Kala

This album is painfully bad. Like it has absolutely no redeeming qualities. I generally try to find something that I like even in music I hate but I can’t find anything good about this at all. It’s basic, poorly recorded, badly sung, no real instruments, boring electronic beats. It’s really bad. A complete waste of 45 minutes. 1/5

Thoughts before listening: Does this have "Paper Planes"? That song is awesome. Review: So it turns out that while the sound collage style with chanted vocals in "Paper Planes" works for me, it wears me down over an entire album. I didn't connect with this album at all. Plus isn't MIA a big old MAGA now? Anyway, this album is a 2 for me.

It was forgettable, really. Then I read through some of her turn into conspiracy and fascism and I regretted listening to it.

Pretty good, all things considered

Favorite songs: XR2, Paper Planes, Come Around I wish this was MIA from this list.

Not sure what this is, I thought it was an Indian take on dance at first, then I heard a very London accent on the 3rd track. Not doing it for me

"M.I.A" features moments of catchiness, though its primary strength lies in the rhythmic arrangements. The percussion is particularly distinctive providing a strong initial energy. However, the variety begins to diminish after the fifth track, leading to a sense of repetition as the album progresses. Ultimately M.I.A is not to my taste but it is well executed. Three stars. 1 "Bamboo Banga" (3/5) 2 "Bird Flu" (3/5) 3 "Boyz" (3/5) 4 "Jimmy" (3/5) 5 "Hussel" (3/5) 6 "Mango Pickle Down River" (3/5) 7 "20 Dollar" (3/5) 8 "World Town" (3/5) 9 "The Turn" (3/5) 10 "XR2" (3/5) 11 "Paper Planes" (3/5) 12 "Come Around" (3/5) Total - 36 Average - 3 294/1001 157/294 albums reviewed were new to me

I didn't connect with this album as much as I thought I might. Dance-heavy hip hop tracks have never really done much for me, and this album is chock-full of them. The album does turn around with the last few songs being more slow-tempo and fleshed out, which I enjoyed. Top tracks: Paper Planes, Come Around

Just a whole lot of noise, but she's so cool

I quite liked MIA before I found out about her right leaning politics, but there's some good stuff on here I won't be revisiting very much.

Wish i liked this more

dense international sound

Good album.

Love the album, too bad she’s insane.

Not my genre. A couple of songs kept it from being a 1 though .

Not my jam, but she is fierce. Tempted to give it a 4 for Paper Planes. 3.5

I guess I have to give it two since it has a good song

Interessant. 10 dogshit låter innledningsvis, med litt glitter på toppen til slutt, i form av låt 11 og 12...

Maybe I'm out of it but I always thought of her as a one hit wonder. Thankfully, that hit is on this album. I enjoyed the album but wasn't blown away by it. Just so long as no one messes with a classic: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWPqZSeATlo/?igsh=MWJzM2J6bXU3dmN5ag==

This album definitely redeems MIA from the disappointment of having to listen to her debut album "Arular". And while I'm not sure I could go as far as Robert Christgau in stating (and later reaffirming) that this is the best album by far of the 21st century, I was really impressed at how much better and more interesting the entire album is, beyond just her breakout hit "Paper planes" (which is a great song). I'm not sure exactly how she manages to succeed in her world music tourism where more mainstream artists like Paul Simon or Peter Gabriel or others largely failed, but aside from a few kind of awkward tracks (including the well-meaning but dissonant remix of The Wilcannia Mob's "Down river", as well as the more "Arular"-like "World town"), it's a weird but catchy collection of sounds and songs from around the world, with a fairly strident non-Western attitude. My favorites are probably "Boyz" and "Jimmy" (both with interesting videos), as well as "Hussel" and "20 dollar" (especially the great Pixies reference at the beginning and end), and of course "Paper planes" (with a fun video and an impressive screed against how the US denied her a work visa to record this album because of her "sketchy" political stances) . A strangely successful album, even if her album cover art is ridiculously ugly.

enjoyed this a lot more than her other album on this list though at some point I felt like she wandered into "I'm just making this shit up as I go along" territory. "Paper Planes" is banger.

my love for Paper Planes is the closest I ever got to poptimism

So much millennial music ages so poorly, that it makes this sick out like a sore thumb. But like, sore in a good way. Sore because you were doing something cool with your thumb, like winning a thumb wrestling tournament. I liked it alright when it came out, and had a good time seeing her at a festival once, but I was a rock guy so I didn’t think much of it. Should have.

This was cool. Paper plates is the obvious standout but there are some really fun songs.

Not as engrossing to me as Arular but still pretty banging. Too bad she's a MAGA person now :(. Paper planes is still dope though.

Eclectic, fun. I always enjoyed Paper Planes and I really liked the rest of the album as well.

M.I.A. literally travels the world to refine her sound on her second album. Drawing influences from all over the world, her approach celebrates those different styles in a respectable manner and giving them the spotlight instead of picking at them and discarding them like a vulture for her own advantage. She blends her electropop style with an old Bollywood number on 'Jimmy' and the result is an infectious track that in filled to the brim with energy. I was left in a trance by the rhythmic and pulsating Indian percussion found throughout the record. She even travels down under on 'Mango Pickle Down River', a track complete with didgeridoo and a gang of indigenous child rapping over the beat. She shines a light on the African mindset and struggle on Hussel, while infusing some music of that continent into her style. This album is political yet never forgets that it wants the listener to have fun. The pros and cons of masculinity are tackled playfully on 'Boyz'. The whole record feels like a fusion of world music in the best way possible.

I really enjoyed it. Some of it was rough, but a lot of it sounds surprisingly modern. Hard to believe its almost 20 years old.

The single off this album, Paper Planes, is a certified banger. Shame the rest of the album is insufferable

The stuff that goes hard goes crazy. The stuff that's annoying is unlistenable. What do you do with that??

Vibey and fun would listen again for sure

Fun album

Hectic sounds. Very much a mixed bag - but enjoyably exuberant.

This album has such insane amounts of energy, but I can't get into it. I'm not sure why. Maybe I'm just getting old.

This album was very diverse and it's my first time doing this challange so here we go

The first half of this album sounds like M.I.A. was handed a soundboard and she just mashed buttons randomly and decided all that noise is songs now. The second half is more cohesive with less random soundbites, but that doesn't save the album for me. I do like the social commentary on this, but that's not enough to make it good. The only song that I surprisingly liked is "20 Dollar" because it sounded completely different from the rest of the album. It was actually quite a banger, though M.I.A.'s shaky delivery at times did make me wince a bit. "Paper Planes," of course, is the only song I knew from her before diving into this album. And it slaps. And it also sounds like it doesn't belong on this album.

Kala is a wild ride, all over the place with South Asian beats, Bollywood vibes, grimy electronica, and grime. It's trying to be super edgy and talk about some serious stuff, but it's a bit much sometimes. I get the DIY, raw energy, but a lot of the tracks are just too much or get repetitive. It's 47 minutes that feels like a chore, not a trip. It's alright, but "Paper Planes" is the only real winner, a perfect moment in history. Everything else is just kinda there, even the cool stuff like "Jimmy" struggles to remotely reach that same level of brilliance, leaving me mostly just waiting for the cash register and gunshots to kick in.

Interesting songs and arrangements. Bollywood samples. Fun!

Neneh Cherry with more kit.

Album starts like an assault on the ears, the first track I kinda liked was Jimmy, but even that verges on the edge of annoying. I'll give this a 2 instead of a 1 just for Paper Planes which is a tune. Hopefully she started to explore more palatable music like this in her later albums, but sadly I found most of this album to be annoying!

Love the different samples

Absolutely terrible. Paper Planes is fine, the rest is just shit. Some decent beats every so often but they're ruined by everything else.

As far as hip hop/electronic fusion goes this was unique and interesting. Definitely a lot of creativity and use of a variety of cultural sounds. Not my taste, but at least different than: “pimps, hoes, I’m better than you, I’m rich, I want to shoot everyone who disrespects me in sight.”

-different from what I normally hear in a good way -songs are fairly repetitive so may not be something I want to listen to often -Mango Pickle Down River was cute, but also meth? -20 dollar was freaking me out

Crazy, strange bangers broken up by some joyless ugly songs. I can't come up with a sufficiently convoluted analogy for the impression this album gives me Highlights: "Hussel", "Mango Pickle Down River", "The Turn", "Xr2", "Paper Planes"

Af en toe werkt dit domweg op de zenuwen, op andere momenten is het weer creatief en klinkt het nog best lekker ook. Beatjes, verveeld klinkende zang, maffe instrumenten. Het klinkt niet als iets anders maar vooral als zichzelf, dat is ook een kwaliteit. Maar niet iets wat ik dan uit mezelf nog een keer op zet.

We worden door Mia de wereld over genomen. Ze haalt uit allerlei muziekculturen haar inspiratie. Tot en met het gebruik van de didgeridoo. Terwijl ze dat doet blijft ze stevig verankerd in de zeroes. Met interesse heb ik de bruggen die zij heeft aangelegd bewandeld. Aan het eind van die bruggen kwam ik zelden een bijzondere bestemming tegen. We moeten het echt hebben van de reis, met uitzichten op. Die reisjes maken het album zeker een toevoeging aan de lijst. Ik ben wel nieuwsgierig of mevrouw zich nog iets verder heeft ontwikkeld. Dus ik klik nog even door naar wat recenter werk. Het blijft vrij vergelijkbaar met dit album.

Dit is toch een wat vreemd album. Heel veel draait om ritmes en percussie. En vervolgens komt er een italo/india-disco nummer voorbij. Het haalt in ieder geval inspiratie uit vele delen van de wereld, om er vervolgens in een westerse studio een 'moderne' productiesaus over heen te gieten. Wat wil je ook anders met namen als Switch, Diplo en Timbaland. Ik kan niet zeggen dat dit muziek is die ik uit mezelf nog een keer op zou zetten, maar voor een keer was het wel geinig om te luisteren. Al was ik het iets over de helft ook wel weer zat. Gelukkig kwam er nog een hitje. Al met al net genoeg voor een magere 3.

I was not previously familiar with the artist or album. This is a sort or dance/hip hop album. It has some Eastern influences as well. It was difficult to get through as I really did not enjoy it. I will not come back to this one.

Mathangi Arulpragasam, better known as Maya or M.I.A., is a remarkable woman. She was born in London of Tamil parents, and then moved with them to northern Sri Lanka when she was just six months old. They were caught up in the civil war in that country and returned to London as refugees in 1986. Her experiences directly informed her first album Arular and this one, named for her mother, with a wide range of influences and styles. The original plan had been to record in the USA, but trouble with work visas scuppered that and inspired the track Paper Planes attacking the institutional racism of the immigration system. Instead she used a MacBook and Logic Pro to capture music from all round the world outside of traditional studio environments, including Indian Bhangra, African rhythms, Caribbean beats and Aboriginal voices in Australia. She includes cheeky Bollywood and Tamil movie samples and reworkings of lyrics from Jonathan Richman and The Clash, as well as UK Grime and hip hop sounds. The lyrics draw once more on personal experiences as well as wider political topics, with the standout being 20 Dollars which tackles war and casual gun violence, inspired by the cost of an AK-47 in Africa. This is an amazingly rich and diverse album, being World Music in the very best sense of the word. More records should be like this.

M.I.A.’s Kala hits like a blast of jet‑lagged adrenaline—global beats, sharp edges, and enough attitude to power a small city. Even as a guy who’s been listening to music since CDs were “the future,” I’ve got to admit: “Paper Planes” is one of those rare tracks that stops you in your tracks. It’s clever, catchy, and somehow still feels fresh no matter how many times it pops up in movies or playlists. But the real curveball is “20 Dollar.” The way she weaves in that Pixies “Where Is My Mind?”‑style riff is just flat‑out cool. It’s the kind of reference you catch instantly if you grew up on alt‑rock, and it gives the whole track this eerie, hypnotic pull. Not every song is a home run, but the ambition and energy are undeniable. Kala is bold, weird, and way more inventive than most albums that came out that year. Giving it 4 out of 5 stars (but would be more like 3.6 if I could be more precise)— and yes, I still crank “Paper Planes” in the car. Love that song - moves this album from a 3 to a 4.

4/10

I remember when I loved this album.

Some cool songs and influences from a lot of different genres. But a little sloppy

Man, this was a fun and timely album that actually said something. And then she tarnished it all by being a moron, scammer, and supporting people who are opposed to everything it seems like this album stood for.

No standouts

An extremely percussive mic drop of loops and culture. It's thrown together influences from multiple continents confidently in a way which pre-empts many of the prestigious female artists of the past few years (circa 2026). You can hear stylistic elements later popularised by Charlie XCX and Peggy Gou peeking through undeniably naughties ideas. And for all those recognisable artefact's it still bears the hallmarks of a genre pushing record making bold and not necessarily commercial things choices. Some of the synths used absolutely scream 2007 indie in a way that now definitely falls into nostalgia for those of us who came up in the decade. I was kind of surprised to see this album pop up in the 1001 records, but now I get it. It's impressively weird. Built on loops in the early days of home production, and extremely London lyrical play and attitude often juxtaposed by their performer in various ways. The result is that it's extremely hard to only half listen to. Lets put it this way, i'm not getting any work done trying to listen to this for the first time.

Yeah no, Hard 1.

I’m guessing this made the list because of Slumdog Millionaire.

Dance music so in your face and bright it borders on confrontational. The marriage of world music (for lack of a better genre term) and hip-hop beats makes for an engaging, physical listen. M.I.A. holds it together at the center with her charisma and great sense of flow. “Paper Planes” holds up. What an all-time banger. I keep thinking I’ve heard that song too many times and then I hear it and it’s like the first time all over again.

world a nininini

Has so much potential but just doesnt make it

too advanced for me

Oh cool! I like her Paper Planes song. I think I may have had one of her albums before. Lemme look... Yep, Arular, last July. Shit I guess this album has Paper Planes. Good shit mang. 4 stars. I loved all the different African sounds through out, and the references to the pixies song Where Is My Mind. 4 stars.

Good but too intense for the moment

Loved that, hadn't heard it before, thanks.

The Good: We should always remember those who are MIA The Bad: Music Is Missing… is what MIA stands for… The Ugly: Finding out that Kala means today, tomorrow, machine, doohickey, and a slew of other words. You guessed it, fail on this album. There are moments, though I’ve forgotten about them already, that for an instance you are thinking that things aren’t that bad… for an instance… I don’t know why this album is on the list… which, it seems, has become a more frequent thought that I am having… yet, over 600 albums into this journey, I should know better than to think that Mr D has anything but my sanity in mind. So, for those of you who’ve not listened to Kala before, prepare NOT to be impressed… 1*

An incredibly varied album that overdoes it a bit at times. It's a fun listen but nothing I'm incredibly excited to hear again.

Doesn't sound like anything else whatsoever. She's a bit of a weird person BUT this is pretty good

classic

1 great song, 11 terrible ones. Oof. Most songs are annoying, or just drone on. M.I.A.'s voice isn't quite enough to save the awful production, beats, and literally everything else.

I don’t like this. Not one bit. Another album i just can’t finish.

1/5

4/10 but I knew paper planes. World town seemed fun

0.5

God I hated this! It is so anti me. Gave me a F'kin' headache (3.7) ★½

I do have a bit of a soft spot for female UK rappers. I thought there were many interesting elements in this album. It is not my favourite thing in the world, but still quite enjoyable. 3.5 stars

This is kind of a cool album that I think is probably ahead of it's time in some regard. I think it blends a lot of genres in a pretty unique way. That being said, although it starts well and ends well, I think it does kind of get to be a mixed bag in the middle of the album. Nothing quite reaches the heights of "Paper Planes" either. 3.5 stars.

2.5

Good ukulele brand. Utterly atrocious album.

The opening song was painful, but then I saw a Billion play song and got excited about the prospect of redemption ... but then when the gun shots starting ringing over the illegible lyrics I gave up ... Worst Billion play song ever!

I'm not sure if I love M.I.A.'s whole thing, but she is *doing it* so well here. Great car music.

sometimes an album pops up on here that's just transparently included because of the single. the rest of this is bland

A rare album that I think is improved by listening in stereo (at least out of this project which has a lot of 50s-60s experimentations in stereo audio) but overall this felt like it lacked the punch of Arular that made it feel so edgy and new.

Quarter of the way through the process... This sits firmly in the noughties, but quite a unique sound with some interesting ideas, both lyrically and musically. Some ubiquitous radio tracks lift the album, without which I think it struggles. Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ ★★★☆☆ (6/10) Total reviewed : 250 Already owned : 57 Purchased : 14 To buy list : 2 Nope : 177

Amazing album

In the last 24 hours I listened to four albums as follows: 1) Kala (on headphones): in bed, checking the latest assignment with excitement. I already knew this was a banga and I was primed to crank it up. It was relentless and punishing, and by the end I threw off the headphones in aural exhaustion. 2) Tonight’s the Night (on speaker): faded into a background drone quickly. It lacked nuance and did not engage me. I was frustrated and felt I was missing something important. 3) Tonight’s the Night (on headphones): suddenly the album made sense. The intimacy led to illumination, and I was captivated. It felt like a Crazy Horse album, and reading up I see many of those lads were involved. I was sorry when it ended. Sad record. 4) Kala (on speaker): when the energy and passion were released from the boundaries of my headphone-entrapped skull, and set free to bounce around the room, the album made sense. Now we were all dancing around the house. The less aggressive tracks were a sweeter salve. The familiar jams and samples I already loved going into it were bouyant and comforting. So I am reviewing Tonight’s the Night and Kala together. As they were always meant to be.

Overrated single, underrated album

I now understand why I've only ever listened to the one song

Mostly repetitive beats and noises, which I find difficult to listen to. Nothing here for me to personally enjoy.

The beats are made of the most annoying sounds. Still engaging as an album, though. I see why Paper Planes is the only hit I knew. Much superior to the rest

I really struggled to get through this. Paper planes is great, but the rest of the album feels undirected and chaotic in a bad way. The book implies this is a masterpiece and I see other people saying it sets the path for a bunch of other music. Maybe it’s not stuff I’m listening to but I just don’t see the impact. Not for me.

eres todo lo que creen die antwoord que son <3

Not my cup of tea.

MAGA weirdo

3.6

It was decent, little bit of a world beat. Honestly i expected a lot of stuff like the lead single, paper planes, but everything else was a bit different.

MIA is an evil woman but I love how fresh this sounds in 2026. super innovative and exciting. and paper planes

this makes me feel like I'm the getaway driver for a white collar crime??? (derogatory)

Normalize dropping singles <3

I really like this, but M.I.A. Is problematic. I’ll go 3 stars.

Dang, this caught me be surprise. I had a lot of fun listening to it.

This is horrible. Someone owes me money for the suffering I have endured.

I really wanted to like this album, I actually listened to it twice to see if it would grow as I liked Paper Planes when it came out but I really could get to grips with the repetitive “Electro Dancehall” It is really critically lauded but I couldn’t listen to this album again if I tried. 1.3

Its varied and interesting at points but absolutely not to my taste. Paper planes was quite decent.

238/1001 M.I.A - Kala Heard before? ✅ Revisit? ❓ M.I.A is one of those artists when it comes to music is someone that I admire the ethos and style of the music, but don't actually love the music produced. It's the introduction of of various styles of music from around the world and putting it all into a coherent hip hop/electronica album. This still feels so fresh, even though it's coming up to its 20th anniversary. Paper Planes is still an absolute banger.

Cool AF.

Not for me 1/5

I thought the production of this album was good. However, I'm not a big fan of this genre. But for those who enjoy this music, this is something they would enjoy.

Grusomt Skække beats Dårlig synging Lite melodisk Dårlig klang Eksperimentelt

Well. I can’t exactly say this was boring. Experimental album from MIA here. I’m hearing just about every sound from around the world thrown into one bowl creating a sound I can’t say I recall ever hearing before. Unfortunately beyond the cool production there’s absolutely nothing going on for me. It’s such a big & in your face feeling album but I genuinely have no takeaway. This is some shit you turn on while you’re about to trip with your boys in Ibiza. Totally thought the album would be in the same vein as paper planes- I was wrong. I can honestly say I’ll never return to this one.

Yes! An album I know! Yeah I debated a 4 or 5 on this I think I’m throwing it in 5 again! One of the most influential modern dance records of our time. Charli xcx, the weekend, Rosalia and even carries the legacy of wu tang and public enemy. I can’t hate this it is such a world album and a club banger that created recession pop and hyper pop that we know and love.Expanded dance music to the masses and bringing everyone with her, reminds me of flume with its influences god this album is truly divide between 2000s and 2010 I listen to this and literally could have come out last week it’s so good Completely changing modern music and truly showing off the world. They call this the 3rd world album and it shows. I want to dance all night listening to this “You think it’s tough now come to Africa.” It’s so political too it talks immigration and capitalism and it’s so relevant. Modern classic and exactly what this is about. 5/5

Another M.I.A. album?? One was more than enough. At least this was better than the first. I’ll never listen again.

Nice vibes, although I have absolutely no idea how I'll add those tracks to my playlist, because it's a completely new style to me.

Surprisingly loved this! Like everyone else, I've heard Paper Planes my entire life, but it's actually just one of the many bangers on here. I thought the entire thing was great and didn't get tired. She has such a unique sound and perspective - the way this ties in so many genres is so impressive, and especially love the world music samples. It feels so cohesive and just a fun experience. I already want to revisit it. Top Songs: Bamboo Banger, Boyz, Jimmy, Come Around, Paper Planes

The only song i could finish was paper planes. Idk what was the rest. Not a good album in my opinion lol

fun but one note, good background listen

There is not one lyric in this entire album that isn't distractingly cringeworthy, like if they were written to seem cool to a five year old. There were times when I might've been bopping along to the beats if I didn't find M.I.A's voice so annoying.

This was an interesting album, to say the least. Everyone knows Paper Planes from this album, unless you live under a rock, so it was definitely intriguing to listen to the rest of the album this song was a single off of. While this is not my preferred genre of music to listen to, I do think this album was cohesive in its sound, tone, and was certainly unique. On the surface, the songs sound a little bland in my opinion with so much repetition in many of the songs on this album. But, as I was reading the lyrics, there was an underlying message of genocide and putting a bouncy beat to lyrics that are frankly quite dark sometimes. I have to appreciate the artistry and individuality of this album, even if it’s not my preferred genre, because I was really intrigued. Also, can I just say that Jimmy was giving influence from both ELO and early Glass Animals? Though maybe Glass Animals was influenced by this album. Regardless, I thought that song was the most musically and lyrically interesting.

Fair

Não curto esse estilo de música

One of the greatest albums of “the Aughts” - fullll stop! I love the legacy of noise in political/rebellious music carried over from groups like Public Enemy to this piece. Fun and powerful!

It's a fun album to listen to. It's not my favorite M.I.A. album, but everthing is worth it for Paper Planes. Absolutely culture and rage against the system.

I didn't know what was going on, but I thought it was pretty good.

Really only one song on this album that moves the needle.

This is not delivered with the same urgency or vibrancy as her first album. There are definitely bangers on here, but not to the extent of her first which blew me away and got a 5 from me. What do I know though as this album stays and her first album has now been removed from the list??

Rip 7 year old me, you would've loved dancing to Bamboo Banga at a kids disco. BirdFlu is just cool, bitches today wish they could make this. By Boyz it does get a bit repetitive ngl. But Jimmy gives us such a beautiful, interesting instrumental that it is a breath of fresh air. Also beautiful sampling. Hussel fucks! Mango Pickle Down River doesn't. 20 Dollar is an experience and I wish it was looped forever. World Town works. The Turn doesn't. By XR2 I start to wonder how MIA managed to have so many good songs, and also so many bad ones. Paper planes is iconic, no words. If I spend the rest of my life only listening to Rundown it wouldn't be enough.

long time personal fave, 5 stars, no hesitation // explosive, global, and completely self possessed and self-feeding // feels borderless, stitched from everywhere and nowhere // abrasive and catchy // political without sacrificing hooks // obviously paper planes is iconic but its not even the whole story // constant movement, constant invention // endless feedback loop of the best kind

Hatet virkelig denne. Sitter igjen med en følelse av å være pinlig berørt på hennes vegne.

Nærmest ulidelig. 20 Dollar er kanskje den dårligste coveren jeg har hørt. Noen låtproduksjoner redder den fra bunnkarakter.

Helt jævlig.

Mirah Craig på en dårlig dag. Paper planes e jo little fet da, så e skikkelig grei her.

Beste M.I.A-plata æ har hørt.

Det er som om hun går inn for å være irriterende. Stjeler tekster umotivert herfra og derfra, og gjør alt verre. Men Paper Planes er en liten nugget.

entiendo porque odia a Rosalia la verda jsjaja

justo ayer me salió paper planes y pensé que me mama lo recios que suenan los balazos en la mezcla. x mucho que la escuche y que sea meme el gunshot gunshot cash register noise no pierde su impacto. el resto del disco tenía rato sin escucharlo pero está durooooooo, la influencia que tuvo es enorme y aun así nada suena así y mucho menos en el mainstream. como decía un comentario en rym: arguably the greatest anti-vaxxer to ever do it

I get proven wrong a lot while doing this project & I'm glad that I am. I really didn't know this artist but assumed that it sucked. I was wrong. This is a killer album. The mixture of hip hop dance & world music is so well done. Her lyrics & flow is smooth catchy & intelligent. Im a fan!

Banger after banger. Shame she went all Alex Jones but back when she was putting out this stuff, I was a huge fan. Nothing else sounded like this.

Che cazzo sto a senti

most of the album was a hard listen, some songs had a good beat but nonsensical lyrics, paper planes and come around were rlly good, wouldn't be surprised if she inspired charli xcx

When this album came out it was everywhere in Austin. Side B, Paper Planes excluded, unfortunately drops off a bit

I mean.... it's okay I suppose, but I have no clue why it's on this list of albums. I debated stopping it half-way through because it's pretty uninteresting, but at the same time, it wasn't as bad as some of the albums on here that I absolutely couldn't get past the first couple songs. There are definitely some catchy tunes though, so it's not a total write-off.

1 goed nummertje maar

Interesting. The hip hop and south Asian weekend work really well together.

I enjoyed the first half of this one. I've always liked tribal percussion (thanks to groups like Adam & The Ants), and this leaned into that for a while. The second half of the album, though, kind of flowed into fairly generic hip hop. Not bad, but not exciting either.

Yawn ... I am actually surprised as much as this guy who made this list loves songs from GTAV, that we didn't get the album with Bad Girls. But knowing this guy's tastes, I am sure that album is coming! On a side note, just another mainstream album with millions of listeners, multiple writers needed for very simple songs, on to the next crap album on this list.

The roster of producers, including Timbaland, add a lot of welcome texture on this. Not really my sort of thing but it was a pretty good listen overall

what a weird experience it was. 3.93

Good

Cool fusion of musical styles--hip hop, electronic, South Asian, and more that I can't identify. A little frenzied for my taste now, but if I were 30 years younger and going out dancing on Saturday nights, I would have loved this.

Really a shame that MIA seems to have developed mega brainworms in the last few years. Not here to rank her poasting or her tinfoil drip though. I hadn't listened to this in a really long time, and in listening back I'm reminded that I actually bought it on CD back in its heyday, and I did so on the back of Bird Flu and Boyz; which is to say, before Paper Planes was even on my radar. And lo, the first half of the record is basically nonstop bangers. Of course, it also has Paper Planes on it.

I looked at MIA's Wikipedia and it's too bad she seems to be an anti-vax/5g conspiracy kook these days. Anyhow, wild that this album is almost 20 years old now! I saw MIA at the pacific coliseum on tour for this album when it was new*, and remember at that time feeling like it was a fantastic performance, so I have an impartial review. But I think that this still sounds good, and in terms of impact Kala was huge at the time it came out. *Old man aside: I got a free concert ticket for MIA on tour for this album in 2007 or 2008 from the Georgia Straight -- back then they used to do a ton of free concerts draws where all you had to do was enter your email, and seemingly few people knew this because I went to many free concerts this way. So this felt really nostalgic for a truly bygone era where a print newspaper passed out concert tickets like they were trick or treat candy

Beste Unterhaltung.

After first few songs i was about to throw in the towel, but it got better and better towards the end. Really liked the use of exotic instrumentation (like digeridoo!), the Pixies reference in one song and Paper planes is really good song. M.I.A’s got her own thing going and that can’t be said about most of other artists.

Better than the previous MIA album, but still nothing special.

Not really up my alley, but I gotta hand it to her with all those world music samples and how it still works as a coherent whole. Theres was a couple of bangers, but most of the album is a bit off for my interests. It did keep me entertained all the way to work at 7.30 in the morning, so there's that.

una figata, lunghezza perfetta, sound pazzesco

This is not an album I ever want to listen to again. It's simply awful. I find it neither listenable nor danceable. I just hope I don't get "BirdFlu" from listening to it. Why are there people who tell artists like M.I.A., "Hey, that's great!" "Hey, we'll produce that!" "Hey... oh, I don't know what to say anymore." Zero points!

Eclectic, energetic, anarchic, maverick. There’s so much to love about the album (I even think the cover is perfect).

It's so weird that 2007 is a long time ago. I must be old. When I first heard this, it was so cool. It didn't sound like anything I'd ever come across. Still pretty remarkable.

Some songs are great. She sucks now

Aggressively fizzing, discombobulated, clattering, noisy, unmooring, grating, hard. Plus Paper Planes which is brilliant.

“Paper Planes” is a great song. The rest is sonically innovative and a creative cultural melange, but doesn’t quite rise to the same level.

kinda really good, I liked it at the start and strong end Will I listen to again: 99%

Is this Minecraft? Sehr viele Soundeffekte, sehr repetetiv, wenig melodisch. Monotoner Gesang.

M.I.A. packs so many things into these songs: guess vocalists, sampled voices, interpolations of indie rock classics, choruses made up of sounds effects, instrumental flourishes pulled from styles around the world. That it all comes together into songs that are not just catchy but which have undeniable hooks almost seems like a miracle. The reason it works is that everything is well-balanced. Sometimes there's a lot going on, but other times she lets the songs breathe, like on the long, building intro to "Bamboo Banga" that layers on more sounds as it goes. The percussion is a highlight of every song and is never the same. And the lyrics balance political messages with lighter topics, making sure the album is always a blast but is still meaningful. An unpredictable album that still feels fresh almost twenty years later.

Well, I know Paper Planes. In general, I don't like this. Just really not my type

Sorry, bit young for me!!!

Hard to believe this album is nearly 20 years old, it draws from so many diverse styles that it hasn't dated in the way that lots of noughties records seem to have. Like almost everyone else I knew and liked Paper Planes and that's still the stand out track here but surprisingly liked a lot of the other songs too

Boyz, Jimmy, Paper Planes

really interesting indie elctronic

I started out with 1 liked song on this album, the radio hit "Paper Planes", but I don't think I've ever listened to this one front to back. As I kept listening, I had this thought over and over again - I would like to just listen to this music, but not the vocals or lyrics - the music has a cool / fun energy. I do find the heavy British accent kind of annoying, and sometimes the lyrics seem like nonsense - but sometimes I can get what she is saying and dig it. It started growing on me more by the 3rd listen through. I was surprised to hear the lyrics from the Pixies "Where is My Mind?" (which I like) in the song "20 Dollar". Also, thought it was cool that LCD Soundsystem (who I like) had her as the opening act on one of their tours. I ended up clicking "like" on "Hussel", "20 Dollar", "The Turn" and "Come Around" - which means I wouldn't mind them coming up on my playlists. I'm curious to see if these will grow on me even more over time. Liked songs on Spotify: 5/12 Rating: 2/5

Painful!!!

8 / 10

some classics on here but i liked it less on this listen than i have in the past

2000s hip hop, dance hall, electronica. Bollywood and Tamil cinema samples. Hard beats. Interesting, some highlights.

Paper Planes slaps but it’s the only song on this album I like

This was fun and interesting, but M.I.A.s voice gets old quickly, unfortunately.

Bought this album after hearing paper planes, album still sounds great, so many great track on it

I was really expecting to love this but found it surprisingly underwhelming! When they get it right, it's GREAT, but you album doesn't hold together, it doesn't flow from the track to the next, and most of it just didn't keep my attention. It's too bad, because when they're on, it's fantastic, but alas, inconsistent.

A guilty pleasure of mine. I love the drums.

Its hard not to be contrarian about MIA, but I can also say this specific album isn't it for me. Paper Airplanes does continue to be a banger though.

Paper Planes is the only song worth listening to on this

07/10 27/01/25

Mixed bag. Some rally good moments blended in with some not so good ones

The album isn’t great, but it has some hits and MIA’s most well-known material. I respect her as a producer, and she’s brought some great sounds to the mainstream. Some of the songs here, much like some of her political beliefs and opinions, are just straight up annoying.

If you go into this album expecting it to sound like paper planes, you will either be surprised it doesn't sound like paper planes OR you will be disappointed. I, however, enjoy this album very much.

Was not sure on this one (Paper Planes being the only track I recognized) but it grew on me. Some really catchy beats throughout.

Good one, 4.5

full of interesting influences

Surprisingly enjoyable.

It’s cool but just cool

Everything about this album is just horrible. Her voice - horrible. The grating sound effects - horrible. The lyrics - horrible. Awful awful stuff.

Not entirely terrible. Wouldn't bother with it again, but "Paper Planes" shows real musical ability. It's two and a half stars instead of two, cos of that track.

Very experimental. She samples old south indian music which reminds me of home. BirdFlu and Boyz are straight up Dappan Kuthu Gaana songs and Jimmy is 80s Indian disco music inspired by Bappi fucking Lahiri. I'm a sucker for fusion. M.I.A. is so goated. Strong start, but the middle and end is pretty skippable except for Paper Planes.

I think there is a reason why Paper Planes is the only popular song on this album and the only song I actually enjoyed listening to.

Grew on me by the end, interesting beats with a lot of world music influence, would listen again

This definitely did not pass me by! I listened to her previoous album _Arula_ for the first time last year and equally enjoyed it. Just fantastic experimentation and taking of a multitude of influences to create something truly unique. Very much reminds me of **Little Simz** (who I'm a big fan of) in this respect, and of their political/social consciousness and in their similar attitude of operating just outside the mainstream despite critical acclaim. _Paper Planes_ is a legit banger and a song that I was already aware of much like anyone who was around at that time and has some conscious of what was going on in music. And it samples **The Clash** _20 Dollar_ meanwhile reminds me of _Invaders Must Die_ by **The Prodigy**, which shares its melodic progression. It came out less than 18 months after this so Liam must surely have been listening! And it samples the **Pixies**

Didn't help my mood or my headache. ⭐⭐

The vocals make my eye twitch. I just can't with this.

Not really my vibe but still cool

7/10 Enjoyed this more than expected. It almost feels like a punk album somehow. Very high energy Highlights: Jimmy Paper Planes

Paper planes cannot save this album, can’t even get through the first song. It’s all noise to me

Underwhelming knowing beforehand that "Paper Planes" was on here.

Not for me

Overall it’s a TERRIBLE album 1/5. Paper planes is giving it +1. The Hindi is giving another +1. But overall hated it. 2/10.

I would rather listen to the DK rap on repeat for an hour. Catchy, but also shite, 40 minutes that I won't get back. creative, but also shit. Music videos kinda cool though. 5/100.

Weird

I enjoyed thsi more than I thought, that being said the enjoyment wasnt particularily high

good

Really slow start but end makes it worth it

Uniquely identifiable as M.I.A.

Not my musical tastes, but good enough to want to listen again in the future; 4 dot dot dot dot...

First Listen: Aug 13 2021 /!\ DOPE ASS ALBUM ALERT /!\ DOPE ASS ALBUM ALERT /!\ HATERS HAVE NO CULTURE /!\ MIA (was) MY GOAT /!\ I LOVE THIS ALBUM /!\ shit makes me want to throw ass and say shit that would instantly put me on the no-fly list (she lowkey got better album than this one but shhhhh)

Solid gold

Love Paperplans, can't say I've invested time in listening to the album but on a first listen it holds up well for me. Good fusions of genre. Always assumed she was American, oh well, every day is a school day!

I did starts to enjoy this album after a few listens. The songs were very varied and the structures were very interesting. Great bass in there as well. Paper planes is an absolute banger. Will i put it on myself? Probably not. Minus another point for MIA being 45 minutes late on Boom Town when we were supposed to see her live.

This sort of music gives me a headache.

good ideas, execution could be better

Has paper planes and that’s about it for me

i like paper planes, it’s a banger, i just feel like the rest of this album was goofy, i just didn’t like it much, didn’t like the production very much or the vocals or lyrics, and i just didn’t like the pixies cover thing, not big on it all

I liked Boyz, Paper Planes, Come Around. But on the whole didn't like it as much as I thought. A 2.7

Up to a 3.

I read the lyrics instead of just dancing to the beat. MIA has a lot to say about the state of the world for people of color. The message is just as important as the inspired music.

Was very unfamiliar with her work other than Paper Planes from this album, so I wasn’t sure what was in store. I found myself grooving by the end of the first song, appreciating the way the beat slowly incorporated other elements throughout to get my head nodding along. Each song seems to work around a different aspect of global music and I really appreciated the exposure throughout. M.I.A.’s rapping style isn’t for everyone and I found myself going in and out of synch with her vocals, which did take me out of some songs (especially Mango Pickle Down River which I think has kids rapping on it too) and keeps this from a five star for me, but I really dug it for the most part. And I was surprised to be vibing and singing along to 20 Dollar having never heard it before only to realize it is a “cover” of Where Is My Mind by The Pixies, but completely different musically.

Remember iTunes? This would have been exhibit A of nobody buying the album and spending $0.99 for Paper Planes. Nobody bought this album. And the 18 people that did, they just skipped down to Paper Planes and played it on repeat. Given all that, it’s pretty good. Probably couldn’t make it through twice.

There are songs on here that are so over the top that I was getting anxiety while driving. There’s also some chill stuff. Paper planes is a classic and I’ve always had a soft spot for mango pickle. The rest of the album is nothing special but I’ll give her points for going all out on this one, the songs aren’t that great but they are to the max.

Uff, it’s a tough single day album, I must admit. It’s an album that demands attention, but I respect that. Super well produced. Love that it made the list, especially for how multicultural it is. So many cool features in terms of artists, instrumentals, and samples. Honestly, it loses a point (and a half, honestly) bc I am not a fan of MIA‘s voice.

3 out of 5. This album ended up being more fun than I expected.

I LOVE YOU M.I.A!!!

Production-wise, it's extremely interesting. It was very original in 2007, she managed to collect many influences that weren't mainstream and put them in her music. I always had a problem with her "flow", though. Sometimes I like it, other times I don't.

Sigh. Really wish she wasn't so crazy.

Det er SLET ikke mig. MEN paperplanes kender jeg jo???

The first MIA record was my first from this list and I enjoyed this one more, West London South Asians represent

Surprising fun listen; sort of a post-Lil’ Kim, pre-Nicki Minaj bridge. Innovative, modern hip-hop sound. 3.5 but going with a 3 because of the violence it suggests.

Great beats, catchy hooks

Home of the absolute classic "Paper Planes". And while the rest of the album can be fun at times, it's way below the bar the aforementioned track sets. Some good stuff, some bleh stuff, it's a 3/5.

Not even music.

Tough to be objective here - I think this album actually rewired my brain when I first heard it back in the day, just totally exploded my horizon for what music could be. AND it has Paper Planes, arguably one of the best tracks released during this millennial’s lifetime. Pretty sure it would still be 5 stars regardless though.

It’s a good album just should not be on this list. There are much better and more influential works released that year

At first I thought this was going to be too high paced for me, but I really like the mixture of club music and world music, it blends together so well you can't help but groove out to it. The fast paced sample cuts with the children singing the chorus, really thoughtful and smart album. 8/10

Banger!

Coupel good songs but a lot of shite on this

Throughly unique album that maintained my attention. While the music was interesting, lacked any deeper meaning or truly catchy beats.

Actually loved the Afro beats in this. Did not expect to rate it.

Not great, wouldn’t thank you to listen to it again.

M.I.A. doesn’t really hit the same way her music did back in the late 2000s, but during her peak she absolutely made her mark, especially through her incorporation of underground sounds from all over the world. One track on this album that I really enjoyed, and had completely forgotten about until revisiting it, was “Jimmy.” Almost 20 years later, and I still really enjoy that song.

M.I.A.'s most successful album almost certainly achieved that status on the strength of the phenomenal single "Paper Planes". But there's a lot more happening here, a lot of which is challenging for the majority of people. But I can really imagine that a big percentage of those album sales may have some from first generation kids in London who recognized the sounds of their backgrounds blending, unapologetically, with punk and gritty dance music. A lot of albums are heavily shaped by the recording process and that's certainly the case here. M.I.A. planned to record the entire album with Timbaland but couldn't get a visa to stay in the US long enough. Instead, she travelled the globe with different producers, incorporating (so called) third world source material at every turn. Lyrically, the album is about her mother's struggles and focuses on gun violence, visas and critiques of capitalism. While I still prefer "Arular", I have to agree that "Kala" is M.I.A.'s real masterpiece.

This was my first time listening to this album, and in some weird way, I almost think of this as punk rather than what it is. I very much enjoyed this, but I can see it not being to everyone's taste. It has such a wide range of musical styles and self-references to other genres that it honestly feels like a lover's letter to the music that influenced them.

I don’t think one or two listens is enough to accurately review this. It’s cool sounding but I don’t connect strongly with it. A lot of the songs were forgettable and stressful. I was hoping it’d be dancier since that dude from Major Lazer produced it and it was supposed to be a Timbaland thing. I liked Bamboo Banga, Afrikan Boy and Paper Planes (duh)

Not my thing but I can see the merit. Some good party tunes.

Great album

Fuck M.I.A. she sucks

paper planes is so good. the rest of the album; interesting, global, impactful… but just not for me

J'hésite entre bof et pas trop mal. 2,5/5

Not for me

Love Paper Planes, but the rest doesn't hit the spot

MIA's vocal quality is a little grating for me, a little twee. Not all the time, but more than I was hoping. Nonetheless, I liked this album quite a bit (with the exception of "Jimmy"). There are some unusual rhythmic bits, some new and interesting lyrics and an odd vocal style not quite rap but won't fit anywhere else. Something sinister is going on under the surface and she acknowledges other parts of the world the the mainstream usually ignores. Worth the time.

Fav: Paper Planes Least Fav: Mango Pickle Down River Surprisingly really good with some great beats and glorious sampling

Beste Lieder: Come around

Never listened to this one all the way through, but Paper Planes is a jam. TBH this album sort of wore me out. I enjoyed some of the sounds in here and a few of songs were a lot of fun, but there is so much to unpack I find myself exhausted. Of what I enjoyed -- Bamboo Banga grew on me after a couple of minutes; 20 Dollar is pretty wild with an unexpected interpolation of Pixies Where is my Mind; World Town is a bit in your face, but pretty fun as well; and Mango Pickle Down River (while the weirdest named track here) is low-key dope with the digeridoo (or whatever) sound underpinning the whole thing. Really mixed here... A unique listen to be sure, but one I don't see myself spending a ton of time with. 3 / 5 for me.

The beats on this album are very pedestrian. Like someone's first time making beats using the preset horns on whatever mixing software and spamming the shit out of them. Paper Planes is a top 100 song. Insane that it is on this album with all of these other songs.

Kind of wanted to make me stick my head in the microwave with all of the random noises and bad rapping. Paper Planes was the song of my highschool senior year though so can't hide from that being a jam. Completely saved this album from a 1

Paper Planes is an obvious standout on this one. Will always remind me of Pineapple Express. Besides Paper Planes, there were some weird songs that aren't necessarily my type of music but not bad. Was kinda hoping for more.

Det e litt rart at æ har hørt så lite på M.I.A. i løpet av livet så langt, for æ like ho jo godt. Kanskje æ gjør nokka med det en dag.

1.7 You know when you were younger, right before you started downloading music, and you absolutely loved a song by someone and buy the album it's on, expecting it to be more of the same, only to be thoroughly let down by the absolute pile of dross that sits on there apart from your one song? Bonus points when it comes right near the end so you've already had 45 minutes to sit there in despair thinking about what else you could have spent the £13 on. Just think of the many thousands of people that went through this with Kala. It makes me sad.

A much bigger improvement over Arular if you ask me but in the right directions. The production can still be annoying at times but for the most part it is a lot more enjoyable then Arular. The one complaint I do have is that the length is a bit much but I also knew Paper Planes was the next song when I was feeling this way so the wait was very much worth it. I am just extremely impressed with how original M.I.A. sounds, the songs have this very different feel from traditional pop and hip hop that make it feel so foreign and new. I am also extremely impressed with just how ahead of her time the production is, I don't think a single song on this album has aged poorly at all and it's over 15 years old. I can see why so many people go back to this album for more then just Paper Planes, it's a banger and a half.

idk why her other album made it to the list, this one would be enough

Meh. By the third track I was tired

Wasn’t a fan. Paper Planes is really the only song going for it. But I also liked Boyz with Jay-Z

I've heard Paper Planes by this artist but I am so glad I gave this album a listen. The music is erratic with youth, the lyrics are in a frenzy with indignation at the state of the world, and yet an effervescent joy seeps the album. It's playful, but thought provoking. Boyz was a particular highlight, conscious and catchy. Check out MIA's other stuff too.

Gave a fellow brown girl some more attention than usual after the first song. Paper planes obviously slapped, but apart from that, aggressively mid. Also, British.

Not my favorite genre

really cool album shame shes a MAGA

I tried to go in with an open mind but the Qanonsense she's been spewing the past few years really made it difficult to finish listening. I'll give what I did hear a solid 3.5/4 (other than paper planes which gets a 5 by default because it has reached icon status)

Meh

With its dance-friendly rhythms and beats it is tough to listen to Kala without shaking your booty. M.I.A. raps about some weighty topics, but she doesn't let this get in the way of showing you a good time. I enjoyed the incorporation of samples from different cultures. It gives this album a unique sound and perhaps ironically, considering the many different cultures presented, provides a cohesion to the record. The tracks flow nicely from one to the next. The looping samples from The Clash with interludes from New Order on “Paper Planes” was also fun. I sometimes found her voice to be tiresome, but I can’t really pin down why this was the case. Desite not having a great voice, I think her singing worked better than her rapping, but this could just be personal bias. I don’t know much about this genre of music, but apparently Kala was experimental introducing sounds that have been influential in the years that followed. Considering the album was released while Obama was president, that tracks. One of the better, or at least most fun, hip-hop albums I’ve received through this project so far!

I hated the last album of hers. I hate this as well - it’s just more of the same primary school skipping songs.

Probably would never have listened to this one on my own. The beats and layers of sounds is something I'm into. The lyrics seem as much about adding a layer of instrumentation to the other sounds as they are about moving any kind of message across. I found myself jamming to this one. 4/5

so good

I'm surprised at how much love this album gets. This not an album I enjoyed. I debated if this was a 1 star album out of 5 I disliked it so much. "Paper Planes" is the big popular track and it doesn't come until the end of the album. By that point I was already annoyed and disinterested. Again, I'm surprised at the amount of praise this album gets. I think it's a group think experiment. An influentual reviewer likes it so other's follow that with praise as well because it must be great if that guy liked it. And then it snowballs into wide praise and a critics choice.

Nope. Absolutely not for me. Rapping I cannot understand plus percussion. Didn’t bother to listen twice. Added “Paper Planes” to the Generator playlist.

huh..

This is banging.

Holy shit, now THIS is an album. I'd heard Paper Airplanes before, but never anything else from this album, and, man, is it fantastically chaotic. I don't know what M.I.A. uses to make her beats, but they hit hard. The last song is pretty fucking weak, but otherwise, this album is solid all the through. 4.5/5, but rounding down due to the weak-ass Timbaland song.

It’s sometimes almost purposefully annoying but occasionally feels like a breathtaking new kind of music. It’s got a collage feeling, emphasizing the global south but also borrows from Modern Lovers, New Order, the Pixies, and the Clash. Like a lot of self-obsessed pop figures (see West, Kanye), she seems like a paranoid, conspiracy-obsessed creature, and ultimately kind of a tragic story of fame.

Mostly this doesn't do it for me. Rounding up from 2 point something on the strength of Paper Planes.

3/5 - 3 for audaciousness, not accessibility. Paper Planes is obviously great. Enjoyed Boyz and 20 Dollar. Overall, not my thing, but glad to listen through.

8/10 Favorite: Paper Planes

Great music to get pumped up.

achei mei ruim

bom, eh interessante. começou meio ruim, mas depois foi ficando bão. tem uns beats mto legais e as inspirações dela são mto massa!!

Single Paper Planes is excellent. Nothing else gets as good, but interesting and eclectic.

its aight

Experimental Rap is the best rap, change my mind. Don't, there's no point. We have M.I.A.. The groove on this album is really unlike most stuff on this list. Really hard and carries a lot of interesting influences that tie back to M.I.A.'s ethnicity in a cool way. I especially like the South Asian percussion in songs like BirdFlu. Good politics, bringing attention to things going on in Africa. The whole album is really interesting to me. One of those "how did you stumble into making that sound?" kind of albums. I live for that kind of music, so this is great.

Not for me

Uh, nope.

Interesting beats. Enjoyed the listen for the variety this 1,001 project brings but would not listen again.

Frantic beats and shrill vocals make this too long in an format

Very modern sounding even today, loved the African drum influences