Reviews (page 7 of 9)
Its interesting the way someone with a “new sound” can have an album where their songs sound similar on first listen, but as you listen again and again, you slowly notice the nuances of each one. I’ve noticed this on band’s I like and even some of their nee albums that tend to blur togther, only to later appreciate the differences. That was the case for me here. I overall thought it was not bad, but, again, not really for me. And, again, I don’t think it was made for me. And that’s ok. I think sometimes music is made for people of certain ages or certain stages of their lives. And sometime the point is to piss off the parents. That’s what helps us define ourselves, not being who “they” wanted us to be. Anyhow, I liked a couple somgs specifically and will give them a few more listens. Might grow on me.
Really hard to listen to. Kind of monotone and bland, and just strangely edgy for the sake of sounding different, but it never ended up being very musical or fun.
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.
The exact same sound and production values on every second of every song. Boring, unoriginal, monochromatic, no variation.....you get it.
Complex, different and really creative electro-hip-hop-world album. It's not something I would listen to daily but I appreciate her talent.
Get vaccinated kids
Some songs just gave me a headache, some I enjoyed. As something that isn’t really my taste, this album was more fun than I thought at the outset. Favorites include ‘Boys’ and ‘Jimmy’, more than the commercial success ‘Paper Planes’. Beats were fun, almost had an Indian/Persian flair at times. I wanted to like/dislike this album more than I did
I've always more-than-tolerated Paper Planes but I don't dig the shtick in the space of an entire album. This was unfortunately kind of tedious for me.
I still remember the first time I heard Paper Planes, working at a local pizza place in high school. I was shocked such a thing was considered music, but somehow that song grew on me. The rest of the album is alright, but doesn’t rise to that level.
Experimental, but rarely in a good way. It has certain interesting moments, but not enough to make up for it being full of hiphop-clichés and annoying synths. Could have been a 3, if it hasn’t been for the obvious mismatch between the album and the to last hits that seems to have been put there to save a risky project
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".
This is a fun album, great beats.
lots of energy, African-inspired drums & rhythms absolutely hate everything about it, even the cover Paper Planes is alright I guess Jimmy sounds a bit ABBA
Despite owning this album from release, I think this is my first full listen. Overall ok, but nothing amazing. Really benefits from the production. 3/5
I was impressed. I don't believe I have ever heard any music by M.I.A (have heard of her though). Thank you 1001 album generator! This was a great find that I wouldn't have stumbled upon myself.
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.
one really good track, the rest is meh. not my thing. 1/5
In a nutshell: ambitious and haphazard passion project number 2. Overall: 2/10
I want to like this- I don't.
I personally consider Boyz and Paper Planes to be stone cold classics, there are a lot of other jams here too. Gotta love the cheeky Pixies reference as well. This sound tracked the couple years after high school for me as well, so bonus nostalgia points. True millennial shit. I dig it. So take the 4, bonus points for nostalgia, bonus points for the anticapitalist themes, 4.5. Rounded up because I think it needs more love here compared to the deluge of samey rock albums. Almost forgot to mention that this spawned one of my all time favorite remixes: https://youtu.be/m9dIv-kSpEQ
I feel like my ears are being given a fast and furious movie soundtrack, but written by a specific person, instead of a group of artists. And instead of car sounds, it is random sounds and instruments. Creative but not for me. I also understand why Paper Planes was the 1 song to make it out of this album and I was not a fan of that song when it released either.
Wachten op airplanes die dan wel extra lekker luistert de rest is echt niet om aan te horen
Heel uniek wat ik wel vet vond maar kon er toch niet helemaal inkomen
Mixed feeling over deze, zitten paar echte bangers tussen: Jimmy en paper planes bv. maar ook een paar rare nummers
Track 1 banger. Track 4 Moscow Moscow vibes! Mad where is my mind. Obvs Paper Planes. Rest was ok.
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!
Is it possible to both like and be annoyed by an album at the same time? That's how I'm feeling about this one. Sometimes it felt intentionally grating and other times it just has this cool groove to it that I enjoyed. Crazy to me that "Paper Planes" is track 11, but then it does at least give the back of the album a real banger. Not sure how I feel about the use of those Pixies lyrics in whatever song that was. Hmm.
It's just noise. Not good noise.
First couple of tracks were somewhat interesting. But then, no. Could not finish it.
This is what is lacking in this list! Give me 10 albums like this one, instead of U2. On contrast with other albums so far, this one is special. Raw energy, great grooves
Krasse Beats. Krasser Bass bei Boyz. Klassiker Paper Planes
“What if Toni Basil made a hip-hop album in the style of Art of Noise?” Yea, some questions are better left unasked.
"Thou shall not make repetitive genetic music" This record is so damn repetitive. Even paper planes, the hit, repetitive.
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.
2/5
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.
Not my kind of music.
3.5 One classic song. The rest is pretty good.
Monotonous. Most of the songs lull you into a bit of trance, largely just because the vocals roll on, the beats roll on, the melody rolls on, etc. I want it to be cool, something about it is exciting and there is a unique energy in the songs, but it never actually hits or reaches the point of feeling like something I want to listen to again. Paper planes is cool but feels like someone wrote it as a single, it really doesn’t fit, and it is coincidentally the only catchy song and her only hit.
No.
Hmm weinig leuks te vinden bij M.I.A, behalve dat briljante refreintje van Paper Planes: All I wanna do is - POW! POW! POW! POW!
Ik weet dat een zekere Xander77 hier keihard op ging, maar ik vind het gewoon ronduit irritant!
Aaarghhh make it stop!
Thought I'd love it. I Love Paper Planes. I did not love it.
Characterful for sure
This was better then expected. I knew unwound like it but I was surprised by how much I like it
Wow that was one of the most interesting albums I have listened to by far. I literally had NO idea what was going on AT all during this whole album. Maybe this is one of those albums that you can look back on and be like wow this is amazing how did I not like this at first, but my GOD if I can give M.I.A. one thing, its that it is not like anything I've ever heard before. 1/5
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
Dunno what to make of this quite honestly. Could probably do with more listens. I can hear its influence on the likes of Gwen Stefani and Beyoncé. Idk if that’s a Timbaland thing
Paper planes is good. That’s all.
1.75 for paper planes. the rest is a dirty asshole filled with maggot rich hot garbage. also, paper planes isn't that great either. no offense.
Paper planes is a great song, the vast majority of the other songs are straight up booty cheeks. Offense taken.
An absolute banger of an album and instantly recognizable as MIA!
There are some songs on here that are pretty tiring, same ol' MIA shit that I used to really like when she first came out but stopped seeming very unique after a couple albums. That said, I also still enjoyed a decent amount of it.
Not very good. Obnoxious throwaway lyrics, beats sound like they were made with Fisher Price beat machine by a 12 year old girl.
bamboo banga was interesting birdflu had chicken noises in it... in general not my vibe, can't listen the whole thing again...
pass
I know this one so well
Cool, interesting sounds just kinda dated
3 good songs rip
I cannot stand this album. Between the purposeful dissonant vocals, repetitive 5 seconds loops, and terrible electronic I'm just annoyed listening to it. Features were the only positive
Hadn’t heard this one in years. A unique sounding record and some of its cool but I had a hard time listening to her singing/ rapping for an entire album.
I thought this was boring as hell. Paper planes is ok but the rest of this album didn’t do it for me. Honestly maybe deserves a 1 but after fat boy slim and the avalanches I guess my bar is low
An extra star for having vocals and Paper Planes is catchy. Otherwise I found all the songs annoying.
Faced again with being kind of a basic bitch about a few things, "Paper Planes," overexposed as it is, is both very different from the rest of this, and also I like it more.
I like the individual songs in this but there's not enough variation to make it a great album. Paper Planes is a banger though.
Definitely one I need to listen to again. It feels like the album is wrestling with two different versions of itself, the first half having a much more experimental and interesting production while the second half has a lot more bonafide "hits" with less crazy instrumentals but ending up more catchy and memorable. In the end it manages to produce great stuff in both ends, with the really odd beat and feature of "Mango Pickle Down River" and the huge chart-topper "Paper Planes" (by far the best track here), but in a single listen it's not giving me too much more than that. By the end of the album I was definitely feeling it a lot more than the start, so most definitely one for a few more listens.
11 out of 12 songs were garbage.
This album would be improved out of all recognition if it was just Paper Planes eleven times. It would actually be less repetitive and boring, too. Rubbish.
When I saw this album tagged as Hip-Hop and electronica, I was worried. I One comment in the Wikipedia article called it “both a party album and a progressive aural assault”. Yay? It seems more electronica/pop than hip hop, though. Each song is repetitive. Very, VERY repetitive. Musically and lyrically. Which makes some sense as dance music, but doesn’t keep my interest. The more hip-hoppy party’s still have that dance feel, and the lyrics aren’t angry and “explicit”…. Just repetitive and dumb. It seems to pick up and hint at several world musical styles, hints of Bollywood stylings, African rhythms, etc. This actually works pretty well, and provides interest where lyrics and soundscape don’t. Nothing I’ll want to hear again, but I can kinda get where it is coming from. I’ll go 2/5, but just barely.
Solid listen. This one is more my time period so I was already pretty familiar. Enjoy the experimental sounds and of course the favorite "I've got more records than the KGB"
16/100 Based on this scale: 1 star - 0 to 19 2 stars - 20 to 39 3 stars - 40 to 59 4 stars - 60 to 79 5 stars - 80 to 100 Repetitive and dull.
Techno pop. Not my style. First song killed the album for me
pioneer.
Most songs: Mama Mia, this is as boring and it gets in love, Get out of here!. Few: fun weird rhythms like in The Turn ans singing as in the catchy Paper Planes. Overall: can't be bothered
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.
Truly visionary, this album still feels fresh almost 15 years later, which is incredibly remarkable to me
M.I.A is absolute 🔥, absolutely in my wheelhouse (although I’ve listened to Paper Planes too much over the years). As before, she has important strong political messages. I just LOVED this and it’s a personal 5 for me. Listens: 2 Fave Track: 20 Dollar Rating: 5
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.
Sometimes sounds like Die Antwoord, but worse. Sometimes sounds obnoxious, sometimes kind of cool, most of the time simply not my taste.
If you told me that the album that gave the world paper planes was one of the top 1001 albums that I needed to hear before I died. I would have told you that you were wrong. I would have been right.
I'm a big fan of M.I.A. as an artist. She has a style all her own and has produced some massive bangers. Her personal stance against vaccination is nauseating though.
Never heard the full album before. Feels quite raw. Liked it.
I've never been a huge fan of M.I.A, though I did find some of the tracks here really worming there way into my brain (in a good way!). Maybe I need to listen to more of her material.
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.
was aight
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.
2 bBumpin but not my cuppa tea
Modern African, not really my cup of tea. Liked about 3 songs on this album.
Rap, african in sounds with a lot of soundboard effects. Paper Airplanes was huge for a few years. Its crazy how many ppl listen to that one song with the rest of the album is so low. To me its because each song is very different without a flow as you listen to the album from beginning to end. Single songs all bundled together.
It’s unfortunate that this album is only remembered for one song. Jimmy, Mango Pickle Down River, and Come Around are all great songs
I didn't like the first song "Bamboo Banga" and it didn't get better until Paper Planes which is the penultimate song. I can't really recommend this album to anyone.
Suomuista, eli ei takerru jos myötäkarvaan antaa mennä.. Tiedä mitä sitten jos kriittisesti yrittäis arvostella...
Solid. Paper Planes is always a banger.
Not just annoying, it's aggressively annoying! There is nothing musical about this to my ears. My poor ears. Why would anyone think this needs to be listened to before they die? Note: It wasn't on Apple Music, so I had to listen on YouTube, which isn't ideal.
Hater beatene, vokalene er irriterende og sangene mangler variasjon. Oppriktig vanskelig å høre på. Paper planes er god da.
love the production of these songs layered and engaging music. only knew paper planes but liked the album as a whole not usually my cup of tea but fairly solid
Nice sound, gets you moving. Paper planes still a classic
Like an updated version of The Clash's Combat Rock, Kala addresses an ever-shrinking globe and the tension between the rich nations and rest of the world. The sounds are bombastic and modern. The rhymes are a great example of grime in the early 2000s.
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
Tf is this
Not my thing - but some good tracks, and the album is interesting overall
Not a fan. Actively wanted most songs to end after their first couple minutes. The South Asian/hip-hop fusion felt like it could be cool as a premise, but it was very irritating and repetitive. It felt like effort was put into most elements to create a unique listening experience, so I wish I didn't dislike it so much when it hit my ears. Could feel the 5G coursing through my veins. 1/10
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*
Old rap, no fun
Not bad. Not hip hop as I think of it. Interesting rhythms combined with some good melodies.
Pretty awful
This is my thing
3.5/5
An immaculate blend of hip hop and world music, sonically expansive and irreverent. M.I.A. still makes music, but she’s never bettered this album.
Overrated artist, good production bland content
Sonically all over the place but the good tracks are great, pretty of an era.
Pretty overrated because of Paper Planes and Come Around - some goodies here, but Arular is clear
2.5, couple of good jams on this but not enough to maintain interest for the entire album.
Saw M.I.A. this summer open for LCD soundsystem at red rocks. It was kinda like this album, okay 3.5
Last few songs are awesome, first few are not my fav
It is actually a very very interesting album
nostalgic. paper planes represents prying for acceptance to a state of unnatainable euphoric perfect youth but we dont smoke cigarettes in joppa anymore, we guitar run spanish guitar run spanish
This album annoyed me for the most part it had that one song that called back to The Pixies where is my mind which I wouldn't go as far as it say it was good. But it was a nice surprise compared to everything else that was on here. Her voice is fine but her style of rapping or deliver on lyrics is incredibly repetitive along with all the backing tracks behind it. Paper Airplanes was probably the best song on here and I didn't like it the first time I heard it on the radio and in movies.
Horrible. Shameful inclusion.
At first I was like "again? A third album?" While I don't know if they all deserved to be on this list, I can see why they were picked because the artist showed great versatility and craftiness with them
"Kala" is the second studio album by British hip hop artist M.I.A. Dance, world, hip hop and pop musical genres. The album was primarily written and produced by M.I.A. and Switch. Other producers listed include Blaqstarr, Morgan's, Diplo and Timbaland. It was recorded in numerous places including India, Angola, Trinidad, Liberia, Jamaica and Australia. She wanted to record in the US with Timbaland as the producer but had visa issues related to her parents connection with guerrillas in Sri Lanka. Oh, that might come up in a song. The music relied heavily on Logic Pro and had influences from South Asia with samples from Bollywood and Tamil cinema. Some of the lyrics have political themes related to the third world including immigration, poverty and capitalism. The album had widespread critical acclaim and, commercially, reached #18 in the US and #39 in the UK. "Bamboo Banga" begins things with a fast beat and M.I.A. with multiple voices. She begins a chant/rap. She repeats words that rhyme. A dance beat comes in midway through. I will like any song that samples the Modern Lovers' "Roadrunner." Tribal beats courtesy of the Indian urumee drums highlight "Bird Flu." A hypnotic beat. M.I.A. rapping. "Boyz" uses the urumee drums as well. Various noise samples including a pennywhistle. M.I.A. repeating "Na, Na, Na, Na." The song was influenced by her time in Jamaica and about being a female in the music industry. "Jimmy" brings the disco and dance club beat. A synth melody. Creative use of a Bollywood song. A song she used to dance to as a child. And a song that's a tribute to her Mother, whom the album title is named for. Speaking of creative sampling, without question my favorite sample use in any song is her sample of The Clash's "Straight to Hell" in "Paper Planes." Her rapping and singing. The combining of the beats, vocals, bump bump, camera and cash register into music. The song is about her problem with visas and the perception of immigrants. One of the best songs of this century in my opinion. This is an excellent album. A great fusion of world music, disco, hip hop and pop. The music is hypnotic, mysterious and danceable. Very creative use of samples...The Modern Lovers, Pixies, the Clash and Bollywood. A very high recommendation for all to listen to if you haven't and relisten to if you have.
My favorite of hers. Musically great and I love her politics.
Super unique and creative sound
This album is honestly incredible, both in the context of when it came out and now still today. I remember it being so intriguing, so blurring of genres and cultures and so good when it came out, and it still feels that fresh and unbelievable today. It's surprising that it didn't reach more people. M.I.A. is probably too political for mainstream success, but her lyrics and beats are up there with the best. Excellent album.
A jam-packed collage of sounds, textures, rhythms and influences. By rights it should irritate me greatly, but the album brings the disparate electronic noises together brilliantly and delivers banger after banger after banger. Although I didn't pick up on many of the lyrics (I look forward to a more active listen later), the energy of the album alone draws you in. Yes. I think this probably is a masterpiece. Rating: 5/5 Playlist track: Paper Planes Date listened: 18/09/23
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.
A spectacularly crazy and highly experimental record fusing pop, hip-hop, electronica, and world music. Every track is different in structure and musical style and yet carries the same mood and production techniques, always full of intense energy and speed. Disco, reggeaton, Bollywood... Just like Kanye, she can release innovative, catchy, and impactful tunes, and turn out to be a crazy delusionist in real life. Only downside is the middle section loses energy and focus, causing it to be too grating, but it comes back near the end. Favorites: Boyz, Jimmy, Paper Planes
I can't say I enjoyed most of this album from the way it sounded but I see her style
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.
Didn't grab me at all until Jimmy. Tough to get through some tracks. ** for Jimmy and Paper Planes.
Boy these songs sure are repetitive
nope
I really did think I would like this more... I remember listening to it a bit when it came out, but revisiting it now, I find it irritating. I think it can't decide what it wants to be. Is it it dance music? I think DJ/Uproot does something in the same vein much better. To be fair, I did enjoy seeing M.I.A. live... but can't give bonus points for that, right?
pretty enjoyable. the big song "paper planes" that everyone knows i've never thought was a big banger, but i did enjoy "jimmy" and "XR2".
Not something I particularly enjoyed.
Not my style
I like Paper Planes - you know the Clash connection helps...a lot. The rest of the album mostly meh! Jimmy is a good song, 20 dollar with the Pixies lyric also caught my ear. Overall can't see giving more than 2.5 stars
Ugh. No. Just no.
I don't know what I'm hearing but I like it Favorite Tracks: Bamboo Banga, Boyz, Hussel, 20 Dollar, Paper Planes, Come Around
She does much in life that is laudable, but this is not to my taste. It barely qualifies as music in my view - I hate it. Mucking about with rythyms and sequencers is not 'music'. And rap might be poetry, but it isn't music.
Wow so experimental
Bamboo Banga! Solid album full of heavy drum beats like being at a carnival.
It was pretty good, much better than I thought it'd be.
5.5/10 just not my type. quelques bonnes chansons.
Paper planes was a fun trip back to being student scum but other than that
Paper Planes is the only decent song. Everything else is just very irritating noises and words on repeat. Shame
Fun little reminisce with Paper Planes and Come Around
ok then, that's fine. thanks for that. ok. bye now.
Crazy sounds. It was definitely different which is good but didn't like it
again?
I hated this album tbh. Could've done without the kidz-bop song halfway through. The last song sounded like if you searched "plants vs zombies type beat" on YouTube. Production was at least decent but oh my the vocals I'm glad I am dun da da dun dun dun with this one. Gonna go listen to that industrial German yelling album🤘
It's great for a few songs then get a bit old
Eerste 2 nummers vind ik maar niets. Daarna betert het wat met iets meer uitgesproken sound van wereldmuziek.
Pretty disappointed, honestly. 3 stars for having Paper Planes though.
Disappointing. I really only knew Paper Planes going in, and I was hoping the rest of the album would be a worldly electronic vibe. It got worldly and electronic, but vibes were few, Did think the kids rapping was cute though. Not my style but not bad. Enjoyed the clear influence of travel and world sounds on the album
Very percussive and repetitive, very little else going on. It's not just your typical hip hop percussion, but also some exotic samples. I guess that's why it's on the list. Fine. It's just not for me. Favorite song: the turn
Despite sampling the Pixies and the Clash, this didn't click with me. Too much autotune.
Some good songs, some I didn't enjoy as much but overall not bad.
Some of the vocals are auto-tuned - that's pretty bad for a rap artist. I get it if you want the special effect that auto-tune can provide - a sort of digital, computerized sound; however, auto-tune is used so consistently throughout the album that it makes you wonder why she just didn't go ahead and take singing/rapping lessons. It's too bad - I like "Paper Planes" and I appreciate the "world music" influence.
Interesting and unique intersection of rap with British/Indian culture and female voice.
Some interesting samples and loops but her voice really irritates me and I couldn’t really properly finish the record. Paper planes Is the best song here by far
I mean, Paper Planes had its moment in the spotlight, but is anything else here really worth listening to? I don't think so. A singular one-hit wonder from the late aughts does not an iconic album make. Sorry, but bitch, you basic. Oh gosh, got into some googling and I see it's also M.I.A.s birthday today. What a horrible old witch I am to give her a bad review on her birthday LOL. Oh well, I said what I said and I listened thoroughly. I think her 15 minutes of fame were up a long time ago and this doesn't make a lasting cultural impression on me. *shrug*
Now, the big track here is bone fide mint but all the other tracks are just weaker tracks of the same style
1/5 Best: Paper Planes Worst: Boyz
I like Paper Planes, but outside of that, this is not my bag. I find the story of the album interesting and the use of all types of instruments and rhythms from different cultures really cool, it is a fascinating and well made album, but the droning of many of the tracks made it less enjoyable for me. I think some of the other tracks could have benefited from catchier hooks and attention grabbing sounds like the gun-shot/cash register part of Paper Planes. There were a few samples from Bollywood early on but I found them to be pretty understated and I think amping that up could have helped as well.
Not sure why this is in the top 1001
Nothing to write home about.
A feast for the ears 9/10
Pretty annoying with the exception of Paper Planes
Looking at the reviews this would appear to be a Marmite album, you either love it or hate it. I think Marmite is shit. So is this. She sounds like she doesn't care or she's high, either way it's annoying.
Interesting one this. Obviously Paper Planes is so ubiquitous it's hard to look at it as anything other than standout/separate from the rest of this album, but on first listen it's pretty samey apart from these last two or three tracks - I feel like that would change over time with more listens. There's a lot to like on there and it does whip along nice and quickly.
Infectious, banging and annoying (in a good way). Pure brilliance. Listened to this a lot in 2007. Switch and Diplo really managed to create a global unique sound for MIA. They went on to create great things with Major Lazer. It’s the effortlessness both in MIAs rap and in the continuous experimentation with sounds and influences that makes this stand out.
There’s a few fun songs that still bop but honestly outside of a club I’m not listening to this lol.
2007 - Hip hop; Pop; Electronic
M.I.A. is widely praised for her innovative take on pop music. I fucking hate it with a passion.
Wow, thanks, this is unbearable. If innovation = plastered in cheap sound effects, then M.I.A. is innovative as fuck.
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?
Decent enough and interesting in places.
Tricky to maintian my righteous anger for a whole album.
buckydonegoneonandonandon
Funky stuff here, lots of cool beats, samples and collabs - cool to hear an indigenous Aussie group in this!
Doesn't start with the strongest impression, but once it gets going, it's downright infectious.
Some interesting fusion music, but she's just an idiot trying to sound deeper than she is.
first time listening have heard paper planes favorites paper planes come around
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.
Props for how unique the beats are on this one. Sometimes it was pure hype. Other times like what's going on. Didn't love the tracks with little kids rapping. But a cool blend of electronic and middle eastern.
So outside of "Paper Planes" and "Jimmy", the rest of this album is unlistenable. It's funny, I remember "Paper Planes" coming out and wondered for a little while why MIA wasn't releasing more music or appearing with other artists since then. Having listened to the bullshit on this album I understand why. 3/10.
Stonkingly good!
I am biased against her as a person but aI funny see how this isn't generic dancehall
I think it's too frontloaded to scrape a 5 (other than Paper Planes lmao). But it's so fucking good.
Definitely interesting. Some songs are way too repetitive for what they have to offer, but there are a few legit bangers here. More than anything I appreciate how unique the blend of styles and influences is. Best song: Paper Planes
Hip-hop, dance. Está bien. Venga, un 4.
Versión rara de Where is my mind ... Y Paper planes me sonaba ....
Now I know why paper planes is the only song I’ve heard.
Catchy, fun, and weird. Such a fun album
I'm gonna lie if I said I enjoyed the whole thing. But I greatly appreciate its uniqueness and its daring attempt to incorporate Indian and African sounds into electronic-dance music. It's quite a refreshing and adventurous album and I love it for that.
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.
Only 1.5 songs were good. The rest was absolute trash. Paper Planes carried this whole album.
not great by most standards, paper planes saves this from being a one
Wow, what a great album. Been a while since I listened to this album. I thoroughly enjoyed this session. Fave tracks are Boyz, 20 Dollar, XR2, and of course Paper Plans.
Huh, electronica fused with world music is usually my jam, but this doesn't quite hit the spot. The beats are a bit basic. The rapping is extremely basic. I enjoyed the novelty of the different influences being mixed in, but I reckon repeated listens to this would actually drop my rating rather than raise it, as the novelty would wear off and it'd start to grow irritating... 🤔 So, I'm giving it one play through a 3, and M.I.A. should count herself lucky... Fave track - "Paper Planes" was the only one I knew before hand, and it is kinda a tune. Liked the Bollywood of "Jimmy", and considering "20 Dollar" is a mashup of New Order and Pixies you'd think I'd like it more...
Started off thinking I wouldn’t like it but really grew on me. 20 Dollar and Paper Planes are great tunes.
Despite having spent much of her time on England when developing her hip hop sound, M.I.A. pulls from her formative years spent in Sri Lanka to develop a unique blend of UK hip hop and various traditional folk music genres from the global south. Quite a bit of her work is politically changed as well, likely as a result of her father's political activist roots. While M.I.A.'s production and stylistic choices are certainly innovative and different, it's largely hit-or-miss on the quality of the songs. If you were around radios in the late 2000s then you couldn't escape Paper Planes, but Boyz is also worth it's salt. Otherwise, much of the album is messy.
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.
Unlistenable. She may have something to say in regards to our current political environment and I respect the hell out of that, BUT can it be stated in a way that is less like electronic nails on a chalkboard and more like music that doesn’t disrupt the central nervous system causing unnecessary anxiety?
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.
I've only ever heard Paper Planes before from this album, and probably one more well known track from this artist at all. The first two songs were very unimpressive but it got better as it went I think Saved tracks: Jimmy, 20 Dollar, XR2, Paper Planes, Come Around
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
Unlistenable
I think I might have heard Paper Planes 500 times in my life and it still has not gotten old. Some track get a bit repetitive, but M.I.A.'s blend of styles still feels fresh today. 3.5/5
MIA is excellent at creating interesting tracks. The music is fresh and includes unique accoutrements. The rap and lyrics are unfortunately boring and the flow is weak. Paper planes is a cool song but doesn’t save this album for me.
Kinda funky, not sure if it’s for me 5/10
Paper planes alone makes this album a 8/10
Alter was für ein absoluter Müll
'Paper Planes' is iconic and most of these are stand-alone bangers, but listening to one after the other is a sensory overload. I think it's good and I appreciate that it's included, because this type of music doesn't frequent the list, but I didn't love this album as an entity.
It's like if Lorde and Akon had a love child and that love child turned out to be tone deaf. The best part of this album was when my AirPods wouldn't connect for a whole minute and I thought the first song started with a moment of silence. Paper Planes and Jimmy saved this from oblivion.
Word on the street is that 1001albumsgenerator.com got hacked and shut down for 24 hours, so its sister company 1001annoyingalbumsgenerator.com stepped in for the day. Paper Planes wasn’t enough to save the album.
Mid album, bangers and clangers, meaning the songs are either awesome or possum. I can’t envision the group liking this very much.
Fun! Classic.
What a frickin’ sweet record. Catchy and in-your-face and rhythmic and fun and fancy and just gooooood. It reminds me of how I felt after Stankonia - just in awe at the beats and wild production. 9/10
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.
A big improvement from M.I.A.'s debut. The Clash. The Pixies. Even Ottawan gets in the mix.
Never heard of M.I.A. before, but this was a pleasant surprise. Totally vibed with it.
Wonderful record, a little busy here and there but with many highlights, such as the very creative Pixies remake '20 dollar'.
Buen disco, sonidos experimentales aunque a veces peca de ser muy de los 2000. Mezcolanza entre hip hop noventero y ritmos africanos. Bastante interesante por más que no pareciera tener una propuesta artística más trascendental. No volvería a escucharlo
influential indie sleeze
I didn’t expect to like this but I really did. Nice Friday vibe.
Dancier than I realized, not my style but clearly solid musically and culturally notable.
Jájá, af hverju ekki? Alveg hresst svona einu sinni amk., þótt þetta sé ekki alveg mín tónlist.
Dig some of the production, though this isn't my thing.
Hip-hop being hip-hop. The background tracks are unsually dance/electronica-oriented for the genre, but that can hardly save anything. 1.5/5
Energetic, Took a while to get into.
lpm había escrito una review buena pero se borró.. la idea era q hay demasiados sonidos y siento que la mina podría parar de cantar en algún momento, ya que muchas veces tapa los instrumentos. No estuvo mal igual. 5/10
super experimental con el hitazo de ariplanes m gusto por mas que sienta q muchos temas quedan claramente como relleno los 3 ultimos temas los mejores del disco
One popular so g!
This is mostly shit, except for ‘Paper Planes’ and ‘Mango Pickle Down River’ (essentially Wilcannia Mob’s ‘Down River’ with awful M.I.A lyrics and singing added). Not sure both together are enough to elevate ‘Kala’ above a 1 out of 5.
I'm sorry I tried listening to this album but had to stop after the 3rd song... I did not vibe with it at all.
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.
No. It's okay but probably not making it into the rotation.
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.
kala... minkäslainen vonkale... lohta vai siikaa...heh...ei tykkää rokotuksista...heh meikääkin itkettää...vaikka terkkari sanoo että on ohi kohta....eka puolisko hyvä, loppupuoli heikompi jimmy
Hip-hop feeling, some singing but focused on rhythmic instrumentals
This album was a lot. A lot of good, and a lot of awesome innovation. Also a lot of styles/sounds I didn't love.
Some of these songs are a little hard to listen to, but delightful once you get into them. This album’s surely not for everyone, but I thought it was pretty fun. Obviously Paper Planes is great, but other songs like Boyz, Mango Pickle Down River, and Jimmy certainly don’t get enough recognition. Manor complaint was that it got very repetitive and had hardly any range. 3/5
That album was awful. Her voice is annoying, the samples are over the top repetitive, and there isn't much substance to enjoy. Paper Planes is the only decent song on this whole thing.
Amazing album from start to finish
This album sounds effortless. Like less effort…
Kala flirted between stuff I found interesting and stuff I hated. More of the latter than the former, so 2.
Not for me. Sounds a bit quirky, and not much like almost anything we've had on here, but it doesn't do it for me, it's a bit too raw and doesn't have enough to really hook me in the way that Paper Planes does. 2/5.
I really love one track, paper planes, but the rest of the album is a solid meh. And its worth noting that paper planes is mostly a banger because of the Clash sample. Its a little complicated, as I'm a big fan and proponent of anti-establishment music in general, and MIA does a good job of bringing attention to some things that are otherwise ignored. But the trouble is the album is derivative and not that great. 2/5
Thank the Lord for "Paper Planes" as the rest of this is rubbish.
I initially didn’t understand why MIA was included on this list but, my preconceptions were quickly dispelled when I actually listened to the album. The album should get a five just for its novelty, I’ve never heard anything that sounds like it. But the album is more than just a cool sound, it’s solid all around.
i’ve always loved mia. this is clearly her best work, and it’s one of those albums where i wouldn’t change a single thing. perfect sound, perfect production, perfect lyrics.
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.
Watch her documentary
Ég skil ekki hæpið. Meh.
This is a tough album to review. What do you do when a revolutionary turns out to have feet of truffle oil? Shut up and dance, I suppose. The mix of global beats and aggression still slaps. The content rings a little hollow in hindsight.
Paper Planes is the only redeeming song on this album. The rest is very weird and loud to the point where it feels more like an art statement than something that’s actually listenable.
Not really my cup of tea. Surprised myself though by actually listening to the whole thing, was expecting to want to turn it off after a few songs when I saw the cover+genres.
Just not good. Um, it was a few days ago, but honestly nothing even comes to memory about it, only that it didn't sounds good
Interesting sounds. Paper planes ok. Did not like
Definitely an interesting listen. Not really for me for the most part. Though, paper planes will forever slap. Spotify listening numbers confirmed.
For me this is one of the best progrock albums ever.
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.
Not hopeful on seeing the cover. The first minute of the first track confirmed my fears - this is awful. It is really bad hip hop - and I don't like good hip hop. No this is not an album I have to listen to before I die - I will die quite content that I did not listen to it all. What I did listen to showed me that she can not sing, that there is no idea of establishing a style amongst a mess of random and unresolved influences. I just can't find anything redeeming at all about this mess.
Good for what it is, but definitely not for me.
Not my kind of music, but still a very interesting pop album. Quite refreshing and out of the ordinary.
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.
i listen to some modern music (mostly after 2013) and i feel as singles its okay to hear at a club but as an album it get stale. i'm also not personally a fan of these types of vocals.
Paper planes is so goooood
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.
A difficult listen. This kind of music doesn't hold up very well, in my opinion. The sound has been designed to be as annoying as possible. I forgot Paper Planes was 90% gunshots.
When "Bamboo Banga" started I thought I was going to hate this album. However, as the album progressed I found myself slowly enjoying it. I wouldn't listen to it again but overall I thought it was surprisingly decent. Highlights were "20 Dollar", Paper Planes" and "Come Around".
There are some decent repetitive beats in here that are hard not to enjoy but that's not enough. Too synthetic and busy, but I suppose quite unique I'd heard a few songs on the radio on the past, which are catchy enough but would never choose to listen to this. The pixies lyrics in 20 dollar were particularly grating. Would not go back Timberland in "come around"was probably the best bit and that's saying something
Rating: 9/10 Best songs: Bamboo banga, Bird flu, Jimmy, Boyz, Hussel, World town, The turn, XR2, Paper planes, Come around
Heard it before?: yes Enjoy it?: Yeah it’s not what I was expecting, some interesting elements and an easy listen Favourite track: Track 11 - Paper Planes
Metto due stelle perché in fondo l’album non è interamente da cestinare. Ma le uniche canzoni che si salvano sono Jimmy e Paper Planes (quest’ultima la conoscevo solo perché usata da Neil Cicierega).
Vocals were too nasal and shrill and the songs too repetitive for my taste
If I had to choose between listening to this full album again or getting waterboarded for 47 minutes and 38 seconds I'd choose the latter. Paper Planes was the only song saving this from 1 star.
Cool beats but repetitive to the point of annoyance.
Too repetitive, did not really enjoy.