen uttjatad, men en riktig hit. Kul att höra resten. Gillar särskilt mango down the river, en gäng kids från Australien som MIA remixat. Simpel men ändå najs. Men tycker nog inte nån låt är dålig. Når inte hela vägen (paper planes är utan tvekan en femma dock).

Pretty interesting album, just got locked in to the dense hypnotic layers. I’ll return to this one. Rating: 8

Kala has decade defining songs like Paper Planes and Come Around, but isn't cohesive as a full project. I still enjoyed the album, but it misses out on a 5/5. Best Songs: Jimmy, Paper Planes, Come Around Worst Songs: Hussel

Lots of fun, lively tracks. Very unique.

paper planes is one of the best songs of that decade. shame M.I.A went insane.

A fun record to dance to

It's the same I said about Arular. Interesting mix of genres, her lyrics are rare and unique, but too many repetitions. It's a tad better than it's predecessor.

Liked it!

Pretty good, might revisit later.

Kala was cool when it was released, and it is still cool now.

Great. Eclectic album that I enjoyed both the single Paper Planes.

Very good. Inventive with the creative choice of samples. Fun album.

Kreatywne, dobre bity, azjatyckie naleciałości, odważne teksty, plus jeden wielki hit, który kiedyś śpiewałam w kółko. Dla jednych repetytywne, dla mnie bardzo w zgodzie ze sobą i estetyką tamtych czasów. Mocne 8.5/10 równane w dół

Wild!

Really cool album. Standout songs: Husel World Town Paper Planes

A very fun listen. I think it’s way ahead of its time and im glad she got as popular as she did

excellent music

They could never make me hate you, M.I.A.

This album reminds me of a very specific time in my life. I'd just moved to Korea as a student and had somehow ended up DJing in a bar semi-regularly. I'd managed to get hold of an early release of this album and Paper Planes, so it got a lot of play at that time. I remember the excitement of that time in my life and how much everyone vibed on that song in particular. It was cool, the album is cool.

I liked this - electic mix of rap, with international tones - Indian, African, British - cool album

I knew I really liked the singles, but I had forgotten how good the album as a whole is.

Hard one to judge on a single listen. I have a good feeling that it's going to get more listens from me though. Fairly unique sounds, reminds me of early albums from The Streets

Definitely very experimental and abrasive and subjectively I think her début was better. However, I enjoyed a good few of the songs. ‘Paper Planes’ is by far the highlight.

I only knew the massive hit single from this album, so had no idea how great the beats and vibe were in the rest of the record. Really catchy and made commuting a little less terrible.

Грустно, что из-за ее политики, постепенно эта очень влиятельная дама выпадает из дискуссии и вообще творчества. Этот альбом видится мне большим прорывом, благодаря которому существует миллион любимых артистов. Лучшая песня - Paper Planes.

Favorite Track: Paper Planes

Kala is great but the previous album, Arular is a superior album in my opinion. I wore both of these albums out when they were released yet they still hold up after old these years. The beat production was like nothing I had heard, sure there’s elements of music from around the world but the creative exploration displayed was unique to M.I.A. This was a period when artists like M.I.A., Major Lazer and Santigold were pushing the bounds of independent music production, a very inspirational time indeed.

I enjoyed this. I'd heard most of this album before, but not in a long while. I feel like this sonically captures the essence of modern youth culture of London, where South Asians, West Indians, Africans and more all grow up together. It's a well-produced, creative blend of kaleidoscopic global influences, but the rapping delivery reminds me of a yobbish teenager writing lyrics in a notebook and performing it for her mates after school, which helps keeps it feeling more immediate and not overly slick.

This was one I somehow missed when I was younger. I had heard "Paper Planes" but that might actually be one of the ones I enjoyed less on the album. I guess that explains why I never sought out more of her music. I thought this was a very fun album. Would be a great album to have on in the background at the right party. There are some songs I REALLY enjoy on here but overall feels a bit more like a strong like than a love.

Well, that was unique. I now understand M.I.A.s appeal is her production, not her lyrics. She's actually quite talented.

The only low point on this album is Paper Airplanes and that's only because it was overplayed to death and back when it came out. Overall Killer album

Irrésistible et irrévérencieux, transpire de confiance et d'effronterie tout en étant super dansant

Paper Planes was the only song from this album coming in, and it still slaps. I found the rest of the album to be enjoyable as well, maybe not always at the same standard and a few songs dropped the ball. Overall though, I enjoyed this album and was bopping along most of the time.

2007... let that sink in. Ver voordat experimental hip hop merchants als Danny Brown, JPEG, Death Grips of BROCKHAMPTON zich op de markt gingen begeven, kwam M.I.A. met deze cocktail van rap, dancehall, techno, industrial, en allerlei exotische stijlen. En het alle mafste; het komt uit het brein van een Britse vrouw met Sri Lankese roots. Die demografische en geografische isolatie laat de stamboom der hip hop op haar grondvesten schudden. Uit puur evolutionair oogpunt kun je haar ontwikkeling zien als een vorm van 'spontaneous generation', ofwel 'the hypothetical process by which living organisms develop from nonliving matter'. Zo voelt het een beetje. Er valt moeilijk een vader of moeder van haar stijl aan te wijzen. En eerlijk, ik heb sinds haar ook weinig muziek gehoord wat te bestempelen valt als haar nakomeling. Een zonderling, in de positieve zin van het woord. Wat een gewaagd album, gezien de tijd en plaats van release. Er gebeurt zoveel dat het moeilijk is om dit laag voor laag te analyseren. Het begint direct met een explosie genaamd 'Bamboo Banga', een excentrieke dance rap song die toewerkt naar een climax waar je niet stil bij kan blijven zitten. Haar gevoel voor timing is waanzinnig. Ze liegt niet, het is een absolute 'banga'. Maar zoals bij meerdere nummers op deze plaat moet je jezelf ook vaak afvragen of het niet de meest schunnige/platte muziek is die je ooit hebt gehoord, of dat het briljant is in al zijn eigenaardigheid. Het gaat vaak bijna over de top, en balanceert constant heel knap op dat randje. Bij het tweede nummer 'BirdFlu' gaat ze er duidelijk overheen, alsof je je als luisteraar bevindt in een volière in Artis. Maar dat houdt het zonder meer interessant. Het zal de Nederlandse luisteraar dan ook niet heel erg verbazen dat een later album van haar is geproduceerd door The Partysquad, want dat 'foute' dance tintje hoor je hier ook al wel terug. Neem ook zo'n nummer als 'Jimmy'. Ik heb nog nooit iets gehoord wat ook maar een beetje die stijl benaderd. De quirky Boney M.-achtige break, de schele coupletjes, en de Italian disco piepjes en ploepjes.. Je weet eigenlijk niet goed wat je er mee aan moet. Maar aan het einde van de rit heb ik - zoals met het merendeel van de songs - zonder meer behoefte om ze nog eens te beluisteren. Ik hou van muziek die je brein kietelt, en dat doet ze fantastisch. En de songs hebben altijd nog net genoeg structuur om je bij een eerste luisterbeurt aan vast te klampen. '20 Dollar' is zo'n ander voorbeeld van haar lef en durf, en is zo progressief dat veel pop artiesten van vandaag zich er niet aan durven te wagen. En gewoon even 'Where Is My Mind?' interpoleren in het refrein, props. 17 jaar oud dit album, ongekend. Maar natuurlijk is 'Paper Planes' dé eyecatcher van deze plaat. Het nummer dat M.I.A. ondanks haar extravagante aanpak - waardoor ze zich allerminst in de mainstream bevindt - in één klap wereldfaam zag pakken. Ook hier liet ze weer zien dat je je als hip hop artiest niet hoeft te limiteren aan soul, jazz en funk samples, maar dat ook alternatieve rock een uitstekende bron kan zijn. Dit nummer zou ook altijd 'ahead of the curve' zijn, een curve waarvan je je af kan vragen of hij überhaupt ooit nog komt. En ik wil guns absoluut niet romantiseren, maar wat klinken die schoten in het refrein altijd lekker. Wat een trip is ''Kala'', een bumpy ride. Hier en daar is het me iets te hobbelig, en wordt het bijna ongemakkelijk, maar zeker driekwart van de songs ga ik vaker bij terugkomen. De aantrekkingskracht is enorm. Haar latere albums (vooral de eerstopvolgende) begeven zich vaak in nog wat gewaagder territorium, waardoor ze altijd een 'lastige' artiest is. Maar haar ethos vind ik fascinerend; dat ze na het scoren van een wereldhit in 'Paper Planes' doodleuk een avant-garde en industrieel monster van een plaat (Maya) maakt. Een 'pop' artiest naar m'n hart, en precies het tegenovergestelde van een Taylor Swift, wat dat betreft. 8,5/10 Highlights: Bamboo Banga Jimmy 20 Dollar Paper Planes

Super vet. Plaat als geheel nog nooit eerder zo gehoord. Nummers zitten boordevol gekke geluiden, crazy beats, stemmen en vreemde momenten. Mango Pickle Down River is heerlijk rustig nummertje met mellow beat, maar ook met een spacende didgeridoo en een soort groepje kinderen wat half kletsend, half rappend het nummer bij elkaar raapt. Het pistoolschot en de rinkelende kassa in Paper Planes zijn net zulke geniale vondsten om een beat mee samen te stellen. Daarnaast zitten de nummer vol met wereldse invloeden. Bollywood samples, Afrikaanse folk muziek en funk carioca (braziliaanse funk, moest ik opzoeken). Zo maakt M.I.A. een plaat die met zeer weinig te vergelijken is. En my god, hoe lekker is het gebruik van een stuk uit Where Is My Mind in '20 Dollar'? Altijd al fan geweest van Paper Planes, en weleens meer geluisterd van M.I.A., maar mezelf nog nooit eerder gewaagd een heel album. Dat is jammer... want ik ben fan. 8/10 Highlights Mango Pickle Down River 20 dollar Paper Planes

m.i.a. is insane now just like everybody else but this still holds up

Extremely unique album. A mix of so many different styles. Something a bit electronic vibes, but oldsh style, some part almost a bit folkish , a lot of influence from pop, a lot of rap.

I prefer AIM, but this album is still very good

4/5. A shock of sound threw me off at first but each song stands alone as a testament to mixing pop and electronic to multiple different cultural styles while still sounding fresh and new just as if it came out today, not that it's very old. I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would on the first song but it really grew on me, once I got the energy it was giving. This is going to be a repeat listen for sure and probably bump up to a 5 from what I'm feeling but right now it is a 4 cause some songs didn't land fully. Still great though! Best Song: Paper Planes, Bird Flu, Boyz

Despite more recent controversial comments, this album is still pretty damn good, and a definite step up for Arular. 4.5 down to 4.

One of the very few things this list does is expose you to music you're not familiar with (extra emphasis on 80s and 90s Britpop). Some things you hear and check it off your list knowing you'll never hear it again. I've been familiar with M.I.A. since she exploded with Kala. I haven't listened to her until now and wow. A sonic, multi-layered eargasm that is not something I would voluntarily listen to, but mission accomplished with this entry - I'm glad I listened to it and will add it to my que's. 4.5/5

This album came out of nowhere! There is a real global journey feeling going on. It's raw, energetic, and full of surprises. The beats hit hard but remain playful, almost like a soundtrack for a chaotic, vibrant city. There’s a mix of rebellion and joy in every track. The soundscape is wild yet grounded. It really started to grow on me.

Mango Pickle Down River! I liked that a lot.

Was pleasantly surprised. The album was much more than just their hit Paper Planes. The album has such a distinct and fun sound. In some ways it is very reminiscent of the early 2000’s and in others it feels quite fresh.

M.I.A. used to go hard af. cool album but a bit too dense. Additional star for paper planes.

There are certainly better albums from the 2000s, but this one FEELS so much like the era in terms of living in a neoliberal, post-globalization world. The speed in which the exchange of currency occurs, which has led to a rapid exchange of culture, language, and perspectives, is so well-captured on 'Kala,' the second album from Sri Lankan rapper M.I.A. from 2007. A real murderers' row of producers, including Diplo and Timbaland, who would help usher in sounds from every stretch of the planet to create a real sonic constellation. The first side alone is almost unrelenting in its intensity. By the end of track two, you already have enough information to determine if you'd vibe with M.I.A.'s artistic vision. I know tons of people who take issue with her bratty vocal delivery. In my view, this tends to wonderfully match the nonsense words and sounds she offers ("na na na" on "Boyz," "a-nee-nee-nee" on "World Town"), which is a cross between school-girl taunting and pidgin English, the combination of such over layers of beats presents a totally interesting and important musical innovation. What does "bamboo banga" even mean? Does it even matter since it sounds so deliciously cool, especially since it takes over two minutes to get to the chorus? Other times, it's just plain nonsense ("live in trees, chew on feet, watch Lost on cable"). The first side of the record - really, the first four tracks - are really where the flavour is. "Bird Flu" is absolutely relentless in its intensity with its propulsive rhythms, acoustic percussions, trills and yelps from all sorts of voices from all sorts of ages. "Boyz" is like the world opening itself up to you after spending hours on an airplane and now you're confronted with a crush of people, cacophony of noise, and rush of colour. "Jimmy" would have to be one of my favourite tracks off the record with its Indo-neo-Disco hook and quivering yearning. The strings that come in at around 2:40 both mount tension but echo the kind of gasp-y shallow breathing M.I.A. would do at the final moment of the song in between sobs. Not to say the album is front-loaded, but there is a greater cohesion of sound after "Jimmy" and a slight dip in energy. But this brings us to "Paper Planes." I recall we all agreed that this was the Song of the Decade. A brilliant use of a Clash sample and another instance in which the words don't offer any particularly deep insight into the Immigrant Hustle, but that doesn't matter since the high levels of swagger and attitude mean any misstep is instantly cast aside. The pairing of gun shots and a cash register in order to make a link between violence and profit - not just in terms of individuals, but whole systems at play - is amazing. I saw a review on here that stated that everyone, immigrant or not, could relate to this song. We've all moments in our lives in which we're "sittin' on trains/every stop I get to, I'm clocking that game." We're lamenting the long commute that we have to embark to even START our work day and we're imagining a better life for ourselves where "everyone's a winner." "Come Around" may be the album's one skip, if only because it sounds the most convention and features a Timbaland verse that really didn't need to be there. M.I.A., on the other hand, is the sharpest she's sound on the record. Her ability to enunciate and add in those bratty flourishes at exactly the right moment as she imbues youth vernacular is one-of-a-kind ("Sidekick rings, 'what's up, holla!'/text the address, 'I'll see ya later!'). I liked 'MAYA' and 'Matangi' just fine, but 'Kala' is absolutely thrilling; it's all over the album art. You simply had to be there. A

Ahead of its time. Packed with catchy alternative pop music in a time where most pop music had trouble standing out. (at least for me) *Heard before

There is definitely a step up here from Arular to Kala. But at the same time, not all the songs are "Bangers". I mean, "Boyz" is one of the more insipid songs I have heard. Random thoughts: "20 Dollar"... I am still torn on this track. I like the vocalizations, but then I grew tired of them. I felt like I needed more off of it. "World Town" seemed like the anti-"Hollaback Girl". It took the vibe of that song and made it much more. "Come Around" was a pretty good ending for the album. It's interesting in that the randomizer had the two M.I.A. albums selected sequentially to listen to. I might have been more annoyed if they were separated far apart. But listening to them one right after the other you really hear her growth as an artist, and why this album is the one that stayed on the list. Top tracks: "Bamboo Banga," "Jimmy", "20 Dollar," "Paper Planes," "Come Around"

Well it finally happened. The list randomly chose two albums back to back from the same artist. Bad random generator! Easier to compare though. I didn't get drawn into this album as much as MIA's debut. The opener Bamboo Banga was so-so; felt like she was trying too hard to be catchy instead of being fiery in her lyrics and letting the music flow from it. As the album progressed I changed my tune slightly - lyrics still very clever, but the beats still didn't mesh as well as on her first album. Maybe she was trying to integrate too many different styles? Sampled too much? Definitely collaborated too much - I don't want to hear Afrikan Boy and Timbaland, I want to hear MIA. Probably too many people wanted a piece of her or wanted to be involved in this album after the success of her first album. Still a good album and this woman is still incredibly talented, I just didn't dig it as much as her first one. Paper Planes though, what a tune! I've always loved it. Other really pumping songs were World Town and Xr2.

Once again, the 1001 Editors removed an album by a modern artist in lieu of a more recent album. In this case, they removed her debut, Arular, and replaced it with this second album, Kala. I liked Arular more - it resonated with me more than this album and had a much harder edge, which I suppose is consistent with M.I.A.'s view that Arular was a more masculine album and Kala was more feminine (Arular named after her father and Kala named after her mother). On the plus side, I preferred the more organic drums on this album. And of course Paper Planes is super catchy (when I heard Arular I had no idea this was her song even though I'd heard it before). I'd probably give this album a 3.5. Since I went with a 4 for Arular, I feel like I should go with a 3 for this one (particularly for having auto-tune in 20 Dollar - auto-tune is almost always an automatic one point reduction for me - but the lyrics are powerful and MAYBE including lyrics from Where Is My Mind gets the point back?). I'll go with the 4 because I continue to dig her style. Favorite Tracks - Bird Flu (love the drums), Boyz, Mango Pickle Down River (fun song with a cool groove), Come Around (I could do without the Timbaland spot, but the rest is very cool).

Not as good as the first album but a banger.

Not my favorite MIA album, but there are a few songs on here I really love.

Of it's time, although feels strangely contemporary in some ways due to it's easy international flavour which is the fashion now. Despite MIAs descent into lunacy, this is still largely a thrilling listen and Paper Planes is an all-timer

I didn't have any preconceived notions about this record other than remembering the artist appearing with Madonna live on some telecast. (Looked it up, Super Bowl halftime, apparently kind of notorious because M.I.A. flipped the bird at one point.) I generally like dance music if it's inspired and interesting. This was definitely interesting! Her delivery can be a bit droll or mechanical at times, which reminded me of Grace Jones, actually. Interesting record. Glad to have ended up listening to it.

Sweaty dance party Of bangers produced crisply With fun sounds and styles

I liked the spaceman version of the pixies

7/10. After two songs I was leaning a 3/10. Which emphasizes how unbalanced I thought the album was. Had some really good stuff (Hussell, Boyz, World Town, Paper Planes) and some horrible stuff (Bamboo Banga, 20 Dollar, XR2) for me. I think because I’m not big on the electronic pieces. What took it from 6 to 7 was that Jimmy and Mango Pickle Down River were fun and kept me engaged.

3.75

è già il secondo suo che ascolto, comunque viene molto apprezzata dalla critica. Oh comunque bello. Con 'Paper planes' perla finale, 4.

Bold and fully realised

This album had the energy of a hyperactive toddler. At one point, bridge is rhymed with didge (as in didgeridoo) and I fucking love that. This was a lot of fun. 4 stars

Well that was a fun record, carried by a fresh voice in this sea of mostly anglo-saxon white men making music. An important record, would come back here again.

Really interesting stuff throughout, 20 dollar was cool , where is my mind reference

Obviously very cool and probably super innovative for its time, felt a tiny bit repetitive at times but I think I just need to listen to it in the right setting

Second album of hers I've had. I had heard Paper Planes before. It's interesting. She's Sri Lankan and mixes world music with hip hop and electronica. So it's like a world trip hop fusion. Its not bad at all. Favourite songs: Paper Planes, Mango Pickle Down River, 20 Dollar, World Town, Come Around, Bamboo Banga, BirdFlu, Hussel Least favourite songs: The Turn 4/5

Great stuff

a 2000's charli that raps as well. also paper planes is one of the best songs of the 00's

Very unique and full of bops

So, I had this album and completely forgot (hence my confusion over paper planes). I remember not really liking it at the time but on this relisten I thought it was great. There is something about modern musics played on lesser heard instruments that I really enjoy.

Pretty enjoyable if you don't make too much of it.

Straight up banger !

Club dance poppy. I also love her voice. I should give this one another listen, might become a 5?

There's a weirdness to this album. Jimmy is the highlight besides the huge hit Paper Planes. And the one song where she recites the lyrics to Where is my Mind.

We wouldn’t have Death Grips without M.I.A

Y’know, after checking out two albums I think M.I.A. is starting to click for me in a real way. Paper Planes takes me right back to my uni indie club days of course but I’m digging a lot of the other tunes too. Those I might’ve found a bit shrill and annoying before suddenly seem refreshing, inventive and fun now. Also, why is the track with the Aussie kids so great? It makes me smile every time. Let’s say 3.5 / 4 stars

I'd not come across this before but really glad I have now. Loved how distinctive and different it sounds. Really tribal rhythms and her voice is brilliant.

I played & danced to this album a ton when it dropped. It's an in your face, high energy commentary about politcs, war, immigration, government, drugs, and violence. Loved the beats & multicultural representation. I'm usually not a big fan of sampling, but it's done cleverly here. 4 solid stars.

Most unique album generated so far. Was not really in the mood for it, but it had me pumped by the end regardless.

Such a cool and different hip hop album from what commonly goes main stream. MIA's culture and place are a huge part of what makes her so unique. I can understand why someone wouldn't jive with it, but her lyrics and flow with the non traditional beats and samples make it so interesting to listen to. Love this album.

Really enjoyed this one. Very different

I loved this album; reminded me of the frenetic band Die Antwoord! Paper Planes is a clear favorite, but honestly, I loved all the tracks! That's why I joined this challenge!

I loved this album! I’ve loved a few of M.I.A.’s songs in the past (Bad Girls is a stand out) but I’d never listened to a full album of hers for some reason?! This album had some incredible tracks! The were a few bits I didn’t love, and a few of the samples were a little hit and miss, but I listened to it over and over and particularly loved … Come Around as a new to me track. I think it’ll go on high rotation! There’s something about the beats and repeated vocal and instrumental elements that really tickles my brain, clashing sounds and international vibes that just really do it for me! Yes! I came back to edit this, I've thought about doing it multiple times because she's just such a twat and I just don't want this album this high on my list anymore. DEMOTED.

She sucks but it's p good

Really enjoying that M.I.A album. Such a cool, dynamic combination of elements. The songs are a but rhythmically repetitive though, which I get is a stylistic choice but it does get a bit tedious at times.

HL: “Paper Planes” (obviously), “Come Around”, “Hussel”, “BirdFlu”, “Boyz” First full M.I.A album One gets the feeling Beyoncé wouldn’t have made RENAISSANCE, or Yitler made Yeezus 💿 the same way without stuff like this paving the way “Bamboo Banga” is a pretty great indicator of how the whole album goes; abrasive and repeats itself a lot, but it’s ridiculously catchy and inventive. March 16, 2024

Not my particular cup of tea, but I can definitely tell why it's included. The soundscape was extremely unique, utilizing sounds effects including, cars, dogs barking, guns, and a cash register. The beats really drove the experience and included a lot of chanting and some bizarre rhythms. There were even a few synth Brit-pop songs sprinkled throughout. Definitely an interesting and pushing the envelope of what music can be.

Every time I start an album that doesn't sound like late 60's guitar masturbation or pop-rock, I rush to the comments on this god-forsaken website to read the salty reviews. It sustains me. So many music "fans" can't listen to anything outside of their little genre circles they've sequestered themselves in. This album is not what I expected at all. Paper Planes was so pervasive in my high school experience. It was everywhere in the late 2000's. It's definitely a stand-out on this album, but if you can't bob your head to the percussion on the rest of these tracks, you're probably dead inside. The thick sound on songs like 20 Dollar are just infectious. The world music influence on this album is incredible. I understand this type of music not being your favorite, but calling it "unlistenable" is childish. Grow up lmao

This album is a representation of what it was like to live in a third world country in the 2000s, and parts of the album are so creative. M.I.A. really knows how to tell a story, and Kala is no exception. Songs like “Jimmy” talk about falling in love with a UN worker (when the song very well could be a cover). The features here are a mixed bag, with Afrikan Boy’s feature being the best out of the three and The Wilcannia Mob (a one-hit wonder group in Australia full of preteens) being the worst. “Mango Pickle Down River” is just decent. Regardless, the album is amazing and a must listen. That’s why I think it deserves an 84.1/100, or a 4.205/5. Fav: “Jimmy” Least Fav: “Mango Pickle Down River”

This was a great album! The beats to each track were absolutely great the lyrics were a bit weird but the instrumentals were on point.

I liked it enough to listen again

She is so cool.

Very good

Eu achei Mt bom, adorei os elementos de eletrônica, os instrumentos e sons inusitados, sons bem agudos e "ruins de escutar", mas com o rap dela por cima e o ritmo, fica bem gostoso, quase que hipnotizante, e da aquela coçada bem boa no cérebro. O ritmo e os sons sao Mt inspirado na música indiana e, na minha percepção, o ritmo tem um tom bem latino, oq faz com que ele prepare um chão Mt bom para experimentar e explorar todos os sons possíveis, e foi isso que me atraiu pelo álbum, ele eh bem experimental, com toda música trazendo ou um som, ou um feat, ou um ritmo e até msm idiomas diferentes, algo que faz brilhar o quesito artistico que a m.i.a tem, e deixando claro que ela tem interesse em mudar padrões e se diverte fazendo músicas estranhas, além disso, tem uma linha de raciocínio pelo correr de todo o álbum, onde nada que eh adicionado parece não pensado, ou que não combina com o resto das músicas, e eu digo isso pq são coisas bem inusitadas. Ouvindo uma outra música dela, da para notar como, se não apetecendo ao meu gosto, pode se tornar bem chato e repetitivo o estilo dela, dentro desse álbum tudo faz sentido e a repetição não aparece como algo ruim, mas sim como uma decisão artística, que dá a característica do álbum, isso dito, músicas fora de contexto podem ser cansativas, assim, seria interessante ouvir outros álbuns , para dar esse veredito. Tenho que fazer uma parte para elogiar a voz dela, Mt linda e poderosa, importantíssima para o estilo, e o jeito do rap dela eh Mt interessante, trazendo aquela rap britânico, mas que não parece europeu, por ela trazer diversas tonalidades e maneirismos de línguas diferentes e culturas diferentes. Além de tudo, pelo sentido cultural, foi bom conhecer uma cantora indiana, algo que me falta Mt, não conheço nada msm e essa primeira impressão me animou para ir atrás de mais. 7/10

I love the different sounds and influences M.I.A. draws from here and makes it sound fresh without being derivative. Bits of it sound a little repetitive here and there but still a great listen even 15 years later

I was really enjoying this album, then I had a break to do the school run and when I came back it no longer hit the same. Paper Planes is amazing though. And absolute respect to M.I.A., she’s definitely a role model.

I've only known "Paper Planes" before listening to this album. The rest of the album is consistent with the eclectic samples and sounds from that hit, so M.I.A. has delivered a very consistent album. I particularly like the Eastern tones of some of the riffs in each song--it sounds like a 21st Century soundtrack to a Sri Lankan open market. Besides "Paper Planes" I really like "20 Dollar" (and the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind" reference).

Listened to it several times, then checked out her first album. Quite an ambitious artist. Liked her energy and creativity. She definitely spent part of her life in war zones. International influences are obvious in her music. I will try to check out her later albums as well.

MIA is a wack job, but this album is still good. Major nostalgia factor here, very unique sound. Still proud to say I liked this before it was cool.

Complex, different and really creative electro-hip-hop-world album. It's not something I would listen to daily but I appreciate her talent.

This album is awesome. Such an incredible energy. The beats are eclectic and absolutely wild. And M.I.A. has such a cool presence. Remember that summer when "Paper Planes" was playing out of every car window that drove down the street? Man, it's still so good. I don't think I'll ever get tired of it. It's so fun. I can vaguely remember hearing it for the first time and thinking, "Whoa, what is this?" "Paper Planes" is easily the most pop-focused track here but the whole album is packed with "Whoa, what is this?" moments. 4.5

Yea! Oddly enough I've been listening to a lot of M.I.A. in the past year. I think that this album was one that we listened to a lot in college, and it brings back a lot of great partying memories. Although I think specifically this was the sort of album we would put on while pre-gaming for a party. The thing that stands out to me the most with this record and M.I.A. in general is that there's almost no limit to the IDEAS. Her songs are packed with cool ideas all across the board- songwriting ideas, arrangement ideas, production ideas.. it goes on. She's not afraid to try things, and it's a part of her music that really elevates the experience. "Paper Planes" is a great example of this. Those SFX in the chorus are SO well known and for good reason! They add this extra catchiness that makes you want to make all of the sounds yourself as you sing along. It's not unique to her, but the execution is immaculate. "Bird Flu" is a good example too. There's this bass synthy sound that almost sounds like a huge albatross of a bird throwing up. How funny is that? Also, all of those marching band drums? Come on. How about the intro to "Boyz" with that tempo change in the first 20 seconds? So impressively cool to say to the listener "I'm setting you up for this kind of straightforward 1 and 3 beat. Oh wait no I'm not here is this funky new swinging sea saw beat that disagrees with that first beat".

Looking forward to this. Already like several tracks on this one. Loved the video for Boyz. This whole aesthetic came out of left field. There was no one who looked or sounded like her. Lots of fun, lively tracks. Very unique.

This may have been the last album I downloaded from LimeWire. I listened to this thing constantly. Funny thing is, having downloaded it illegal-like, I didn't know the names of any of these songs except for Paper Planes. I think it holds up!

4.5 stars. Sri Lankan hip-hop artist creatively blends world sound into dance-paced record. There's times where I found the tracks annoying (e.g. the high pitched tinny "World Town") but overall this is good. The highs (e.g. upbeat, synth-y "Jimmy") are really high. Unlike most of the rest of the album that is more fast-paced dance genre, the infectious "Paper Planes" is down-beat hip-hop that's mocking lyrics cleverly play on many American's views on third world country immigrants.

Arular is my favorite album by MIA but this one is very good.

I had really high hopes for this album because I’ve always loved paper planes ever since I heard it on far cry 3 when I was 11 and I really was not expecting what I got. Its a very unique album compared to the one hit song and features aggressive production choices along with vocals ranging from fun to grating. Sometimes it hits and some times it doesn’t. Unlike aha or soft cell, the best song elevates an uneven album instead of saving a shitty album. Basically, mia walked so that remi wolf could run.

I'd only heard Paper Planes before and this was an absolute gem. Endlessly creative and doesn't sound like any other hip hop record I've been heard. The second half is not quite as strong so docked a point but I will listen to some of these tracks more

M.I.A.'s second album is more focused on unique beats, but it has just as much personality as the first one. It definitely gets the energy up, even though it's not really dance music. However, the second half of the album gets a bit less fun and more esoteric.

The first track didn't do much for me beside make me worried about having to listen to the whole thing. I've said before I have a hard time taking British MCs seriously and this was kind of the same. But the beats, samples and grooves grew on me and it became a somewhat interesting listen. "Jimmy" and "Paper Planes" are bangers

An absolute banger of an album and instantly recognizable as MIA!

I really enjoyed her debut, so I was worried at first when I really did NOT like the opening song. Luckily the rest of the album was fire. She has such a distinct blend of sounds that has really stayed fresh through the years.

Not as good as her debut, but this has "Paper Planes" so giving it anything lower than a 4/5 is a sin punishable by being boiled in a witch's cauldron. So fun and funky. One of the most creative people in hip-hop. I wonder what her opinion on vaccines is.

Never heard the full album before. Feels quite raw. Liked it.

Good,paper Planes is a stand out track,very different from the rest of the album,but I still liked the rest of the album decently enough.Very experimental sounding without getting super annoying though it can be grating at times.I still liked this album.

Prettying good. House with vocals

Out of the 25 or so albums I've gotten through so far, this one is certainly the most interesting. While grating at first, the album gradually built to an atmosphere I really dug - one I could only describe as a perfect theme to the 1989 Mario Bro's TV show (which I say with full respect). Still, along the way some songs teetered towards annoying, and it was clear that M.I.A.'s talents were not fully fleshed out on this record.

It’s unfortunate that this album is only remembered for one song. Jimmy, Mango Pickle Down River, and Come Around are all great songs

Solid. Paper Planes is always a banger.

Nice sound, gets you moving. Paper planes still a classic

Never listened to a full MIA album before, but I dug it. It was a little weird that Timbaland got the last verse of the record I thought, but whatever.

Really like this album. There are parts that are over long and meandering, however when it hits it really hits. I still prefer Arular because it is tighter, but the experimentation on this in general succeeds. 3.9/5

Finally trying to play catch-up. I never really listened to M.I.A. back in the day, but she sure does have more than just “Paper Planes”. This was fun if a little too much at times. B

Album # 46 I only knew M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes" going into this album, so I assumed the album was similar to that song. I'm glad that I was wrong. There are so many different global styles of music represented on the album with MIA's emceeing over it. It was a lot of fun and a breath of fresh air. Paper Planes and the song with Timbaland seemed to be the weaker points. 4*

Pretty overrated because of Paper Planes and Come Around - some goodies here, but Arular is clear

It is actually a very very interesting album

My favorite of hers. Musically great and I love her politics.

Super unique and creative sound

This album is wild. Few albums described as "world" music really feel like they incorporate a lot of the world, but this one really does. Plus it's just catchy as heck. Underappreciated album for sure. Paper Planes is obviously just a banger and a half in particular.

4 stars. A fun album, but I knew that already.

This is fun. Great percussion. One massively popular track, but it's great to learn that this isn't a case where every other track on the album is trash. Some are weak, but overall there's enough good to warrant a full listen.

I don't know what I'm hearing but I like it Favorite Tracks: Bamboo Banga, Boyz, Hussel, 20 Dollar, Paper Planes, Come Around

Wow so experimental

Interesting and unique intersection of rap with British/Indian culture and female voice.

M.I.A (Maya Arulprasagam) deserves to be known as so much more than just “the Paper Planes woman”. “Kala” is an ambitious, all-consuming force which swallows music whole from around the world and vomits it out in digital technicolour. Named after Arulpragasam’s mother, and designed partly to address the struggles she had faced through life, its approach to production feels like the 2000’s equivalent of Spector’s wall of sound. It’s my first time hearing this record, and its first stretch is nothing short of exhilarating, disorientating, overwhelming. “Bamboo Banga”’s animalistic yelps and insistent bass drum! “BirdFlu”’s expression of unbridled mania! The chaotic traffic jam of samples in “Boyz”! And then the relatively accessible, Bollywood-through-a-meat-grinder track that is “Jimmy”: catchy, loveable, but still out-there enough to make us question exactly what is coming next.* However, “Kala” does take a minor nose dive in its second-half. I can just about excuse the collaboration with tween Indigenous Australians Wilcannia Mob as a lightweight novelty throwaway. “20 Dollar” also just about works, with its incongruous social commentary interpolating “Where is my Mind” and “Blue Monday”. But elsewhere, songs like “World Town” and “XR2” devolve a little too much into playground chants without building enough on what we’ve heard before. And “The Turn” is a dreary ballad with no surprises: “Kala” runs the risk of becoming dry, and worst of all, predictable. But THEN! Along comes the reason we’re all here, “Paper Planes”. With more Spotify streams than all the other tracks of “Kala” combined, it redesigns the music landscape in its own image. I don’t care how overexposed it may be: it is sublime. Even though “Come Around”, with Timbaland, feels tacked on and unnecessary, M.I.A sticks the landing and “Kala” comes off as a technicolour joyride through her world. Come for “Paper Planes”, stay for the rest. *Side note: M.I.A’s embrace of freewheeling energy, autonomy and sheer mayhem makes me want to write an essay comparing “Kala” to Kate Bush’s “The Dreaming”. There’s even didgeridoo in both, and “Kala”’s isn’t played by Rolf Harris, so… this is technically… winning?

Tricky to maintian my righteous anger for a whole album.

Doesn't start with the strongest impression, but once it gets going, it's downright infectious.

This a bamboo banga. I’m bored of banana, I want guanabana. Minimum 4 stars for this nice guanabana!!!

I had only heard Paper Planes before and wasn't all that taken with it. However Kala is a pretty impressive, eclectic album. M.I.A. has some vocal talent and some of the beats are pretty quirky, with some cool fusion going on.

I think it's too frontloaded to scrape a 5 (other than Paper Planes lmao). But it's so fucking good.

Hip-hop, dance. Está bien. Venga, un 4.

Kala is the second album by British hip hop artist M.I.A. This world/dance/hip hop/pop album was the best on the US Billboard Electronic Albums chart in 2007 and has been certified gold in the US, silver in the UK, and platinum in Canada. The themes surrounding Kala are problems facing second and third world countries including immigration, poverty, and greedy capitalism. This critically acclaimed album did an awesome job of blending different music from around the world together into a danceable hip hop beat, which is ultimately what the themes on the album are trying to illustrate. All cultures can and should come together to make something beautiful and better than their individual parts. This is an amazing album to listen to as it feels both like a party and a fight at the same time. The music is invigorating and inspiring since it all comes from different cultures. As some critics said, this album feels like it came from the future. The track "Paper Planes" may be the most popular on the album and I think it's one of my favorite songs. I highly recommend this album to everyone!

So nice to revisit this album that was so definitive in my youth. The hooks on this one are irresistible and by the time you hit Paper Planes you might as well be in a London park drinking a tropical fruit cider - though I think it has been surpassed in terms of political clarity. A good time all round.

Started off thinking I wouldn’t like it but really grew on me. 20 Dollar and Paper Planes are great tunes.

This album is really textured in a way that feels unique in its use of south Asian sounds and rhythms. MIA's delivery can be monotone at times, but I read it as a purposefully exasperated delivery of lyrics that often speak about injustice, capitalism, and the aftermath of colonialism. Some of the synths are very late 2000s, so this album lacks a feeling of timelessness. It was still an enjoyable album, even if MIA is now shilling conspiracy theories.

I liked this! It reminded me of Gwen Stefani mixed with Major Lazer. I really liked “Boyz” but I would listen to this whole album again.

Somewhere between a 3 and a 4 for me. I found some of the songs a bit annoying but a few of the songs were great and I’ve not really heard anything like this before. A really interesting listen.

An epic album I was hoping would be on this list. Same as many, I loved Paper Planes back in the day but as time has gone on I've learned about other songs on this album and had been waiting to listen all the way through. Come Around was one of my most played songs last year thanks to the Ms Marvel soundtrack and now I'm hearing many other gems on here like BirdFlu, The Turn, Mango Pickle Down River, honestly almost every song was great. More albums like this!!

Good lord, how have I not listened to this album before? We all know MIA (or Maya) for "Paper Planes," a once in a lifetime kind of pop sensation. Even amid this album of great songs, that track sticks out like none other. That said, so much of this album is fantastic. So many great instrumentals, influenced by Indian music and other styles in South Asia. It's so refreshing. I'm certain there are plenty of artists out there making music in these styles, but it's incredibly rare for this kind of music to cross over to the mainstream, and MIA did it thanks to the undeniable magnetism of "Paper Planes." I've listened to other albums from MIA, but I don't think any of those reached this high. Color me impressed. I'm saving a lot of this. Favorite tracks: Paper Planes, Mango Pickle Down River (AMAZING track), Bamboo Banga, Birdflu, Jimmy, Hussel, The Turn, World Town. Album art: I would call this iconic, I think there's been just enough time to make that designation. The color and designs are incredible, the sort of thing I love. Perfectly represents the sound. 4.5/5

Interesting....... Put this on expecting to hate it. I'd seen the name and vaguely associated it with some rapping artist but this is quite......unique? Certainly worth listening to. Lots of African beats, drums and samples. If she did all this herself I'm impressed.

Wonderful record, a little busy here and there but with many highlights, such as the very creative Pixies remake '20 dollar'.

influential indie sleeze

I didn’t expect to like this but I really did. Nice Friday vibe.

This album is weird. That’s obvious from the opener ‘Bamboo Banga’, which is just… what. One of my favorites is ‘Mango Pickle Down River’, which has a feature of who I assume are kids, because it’s a song called ‘Mango Pickle Down River’ with a group of kids as a rap feature. ‘Paper Planes’ is clearly the best song, though; it’s so catchy while having a poignant topic.

I get why people have a hard time with this album. When I first heard M.I.A., I really had to stretch myself to appreciate it. It slowly grew on me and I realized it was only going to make sense if I gave it a chance. It opened me up to new areas of music and I'm better for it. Mango Pickle Down River is probably my favorite track from the album.

This is very different from any other rap album I've heard. I enjoyed the global menagerie of sounds — definitely want to revisit this.

4.3 + These beats are still hot! M.I.A creates a superhero persona as a globe-trotting, burner-calling, counterfeit cash-flinging, gun-toting gangster. I love the broad swath of influences, especially the Bollywood samples and tribal drums. I also love that she spotlights artists from the developing world - especially the cameo by the Wilcannia Mob on "Mango Pickle..." Despite a lull in the second half, the album's apex, "Paper Planes," ends this blingy album on a high.

All new to me -- the artist and her work -- and this album really caught my ear. Such an interesting, eclectic, and mesmerizing style. I wanted to learn more about her, so I read the Wikipedia entry about her. Her path is fascinating and even though her more recent public proclamations that spread conspiracy theories around are quite troubling, I do admire her strength and guts as an activist and artist.

Like many the average listener gotnturned onto this by the ubiquitous Paper Planes. Pretty jamming throughout. This sound wears thin for me at length and I haven't really followed her past this album (the recent crazy venting doesn't help). Still a great album and at its time a very fresh sound.

Love this. It's not perfect but has a lot of bangers and there was nothing that sounded like it at the time

p916. 2007. 4 stars, 5 on a good day. Brit electro hip-hop meets Burundi beat and other world music, which on paper sounds like a bloody awful idea - but it's actually rather good. Started with low expectations and found myself adding to the replay list.

Nice beat. My type of pop music, I used to listen to them a lot when this came out.

This is far away from my type of music and I was out of my comfort zone for this one, but... I must admit that there are killer beats and tracks on this. I'll never listen to this again, but this thing kicks ass for sure.

This grew and grew on me as it went on. Some absolute bangers on this, albeit some did sound quite dated. Boyz has been a regular on my ‘songs I like that my wife will also like’ playlist for a while, but I think Jimmy was my highlight. Didn’t realise she has an MBE. Disappointed to learn that for all the good work shes done outside of music, she’s one of them daft anti-vax/5G conspiracy theorists.

Great pallette cleanser after Adele, this is anything but bland. Loads of different influences and styles but still feels cohesive. A couple of songs don't really go anywhere but overall it's quality.

Pretty good.

A good album with a lot of interesting sampling, and features.

Man, I was not on board for the monotony that was "Bamboo Banga" but, once I got past that drudge, the album seemed to pick up. Maybe the problem was me and I just needed to surrender to the hypnotic vibe. Whatever the issue, by track 3 I was entranced. Overall, it's a beguiling and compelling expression of energy and aggression tempered with beauty and passion. It's good but, when I tried to listen critically, I tended to get a bit annoyed. When I stopped trying to judge it and just let it wash over me, I fell back into the trance and ended up enjoying it WAY more than I feel like I should. I don't know how to score that, honestly. I'm giving it a 4 because, despite myself, I liked it and feel like I've been stretched and grown by it.

Era una rara avis quan va sortir, i tot i l'impacte d''Arular', ningú s'esperava que fos capaç de superar-ho, clarament a més, amb el seu segon disc. 'Kala' continua sent la seva cumbre com artista i tot un abanic kaleodoscòpic de ritmes, influències i sons. El millor de tot, és que les cançons hi són. 'Jimmy' i 'Paper Planes' són dos dels millors temes de la década. Però és que també s'hi troben 'The Turn', '20 Dollar', 'Come Around'... tot un pic de creativitat i un disc a recuperar sovint

Kickin' album. The mash of Where is My Mind and Blue Monday on 20dollar still astounds me.

You know what, I liked this more than I thought I would. The album didn't get old, it had a great feel, M.I.A's vocals and rapping skills were decent, good features, and some well chosen samples and references. I reckon it will be a recurring listen.

There are a lot of unique sounds to like here. I only felt like 3 of the songs needed something more to be fully developed and on par with the rest. Favorite: Paper Planes

Awesome album. Mix between British Hip-Hop, African music, and Middle Eastern music --> and it works!

I loved this. “Paper Planes” has been a favorite song for years, and I loved hearing the rest. ❤️

Not incredibly into this kind of music, but there is a pretty good exception to be made here. The music is not new, but it sounds new. "Paper Planes" is a catchy tune and there is nothing to be ashamed of in liking it despite the quirkiness of the rest of the album. If anything, people should always give quirky a shot, and it is safe to say that "Kala" was the shot worth taking. The album will not change your life, and the impact on older generations of music lovers will vary, but for an album produced in 2007 to hold court in 2022 is pretty incredible for today, in hindsight the album was a prescient preview to the pop genre and trap amalgamation of the latter '10s and into the '20s.

A great clash of cultures with an aim of not giving a fuck

I completely forgot just how unhinged a lot of this album was. There are influences from all over, blended in a fascinating way over some filthy beats, and it's just a very fun listen

Hip-hop, dance. Está bien. Venga, un 4.

Chill

Unfortunately only been able to give it one full listen, but was impressed with what I heard.

A post modern, meta level, world music amalgamation. Definition of a banger.

I remember when this came out, I was a junior in college and hadn't heard this sort of dance music before and it left a positive impression on me. Now granted, most of the listening was to Paper Planes like most folks but I digress. Definitely could listen to more of thes tracks, but Paper Planes has been so co-opted and overplayed I just can't anymore.

It was a very unexpected album. I already heard "Paper Planes", but the rest of the album was very interesting. Normally, I don't like a high mixture of styles exactly because it gives less personality to the album, but this one was an exception. The different styles of music are used in the right place.

Unique, eclectic, mesmerising, fascinating and engaging. A great mix of samples & interpolations, and some intriguing guests appearing.

Four stars. The one with "Paper Planes", M.I.A.'s signature song famously sampling The Clash's " Straight To Hell". *insert gunshots sounds followed by a cash register tinkle* But is the rest worth a detour, especially so many years later? I think it is. True, it's a bit silly at times, both musically and lyrically. And yet, rarely has the clash between so-called "third world" and western countries has been so nicely exemplified by an album. That clash is sometimes violent (with those sarcastic call to arms mostly mocking flawed western perceptions of immigrants), other times it's just a tongue-in-cheek party, but the whole thing is never heavy on the ear, and always serving a general genuinely uplifting mood. Percussions and vocal touches are often hectic or enticing, and most tracks are both swampy and bouncing from start to finish, as if Tricky had taken amphetamine instead of smoking crack. Special mention should be made of Timbaland-produced closer "Come Around" and its Bollywood-inspired vocal hooks, the mock-disco of "Jimmy" with its cliched-yet-exhilarating strings, or "Mango Pickle Down River"'s use of The Wilacannia Boys, that weird band of cute aboriginal kids from Australia, here celebrating nature and the "didge" (didgeridoo). Some songs are even conceptually ambitious in *Kala*. Take the grinding-yet-expansive "20 Dollars" and its vocoder-enhanced backdrop. Interestingly, that latter track has first been noticed because it used a vocal interpolation of Pixies' "Where Is My Mind" (M.I.A is a true indie fan, she quotes Pixies and other similar bands elsewhere on the record). But the real, unsaid influence on the song's mesmerizing bassline is actually none but New Order's "Blue Monday" here. Maya Arulpragasam and her producer Swith are cunning thieves, hiding one theft with another, therefore blurring their own tracks through a subtle multi-layering of references and pastiche. All they wanna do is "take your money", maybe. But sometimes, crime can also be interesting or relevant art, as in here. Just like immigrants, what they supposedly "take" or "steal" from other artists ultimately gives back a potential wealth of riches to music. *insert cash register sound* Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 917 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 43 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 23 (including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 19

I really think this was a super influential album for the music that followed it. Bamboo banga is indeed a banga. Fucking paper planes is forever a slap. I fuck with MIA the long way.

I was surprised by this one, I've heard Paper Planes a lot and assumed it would be a British gangsta rap kind of album. Luckily the album is nothing like that song, and it's actually probably the lowest point when it does show up. The rest of the album has great drum beats, dance/club style music with interesting layers and vocals. Pleasantly surprised.

I don't listen to MIA as much as I used to, but I feel like I appreciate her even more after her documentary and reading more about her evolution as an artist. This album has some bangers on it and more experimental sounds as well, which make it an intriguing listen with some repeat value. I probably still prefer her debut Arular, but this one is maybe more sophisticated and inventive.

Actually kinda liked this

The album has some good sampling on quite a few songs.

Pretty great, solid bangers throughout. Main detractor is the super annoying “Mango Pickle Down River”

I’m gonna disagree with a couple group members here. I think “Kala” is the stronger MIA album. (Though reading their reviews, which they wrote far apart while I listened to both albums in the same day while playing catchup, I’m not entirely sure they realized it was the same artist?) Not sure if it’s more personal experience for MIA, the all-star collection of collaborators, or something else, but “Kala” feels like a more well-developed version of the sound she debuted on “Arular.” The major standout is “Paper Planes,” which hits like no other song on the album. From that intro to the hook, it’s something really special, and why it was nominated for Record of the Year. But I have a love/hate relationship with it. The gun shots and reload really annoy me, dulling the buzz of a great song. There’s other great tracks here too, though, from hard hitting political and social stands to something a bit more whimsical, and even a stealth Pixies cover on “20 Dollar.” The diversity of styles and sounds on “Kala” is a wild ride to experience, even if it doesn’t always quite work. I also love that it ends with a Timbaland-produced track that again proves that he has one of the most recognizable sounds in hip hop.

Great fun. Good beats and sound collages. Inspired samples. Paper Planes is the standout, but 20 Dollar is good with the New Order/Pixies bits. I will check out Arular next.

Nice

Det jaaaamade!! Likt en katt!!

Äger... låter som framtiden

Fantastic! Engaging and stirring.

4,5; I love it

Unique and brilliantly inventive, MIA is a treasure.

This one has some absolute bangers. Best track: Paper Planes

I liked the sound, but some of the lyrics were crude.

Really never sure what to make of MIA. I think she is the real deal. I find her work exciting and energising, with a fascinating melange of sounds from around the world, especially South Asia. I really lik this record, but (like I said), I'm not sure if it is genius or trash. It could be both! It reminds me of the first time I heard Neneh Cherry; I didn't understand it and thought it was rubbish. it took me a while to understand what she was doing and realise its true greatness. And I think MIA is the same. She obviously rubs a lot of people the wrong way, and gets a lot of criticism because she doesn't play by the accepted rules. maybe she's too female, too non-Western, not deferential enough for those critics' taste. I love the way she incorporates a wide variety of cultural baggage (Pixies, Jonathon Richmond, lost of world influences that I can't name) into a focused and exciting piece of work. Interestingly, the one song I don't really rate, Jimmy, is largely a cover, and I don't think it plays to her strengths, which are simplicity, directness, colour, pride and openess.

3.5/5. This album is pretty good and strange. It has a lot of energy. Paper Planes is by far the best (next is Jimmy). Some songs are also not good though.

Ciekawe

Take my money

Steel drums to begin with, might be a hidden gem? Ah yes, I did know paper planes, it's good and nostalgic for a particular time. Another to the crew of "oh it's over already" so that's a good sign. Left with some good feels about this, even though I didn't think it'd score so highly

This music has been M.I.A. from my playlists.

Not really my type of music but ended up really enjoying it. The track with Timbaland would’ve veen the best track on the album if it didn’t have Timbaland.

album still holds up surprisingly but that timbaland song is...woof. but yeah good shit

harsh and aggressive, but still easy to listen to. music for hyping yourself up before an important social event

Great album. Love MIA

These beats go so hard, I couldn’t get enough of them. Bird Flu and of course Paper Planes were standouts for me. There are times when MIA’s vocals are really whiney and just not pleasant, and while there were moments of lyrical brilliance, I think sometimes it got pretty corny. Still, it gets a good score from me just because of how incredibly creative the beats and the sampling were. 8/10

I'm usually not that excited when newer pop albums show up on this list because they often don't sound as interesting after even a few years have passed. This album still very much sounds like it's own thing, though. The music doesn't sound dated at all, it's such an interesting combination of different styles that wouldn't seem to fit together except for the existence of this album. There are times when the samples and sounds used in the album can be a bit grating, but the overall effect of what MIA put together here is really cool 4/5

No nyt pärähti vanha opiskeluaikojen suosikkilevy. Ei tämä sinänsä ole ihan sellainen genre josta normaalisti syttyisin, mutta kyllähän tämä edelleenkin vähintään jonkinlaisen ujon kytemisen saa aikaan. Monet biisit on periaatteessa todella tylsiä (esim. Hussel), mutta kuitenkin jollain erikoisella tavalla äänimaailma ja asenne kiehtoo. Hittibiisit (Jimmy, Paper Planes yms) ovatkin sitten ihan yhtä kovaa timanttia kuin aina ennenkin. Hyvä levy yhä, muttei aiheuta enää ihan entisenkaltaista kiimaa. 3,5 joka pyöristyy ylöspäin.

Paper planes, Jimmy and come around takes me way back to teenage-hood. The rest I enjoyed but was less nostalgic

Not bad

Awesome. Wish I had actually listened to all of this when it came out in my 20s.

Busy and ambitious.

Decent

Was pretty catchy

Really like M.I.A’s voice and really like the influences of different cultural music in the album. Some songs were on the verge of just being noise but not overly so. Paper Planes obviously great. 4 cus it was fun but I’m probably not gonna go out of my way to listen again

Another album I went into expecting not to like, but it flipped my expectations. I’d gladly listen to 90% of the songs again and the production value seemed very high.

I really enjoy unique sounds that have roots in something I like. Makes it more approachable and enjoyable. I like electronic music well enough to appreciate this rap electronic fusion. Only song I knew is Paper Planes - a popular and fun song. I don't think I would listen to this on repeat. But very creative and fun listen. 4.0

Pretty damn good, but still a tad overrated. Not perfect

Never had sought out this whole album but I'm glad that I found it now. The production is killer throughout. 20 dollar could be the sneaky best track, and I get that you could either love or hate mango pickles but for me it was awesome. Some of the distortion/mumbling is distracting at times but if you take away bamboo and hussel this is a strong album from front to back.

This album is honestly so unique and so fun to listen to. Paper Planes is the hit but honestly not even the best track in my opinion. M.I.A. constantly pops up in films and it's no surprise. She some how captures an incredible bad ass momentum on so many of these tracks.

Q. What does Shack have for tea? A. LAMB CHOPS

Interesting that her two big songs from this album are the last two tracks (at least what is listed in her Popular tracks on Spotify) and they are the two best tracks. Paper Planes is a jam and nothing else on the album quite captures that for me. Mango Pickle was cool with the kids on the track

Still very good and fun to listen to.

This was absolutely club bangers top to bottom. I loved it. Paper Planes will forever be the greatest anti capitalist party track. I'm gonna go listen to that song again.

super inconsistent but has a few bangers

Vraiment bon hiphop avec beaucoup d’influence 4.5

Great African-styled dance music. Oddly enough, as much as I like the song "Paper Planes", it felt almost a little bit out of place here. Usually that's a sign of a single being better than the rest of the album, but here the album and the single are both great, they just have different grooves.

The songs are a little hit or miss for me, but a solid album overall. Recommended season: Summer

This album took me back, was on repeat for me back in 07’ and I still loved all the songs. The beats are what make this album for me.

Yessssss!!! Excellent album!

Great experimental/hip-hop album!

I've said it before: hip hop isn't a genre with which I'm very familiar. However, the more I listen, the more I realize how much I'm missing out on. This album bends the genre around quite a bit with instrumentation, rhythms, and pure sounds. It's not something I can easily listen to in the background; the lyrics demand attention. Given how this album turned out, I'll be listening to other M.I.A.

So raw. Drums are nuts. The intl’ vibe is so sick

I much prefer my sad songs to not be so slow, which I know sounds silly. It was alright. I think the combination of his voice and the slowness of the songs got to me after a bit. Made it feel like it dragged on a bit. I also don’t like that it seems like he’s mumbling a bit. I don’t mind incomprehensible lyrics but this type of singing is not my cup of tea. All that being said, definitely not the worst album.

Excellent. Sweet and funky on top, dark and clever underneath.

Paper planes IS Pineapple Express but this album is just noise

Great mix of music styles. Plus Paper Planes is on it. Fun listen

i wish she wasnt such an asshole bc i love her music

Interesting sound. Very eclectic.

Enjoyed this. A modern classic!

Rhe beats on this were amazing. The singing was pretty boring, though. Favorite Track: Paper Planes - I wouldn't say this song carries the album, but it sure as hell makes it a lot better.

Every track on this album is way too long. It's just grating.

remembered liking this more 3.5

Paper Planes is an all-timer. The album started to grow on me with the second listen.

Paper Planes ist geil, ansonsten ganz ok

M.I.A. is an artist who never really piqued my interest enough to actually make me want to check out a full album from her. I kinda knew Paper Planes but not enough to comfortably hum it, and beyond that I knew practically nothing about her. And man this one just did not do for me. Wanted to like it more than I did, but the inconsistent and cluttered production combined with M.I.A.'s rapping being above average at best holds it back. Not counting her out just yet, and will definitely check out more of her work in the future, this one just didn't cut it

When kitsch meets a good production, sometimes good things happen, but most of the times the result is horrible. And this album is, actually, pretty interesting, although not much impressive nor enjoyable. Further, I would say it's not enjoyable at all. But there is something that really works. There are some nice tracks, and it's disgustingly enchanting. In a sense, it is as repulsive as strangely fascinating. Some songs are very annoying, but the thing is, others are so bad that are actually good? I guess it makes no sense, but this album does not make sense at all, and is very tacky, but M.I.A. finds at times a bright side in all of this. So, at the end of the day, even though I'm horrified, I couldn't say it's bad.

Solely a 3 because of Paper Planes.

2.75

This album was huge when I was in colleges. It has a lot of fun songs and Paper Planes is a banger for sure, but it definitely relies more on vibes and attitude than actual musical skill. Still- fun to throw on and jam to. Overall- decent album