Reviews (page 3 of 6)
Surprised by the good sound
i dub this go-insane electro-something-something and deem myself an insanity enjoyer exciting and unique
What can be better than hearing some crazy tunes while looking at some beautiful British script on the cover?
Great stuff
I remember when Len went MIA in Korea. We thought the worst had happened. It was fine, we found him downtown in Seoul eating Bundae Jigae. It was actually Len who first thought of putting spam in it. 3.8
Really solid album. Found myself bobbing my head along with almost every song, super catchy beats mixed with unapologetic lyrics make for a very fun listen. Not a fan of the skit songs, and some of the middle gets repetitive, but overall a very entertaining listen. Top tracks: Buckly Done Gun, Bingo, 10 Dollar
Body breaking beats Equal parts club and primal With lil rap ditties
Great but not her best
Pull Up the People Bucky Done Gun Sunshowers Galang
It's completely all over the place, in a good way. Shame how she ended up, she made some really interesting and out there music for the time.
Spunky and original 3.6
Interesting - I like this a bunch more than "Kala", I think - or I was just in a foul mood when I reviewed it that day. 🤷 Gave this two play throughs and it didn't start to grate. Fave tracks - "Amazon", Hombre" and "10 Dollar" were all fun.
This doesn't have the benefit of having Paper Planes on it, but I actually preferred this over Kala by quite a bit. Some genuinely good tracks on here that worked for me.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this. It's a really interesting mélange of world music, electronica and dance. I particularly enjoyed the bizarre wordplay, really interesting use of grammar, syntax and vocabulary. It's not my normal cup of tea, and there are good songs and bad... if it was all the former, it would be five stars. (Also worth noting that this is yet another album that is on one or two editions of the 1001 but then was taken off... always interesting to see that.)
I think I liked the other album of MIAs that I got on this list better, but her debut is really solid. Just fun dance music with some hip-hop 4/5
Just another ex-1001 album!™ http://1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie.wikidot.com/album-artists-a-z-ex Different and refreshing from most the albums on the 1001 list. I may also have developed a soft spot for M.I.A. since I lived in Sri Lanka for a while during the civil war years.
Interesting and fonky and fun
I wasn't sure what the expect because Wikipedia gives the genre as World / Hip Hop / Dancehall / Dance. The music is quirky and quite unlike anything else I've ever heard, with highly political lyrics, but I quite liked the album.
Huh, a bit unexpected, but always glad to see something that is not rock, even more so something contemporary-ish! Really whacky record. Listening to this make me feel very uncool and old. All beats are extremely catchy and groovy, and the lyrics are complete jibberish and devoid of any type of coherency or "sense". It just feels completely disconnected and all over the place, but she is just so good at creating memorable fun pieces that rhyme really well and are easy to remember, that now it feels like I know almost all songs even tough only heard the record once. And I think that is where much of here success lies, it's incredibly powerful. Going to sound even older now, but I wonder how much she has influenced how kids talk these days. Listening to her rap feels a bit like hearing teenagers talk. In summary this is definitely not what I usually listen to, but there's just so many hooks here in the lyrics and the beats that it's hard not to dig it. Really fun to listen to as well, not so complicated or pretentious as some music can be. Gotta give it a weak 4 just because of how fresh it feels, even though I probably won't listen to it much more and I didn't find any particular song that I "loved".
M.I.A was really on to something. Really like how much you hear of future acts like "Shygirl" and "CORBAH" in this. Still feels incredibly fresh and playful. Just a bunch of good loops and beats. My favourite was probably the incredibly stupid "U.R.A.Q.T.", just fun lyrics all around. I recommend M.I.A's album Matangi to see the ideas of this album carry on into the 2010s. 4 star!
This album is pretty fun. I like how well all of the Roland low-fi synth pads are used; gives it the whole thing a well-polished demo tape feel. 3.5/5
Great album. I listened to it a lot when it was new. I had a limewire version of it though, so there's actually a few songs here I've never heard! Damn early pirating... 4.49/5
B-
Banging and very 2000s nostalgic
Although not as good as Kala in my opinion, most of what I said for that album applies here as well. Solid and catchy album.
I thought it was creative and raw. It’s a shame she has become a right wing grifter
Unique and definitely attention getting but not my style outside of a few songs. Rating 4 for it being something I'd come back to and for standing out.
Never heard this before. I like it more than I expected to. Inventive, unique and hooky. Great debut. " 'Cause Bingo, now I'm hittin' a 6"
Didn't see this one coming, Really enjoyed her beats more than I want to admit. The Sanford and Sons clips in URAQT made me hit repeat a couple of times.
I really enjoyed this one. Packed with creative electro-forward beats interleaved with exotic elements that simultaneously feel futuristic and as though they should be the soundtrack for a busy old-school open market. While I don't always love her vocals, I think there is far more hit than miss. The only one that I find myself skipping is U.R.A.Q.T. Pull Up the People is a great burbling opener -- the delivery of the chorus is catchy as hell. Bucky Done Gun is a banger with a constantly shifting instrumental. Love the 808 led back beat that is punctuated with tribal sounding drums and interleaved by various staccato gunshot sounds. Early album standout. Sunshowers feels familiar -- reminds me of a random electronic song I enjoy called Alala by Populous. Oh wow, I just placed Hombre as the sample that was used during a jam at a Disco Biscuits concert I went to. They riffed the sample and built one of my favorite interludes of the concert around it. Song is a jam unto itself. 10 Dollar is a late album standout. Propulsive dance-electro beat with a hook from the perspective of a prostitute \"anything you want.\" It's infectious and sort of bleak. Solid 4 / 5.
Love this!!
Afro-beat yummies. I couldn’t stop my hips. Fun to think that she laid down most of these tracks in her apartment on her Roland 808. That said, I do think Diplo needs some serious nods here for production extravagance. Danceable political messages - a fun magic trick.
Though that be the same shit as her later album, but this sounds really nice
cool album with an even cooler political background
has a unique sound going for her. Favorite track: Galang other picks: pull up the people, amazon, 10 dollar(has tamil verses), hombre (tambura intro?)
Such a fresh great sound that is only getting better with time.
I'm 2 for 2 on liking full M.I.A albums. This one was fun. Catchy, bouncy songs that were entertaining, funny, or a mix of both. I really like how the singer speaks and sings, her accent and cadence is cool too. Good beats in the background, I liked Sunshowers, Amazon, Galang, M.I.A as tracks.
Unique/fun. Super cool that Justine Frischmann helped with this. Sounds like an early charli xcx Rating: 3.9
This album is wild. I want to say its genre-bending, but I don't really know what I would say its bending? I mean it's absolutely rap, dancehall and electro. I guess it doesn't really matter what the genres are. I just like how gonzo it is. Its all over the place. Some songs feel poppy and fun to vibe with, where other songs are really experimental and kind of hard to listen to. I think the outlandish nature of the whole record backed with the socio-political lyrics makes for a really cool record. It feels really punk rock, without really being a rock album. In a lot of ways it reminds of Minor Threat or Bad Brains in that its pretty heavy and kind of aggressive, but definitely political and pointed. But then unlike punk-hardcore bands, there's all of the electronic and dance elements to this record. Which then makes me feel like this could be bumping out of a East London club. This was rad.
I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. It was such a catchy album, never heard anything like it. I could rock out to this at the gym for sure.
Not an album I ever would have picked up outside of it appearing here. I enjoyed it enough that I let it loop multiple times, back-to-back. Impressive that this was her debut album.
The best part about this album are the simple yet interesting beats. Then her rapping, then her accent and lastly the singing. The singing is bad. The rest of this kinda rules. I have to get back to the beats because they’re just so well done. There’s no falling asleep 4/4 here, yet the whole thing is done with what I can only guess is a single sample set with an fx pad. The jungle, reggae, garage, dance hall, and rap influences are all evident and not pandering. Some of the lyrics are pretty out there but there’s a running theme of resistance, the state of refugees, revolution, etc. If I didn’t know about her already I would’ve been really surprised. Not the kind of message you expect from this kind of album. I liked “Bucky Done Gun”, “Bingo”, “10 Dollar” the most but the whole thing is a good time.
I like MIA. Her music is weird and bouncy and full of energy. I don't remember any of these songs particularly affecting the music zeitgeist, that will change with the following album, Kala. The production here is incredible. We see producer and writing credits for Wesley Pentz and A. Brucker who in the following album will be billed properly, as Diplo and Switch AKA Major Lazer. This is one of the first albums I recall distinctly using electronic producers to create pop music that will come to the forefront in the 2010's with the likes of Daft Punk, Skrillex, and Diplo ruling the pop music world with the help of modern pop stars. If Paper Planes was on this album I'd give it a 5.
Justine Frischmann at it again, spawning new genres of music. This time it wasn't Damon, but just a nice move to teach a documentary maker to use the sequencer. MIA turned the corner with a great debut. I thought this was much better put together than Kala, and brought popularity to the minimal instrumentation and political blend of world and hip-hop 3.5/5
Hardly any album exists that is as annoying and f****d up like Arular. A relentless waterfall of beats and words bang on your ears. Great music!
This album goes hard as hell, you guys just aren't ready for the world of abstract and experimental hip hop.
8/10. I thought it had a bit more consistency than Kala, though the beginning of the album was stronger than the back half.
Real nice vibe music for studying, playing chess
No idea what the lyrical content is -- I don't really discern the words separately from the music, so that's my caveat. This sounds like a time travelling mix tape from the 80s, published in the 2000s. I kind of like it. Not my cup of tea, but I find it quite listenable. A bit of a party mix vibe. Yeah, it's super-political as I understand it, and I just denigrated one of the young voices of a germination or something. But in my defence, I only heard the music, not the message.
I had no idea what I was going to listen to, but as soon as it started I recognized the voice of the iconic songs of Slumdog Millionaire. Her flow is precise and a bit agressive but I quite like it, the background music is pretty nice too, regularly evolving in electroclash territory.
Not familiar with this artist. Very interesting mix of influences and samples, and a strong woman's voice from back in the day when it wasn't so common.
Wow she's not just one album hit, she's very talented. Let's see if it is good work music but I cant see this getting less than a 3.
Galang is awesome. While some of the wear on me, Bucky Don Gun. The production is on point and her style unique and creative
5/11, 45%
Fuck the haters, everyone who gave this a 1, y'all are a bunch of boring, knownothing, crusty dorks, who probably think music peaked with Pink Floyd. Either loosen up and get with the program, or go suck a tube of toothpaste.
Wildly original and straight-up wild – the sound of politically minded, club-addled global youth in the aughts. It's dynamic and energetic. Gritty and funky, even addictive-seeming, though one's convinced this might not be good for anyone, as it can seem too frenetic and tribal and idealistic politically. One likes the wild side of it, but questions just how much it adds up to, perhaps because one is very much not the target demographic. To wit, this level of energy and volume seems almost threatening to middle-age, affluent white dudes, but at the same time, one totally gets why the kids like (because it delivers a sugar high for the dance club). Coin flip as to whether two MIA records merit inclusion on this list.
Gobby, fat beats. MIA sets her stall out on her debut and it's wicked. A mash of electonic crashes, steel drums percussion, fat bass lines and mouthy raps delivered in a sarf-landaan accent. She's that mouthy girl on the swings swigging from a bottle of white-lightnening. And she's much fucking cooler than you. Best Tracks: Bucky Done Gun; Bingo; U.R.A.Q.T.
Kala is definitely more iconic but this album has most of the same positives. It's fun and eclectic throughout with influences from everywhere.
Hip-hop and dance music with both dense production and a DIY feel. This album is like a Bosch painting: while the vocals may catch your attention in the foreground, there are a million other things going on in the background. It makes for a fun and interesting listen.
Fun album to jam out to.
Was it enjoyable? Yes Was it good? Debatable Am I ashamed ? No
I really like this album. Which is surprising because I don't generally like electronic beats (robot music) or Eastern Mediterranean music. I listened to this album a lot when it came out; haven't listened to it for a decade; didn't expect to enjoy it when it popped on the list; but I was wrong. It's unique and the musical ideas are super-engaging.
A very catchy and electronically - influenced rap album. M.I.A's lines aren't necessarily simple, but they're compact and short, which adds to catchiness of each track. It's insightful to hear her perspective on being a refugee in the western world. "Galang" is a popular song from this album, but all of them are good. I especially enjoy all the glitches and edits to the vocals.
first listen this is truly original and like nothing i've heard before
Des influences métissées, une voix pour la justice sociale. Les onomatopées et répétitions créent un effet quasi primal
Despite her recent comments about some topics, this is still a great album.
It’s a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4. I think there are a few points of lulls on this album; not necessarily in the instrumental lacking an energy, or vocal repetition, but just points where the soundscape kinda loses a luster really quickly if the vocals aren’t flowing, and vice-versa. Most of the tracks here have a good energy, and a great soundscape, but there were some songs that were just harder for me to stay fully invested in on account of those little lulls. I do think this album sounds well ahead of its time for 2005; not like, 2020s level of ahead, but certainly a bit more of an early 2010’s flair. I don’t think there are that many standout individual tracks, but the album as an entire package is just a fun listen, and a recommended one at that. It’s not gonna be everyone’s cup of tea; I do think there are some harsher instrumental choices here and there, and sometimes her vocals do feel a bit… aggressive. However, a lot of this just clicked for me as a listener – there were times when I wasn’t feeling a song, kinda zoned out, and enjoyed it more for some reason. Schrödinger’s beat, I guess. Happy with the 4.
I remember when it came out that it had such a fresh, unique sound. Still holds up after all these years.
Interesting - perhaps not a full album's worth of interesting, but I'm glad I listened to it. I think it might get better with repeat listenings.
First full MIA album for me, not at all bad 👍
I remember listening to her first two albums repeatedly back in the day. Seeing her lived was so much fun with off the charts dance energy. This was a nice revisit.
Every now and then some M.I.A find her way into my playlists. Normally not my usually fare, but there's something about her music that I really enjoy. Maybe it's the more "world music" vibe, and her flow. Dunno, but I like what I like.
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: 10 dollar
"You say that everything sounds the same and then you go buy it". Genuinely fresh sound
Well another great MIA record. Not much to say - it’s consistent for the most part - groovy fun and punch. Shame about her strange views.
Yeah, M.I.A bangs hard, fun and energetic and subversive. Follow-up Kala is even better.
This is so cool and different for rap and hip-hop. Her vocal delivery brings in that South Asia vibe. And the beats sound like someone who had no preconceived notions of how to produce. The result is kind of a “mad scientist” record.
4.0 + A solid follow-up to M.I.A.'s breakthrough "Kala" that finds her dancing on her pedestal, firing off grimy beats at every turn. Standouts: "Pull Up the People", "Bingo", "10 Dollar", "Galang."
It’s rare to hear a debut that so clearly illustrates an artist’s personality and vision. Catchy and hard-hitting.
Not the type of music I thought I would enjoy but it was pretty good
“You big dummy” So throughout this project, of listening to 1001+ albums, I find myself still getting stuck in the same consistent patterns. Traveling down the same roads, staying in my Sad Dad Indie rock lane, I cheer when I get a Radiohead or Springsteen. Artist I rarely listen to, but will always give a 5/5. Then M.I.A. pops up and I’m wondering how I’m gonna get through this album. It turns out this album really good, significantly better than even my highest expectations (which were really low.) The beats come fast, this record is really relentless. It comes at you hard and doesn’t let up until the end. I would’ve given it a 3, but it gets bumped up to 4/5 for the Sanford and Son sample. It doesn’t get any more elite than that!
Interesting, catchy beats. 4/5.
Here's an artist who I was only limitedly aware of prior to this, the second of her albums on this list to come up. I enjoyed it, decidedly spiky and spunky, full of sass and attitude in a very urban Brit way, beneath which punchy drumbeats and phat bass abounds.
another for the first column. loved it. always had a feeling i would buzz off her but never got around to listening to anything
I enjoyed this. Listened to it whilst driving and it got me all hyped for driving. I like M.I.A., her lyrics and style are still really individual.
Loved iit
Fun, infectious, whimsical with attitude. A little repetitive, but that's the genre.
That's more like it
Really wasn't expecting to like this album but was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it
Non le si può dir nulla! Bello!
If I was a bit younger this would have been on repeat a lot. I had no idea she was one of the first MySpace music stars. Another wiki article that takes an album up a point. 4, but damn near a 5.
A delightful sonic potpourri. Happy to have heard it prior to my ultimate demise.
While this isn't as strong or diverse of an album as Kala, it's still pretty strong for a debut. I enjoyed it.
I actually didn't hate this as much as I thought I would. In fact, I really liked it. A lot of the vocals toed the right side of the line between creative/unique/interesting and off-putting. This very much could have been a generic, annoying hip-hop album but the production and care put into the sounds pushed it over the top.
While I didn't love the skit interludes, they were musical and better than many album skits I have heard. They're typically so interrupting but not so on this album.
I underrated M.I.A. previously, this is fire, fire
The most different
Really damn good. She reminds me, at times, of Lady Sov. 4 stars.
4.5, that ones fun
This was one of my favorite albums when it first came out. It was fresh and unique. This is M.I.A.’s best album.
Being only familiar with "Paper Planes," and it being a favorite of mine, I looked forward to this album. Although I didn't find it quite as catchy as that song, it has an interesting, unique, percussive sound that I appreciated quite a bit. And of course, when "U.R.A.Q.T." sampled the "Theme from Sanford and Son," that was the best!
What were you doing if you weren't listening to this walking around NYC, interning, sweating through a collared shirt. Pairs nicely with Aziz Anasari's bit from "Invite Them Up" about trying to spit game at MIA. A very Millennial 4/5!
An innovative experimental debut that blends pop, grime, and worldbeat with hard abrasive electronic beats and effects, full of catchy hooks and sensitive political discourse. Plenty of standout tracks. All of them have something unique about them, although there are a couple that feel comparatively underwhelming. Compared with Kala, the backing tracks here are a bit more repetitive, especially in the middle. You can tell how much she can mature and diversify to make each track an adventure, but this record is still full of fun outstanding ideas.
Good that
See this is where this list has problems. There's no way MIA is important enough an artist to have 2 entries, not when you consider some of the omissions. Think this one has been left out of the book now, and Kala remains, which I definitely enjoyed. MIA is definitely a complex character, I missed her at the time but she's done some bangers and I've been introduced to her over the last ten years by friends. Shame she seems to have gone slightly 5G batty since COVID as we do need activists in the world and people prepared to speak out. And she has important shit to say on this record, pre-madness. All that said, this is a good listen, don't think it's quite got the outstanding tracks as Kala but it's consistently very good. Probably dragged a bit by the end. After this record finished instead of playing me loads of hip hop, Spotify played me Le Tigre, St Vincent and Deerhoof, and it all kinda fit. Well done.
Pirteä naisräppilevy. Melko poppista toisinaan, muta taitaa kuitenkin neloseen yltää.
everyone i know rated this as one star. i don't understand the hate though; i found this album quite good. it was not perfect by any means as there were many parts which i was like "ehh?" but i found it enjoyable to listen to. most likely wouldn't pick it up again.
The most impressive and inspiring thing about this album to me is that she made the skeleton of it on an MC-505. Not a particularly easy/intuitive machine to work with. Then, when she couldn't find people to sing on it, she just did it herself. Respect.
M.I.A. has a compelling worldwide sound to me. Definitely a product of taking many parts of different musical genres into one soup. Quite a debut. Shame she’s focused on antivax and 5G conspiracies now.
Really liked a lot of it. But some a little redundant, likely cause I was working at my desk not dancing lol.
Among the most unique and fresh grooves I have heard for a while.
M.I.A. is odd-sounding and abrasive by design. It's a sound that's rooted in hip hop and world music but seemed to just drop out the sky, not directly reminiscent of anything that came before it. I find that if I give myself over to the clattering and chattering, I ultimately enjoy it a lot. Lyrical themes seem political and militant without being overtly so. This and her follow-up got so much hype when they came out, and years later they still sound ahead of their time.
"Arular" is the debut album by British recording artist M.I.A. World music, hip hop, dancehall and dance are the genres assigned. M.I.A. wrote or co-wrote all the songs and used a number of collaborators and producers including Diplo, Justine Frischman, Richard X, Switch, Paul Byrne, Anthony Whitney and Greg "Wizard" Fleming. The album was critically lauded for blending of styles and the integration of political lyrics into dance tunes. The album title was a political code name used by her Father, Arul Pragasun, during his involvement with Sri Lanka Tamil militant groups. The album was nominated for the UK Mercury Prize and hit #190 in the US and #98 in the UK. After a short introductory song, the album lauches into "Pull Up the People." Weird synths and idiosyncratic beats. A revolutionary theme: "Pull up the people. Pull up the poor." "Bucky Done Gun" gives the funk specifically Brazillian baile funk along with musichall samples thrown in. This is very dance-like with the horns. It references the civil war in Sri Lanka. Alright, "10 Dollar" has a more mechanical, grinding beat. Very hypnotic. Child exploitation is the topic here. The second single "Sunflowers" may be the most melodic song on the album. M.I.A. rapping with Nesreen Shah singing the vocal choruses. Tribal beats. The world is divided and the good and evil lines are blurry. The first single "Galang" has a very catchy beat, weird noises with M.I.A. playing with words. Cannabis trafficking. Galang is slang for hang low. I really enjoyed the weird World and other beats. I'm always a sucker for the hypnotic and industrial and there's lots of that here. I have to admit, it took a few listens to really get into but once I did, I really liked it. It does rank up there with her next album "Kala" which is a classic.
Nice album! But i did enjoy the spotify suggested playlist after it more than the album itself.
Wow wat een verassend album! ik had niet verwacht dat deze artiest of dit album in de lijst zou staan, maar ik ben blij verrast. Dit is echt lekker poppy/hiphoppy! Vooral Bucky Done Gun vind ik echt een banger en komt me heel bekend voor. Galang daarentegen is een heel apart nummer en ben ik niet echt weg van. Het album is sowieso een behoorlijk afwisseling qua genres en geluiden. Wel écht iets anders en iets wat ik nog nooit gehoord had! Dus hoewel ik weinig favo nummers heb van het album vind ik het in zn geheel wel heel prettig wegluisteren; 4 sterren! FAVO: Bucky Done Gun
This was very fun! Loved the experimentation and the loud/in-your-face/cool girl vibes. Can't believe M.I.A is the same age as my mum...
New music to me, I liked it well enough to listen to it again.
Fye
I love the energy, but was exhausted by it too and felt like I couldn’t keep up. Think this one’s a big burrito that’s best eaten in small bites.
Everyone knows 'Paper Planes' which is a great song - but not on this album. Instead M.I.A. gives us more of her trademark style in a combination of East Asian pop music, ragga and British hip hop. It is really unique among all the releases in the hip hop genre out there and some songs are fire. At some point you want to skip tracks though. Again, less could've been more!
Did not like the other M.I.A. album on here, but this was OK, especially when it was contrasted with the mid-00s bland indie that was playing in the cafe. I mean, there is something going on here that's a bit more interesting and edgy; Neneh Cherry-ish, and it doesn't outstay its welcome.
Has a great sound. Standouts: Pull Up the People, Bucky Done Gun, Fire Fire, Sunshowers, M.I.A. 3.5
Yes. So good, also so fun to read about how the album was made on an archaic beat pad and sampled things like toys from India. Very creative, love all the percussion. Lot of fun
I'm always taken by surprise by M.I.A. She works in a genre that I don't have a lot of time for and yet, she has the talent and interest to create something that stands out from just about anything else like this.
fun energy
Det här är ju definitivt inte min musiksmak men hon är jävligt frän och det är ett bra album.
Another M.I.A. album that's energetic, eclectic, fun and has depth. It grabs you instantly and doesn't let go. Perhaps not quite as accomplished as Kala, but as a debut album this is quite a statement. Unique and pioneering art. Rating: 4/5 Playlist track: Pull Up the People Date listened: 27/10/23
Fun!
Very surprising album, I liked this one! Similar feel to Skindred without so much punk and more electronic beats.
Great groovy electronic album! Pulsing and alive with MIA’s staccato vocals. Also a great primer for creating electronica.
I really like the production on this album, I don’t really know most of what was said but the beats were great. Definitely doesn’t overstay the welcome.
Awesome. Great, inventive sonics, and not really a weak point in any aspect of M.I.A's producer-rapper-singer-songwriter job. Only thing is i think it was totally upstaged by her second album.
Arular is the second album recommended to me from M.I.IA. on this list. The first album I did not like, but I found Arular much more engaging. I know that I did not listen to all of the lyrics while listening to this album, and I missed much of the content. The lyrics were a big downfall of the previous album. The rhythms and energy of this album kept me in the flow of this album. Arular sounded like it would be fun to hear performed live. If I can skip "Freedom Skit" and "Banana Skit" I'd listen to this album again. (I'm generously rounding to 4 stars.)
I didn't like this as much as the other one, but I'm still watching her career with great interest. Best track: Sunshowers
This was a decent album. M.I.A. does a great job of distilling a wide range of influences. She expertly weaves various strains of British electronic music with hip hop and music from Sri Lanka. Her lyrics are obviously political and have caused quite a lot of controversy. I don’t this this album is as strong as Kala, but I still enjoyed it.
I enjoyed her second album Kala a bit more, but this debut was already pretty good. The songs are maybe a bit weaker, but the tasty beats make up for it.
Awesome album to end the week on! I didn't think we would be getting another MIA album, let alone her debut. I can see now how she has evolved over the years, this was the only album of hers I don't think I've listened to. Very cool that she created most of this music and wrote it. I saved Sunshowers, Fire, Fire, and Hombre.
Es ist schon ein okayes Album. Irgendwie nur ein Song, der aber auf jeden Fall in die Fresse geht.
ok
sprite fifa commercial vibes
interesting beats and vita. Didn't know much about her, only knew the hits
I think this caused quite the stir when it came out and it does have an energy and aggression that I can imagine has been very influential. Though I appreciate it, it doesn’t really connect with me on any level and lacked any real standouts.
More recent problematic political shifts aside, there are some decent moments on here. It seems to have something of an identity crisis though, there are elements of nostalgia, almost game boy-esque bitcrushed beats and samples, mixed with more modern large, heavily compressed basslines, mixed with what sounded to my ears like more Latino, reggaeton beats. Many of the songs sounded like a separate verse and chorus idea just sort of stitched together though, without neccessarily having a single song in mind.
MIA is weird now haha. Still not sick of repeating myself: this list doesn't require both MIA albums. Surely Kala is more essential
This album is AGGRESSIVE.
Damn life comes at ya fast. Two major conflicts with this leave me kinda lost here. I expected to like this from a musical perspective more then I actually did, wild as it's very much my kind of music, think I found it almost like lazy in some way? It's kinda like really uninspiring from a lyrical perspective, but original and definitely honest, boppy and fun. Conundrum 1. 2. So much like cultural and immigrant pride and unity in this album. It's been 20+ years (listening in 2027) but damn she definitely has different views as of today. Hard to reckon with all the joy and pride of this album as today she is cancelling shows because she is getting blowback from her public, anti-imagination stance. Conundrum 2. Leaves me wondering how she got to this version of herself. How we all got here today. The policy is art v artists is a case by case. Today MIA is in such direct conflict with this album, wonder actually what she thinks of this album today. Feel like this all leaves me in 1+ territory and that's feels wild for me as I really loved this artist Wild the album also finishes with a rebuke of the current authoritarian state. People are however have the right to change. Final verdict 2+
This was okay, not something I’ll seek or listen to again. I did like the elements of the streetbeater, though.
ооооо мия ваще топ люблю ее если бы я музыку писал то я бы ее минусами вдохновлялся это ваще огонь поставлю 3 но тут до четверки близко
We hebben al eerder een album van MIA gehad, dus ik weet een beetje wat ik kan verwachten. Het is uiteraard hiphop, met invloeden van wat ik maar wereldmuziek noem. Ze heeft ook duidelijk haar eigen rapstijl, want de muziek toch een eigen karakter geeft. Heel anders dan andere hiphop. Wat ik fijn vind aan dit album zijn de soms dikke beats. Waar ze over zingt, heb ik geen idee van, maar volgens mij is het niet zo kinderachtig als veel van haar hiphopcollega's. Of er nu 2 albums van MIA in hadden gemoeten, daar valt over te twisten. Dit mag er van mij best in. Het is niet iets dat ik uit mezelf op zal gaan zetten, maar ik kan de kleine 40 minuten prima uitzitten. Beter dan dat andere album, nog steeds 3 sterren.
A high 3 because I like her music, have sought her out live, and think she’s singular. Definitely a landmark album that still gets me dancing. But since I picked this up 20 years ago, I never feel like jumping into the full album.
Great sound, terrible morals of the aetist
Didn’t love it, but I did enjoy it.
01) Banana Skit - / 02) Pull Up the People - 6,5 03) Bucky Done Gun - 6,5 04) Sunshowers - 6,5 05) Fire Fire - 6,5 06l Dash the Curry Skit - 6,5 07) Amazon - 6,5 08) Bingo - 6,5 09) Hombre - 6,5 10) One for the Head Skit - / 11) 10 Dollar - 7,0 12) U.R.A.Q.T - 6,5 13) Galang - 7,0 14. M.I.A. - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,58 (66/100) Current ranking: 633/946
This was seriously cool when it landed and i think it holds up well. Lots of variety and fire and lyrics that pack a punch. She knows how to write a pop banger and i got a couple of listens in. downsides are this is a bit anxiety inducing and can be screechy in parts. Shame what she became but this was fun
I get the artistry, but a little too all over the place for me.
More M.I.A.? Well, she's getting a lot of attention for all the wrong reasons these days. Anyways, I think this one was better than the other one.
I was a little surprised this was on the list, but I guess it made a bit of a splash when it came out. Overall, it's a pretty decent record. I still enjoy the beats and sound on the record. Other artists have used these basic ideas to greater effect, but this still holds up. M.I.A.'s vocals seem to be divisive, but I'm still a fan. Her range is a little limited, but I like what she does with that range. Lyrically, this is a bit less impressive. It often feels like nonsense with a liberatory/transgressive sheen, but you could argue that the vibes matter more than the substance.
2.5 stars I remember when this came out. My cool older brother played it while driving me and my sophomore classmates to school. This was at a time when I listened almost exclusively to indie rock like Arcade Fire and Eels, and definitely no hip hop or rap. I thought it was annoying. But honestly I remembered “Bucky Done Gun” and “Pull Up the People” like I’ve been listening to it on repeat and it’s been 2 decades. Upon this listen, I appreciate what she was doing much more. A solid debut, inventive and fun. Don’t know that it’s a must listen, but enjoyable.
It’s an interesting genre. Some of it is cool, some of it is a little bit too much. Favourites: Bucky Done Gun and Pull Up The People
Best Track - "Galang"
Música rarísima. No puedo identificar ni influencias hacia atrás o adelante. Hay algo de reggaeton viejo, pero es música medio agresiva... Gracias, jamás hubiera llegado aca
3 1/3 ⭐️ I like it more than I did.
And a half. It’s got its vine and I appreciate the politics. Sometimes a little samey but with some standouts.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Clever use of electronics with a touch of subcontinental beats.
Plaisamment sassy au début, lassant à la fin
I didn't hate this. It was a fun listen while I was walking. Do I think it is one of the top albums of all time? No. However it is better than some of the other crap I have had to listen to. 6.5/10 Top song Amazon
Pretty unique and worldly for '05. I think the next release in '08 is the wildly influential one. This one is good and ambitious. It really does something different and does it pretty well without jepordizing the whole artistic output.
Started off really strongly but by the halfway point it was starting to drag a bit. I’m amazed it was only 41 minutes long cause it felt like over an hour. There was still a few tracks I did really enjoy but I probably won’t listen to the album in full again. Top Track - Bucky Done Gun
It aight
enjoyed more than I thought I would
had some funky ass beats on this. kinda childlike and whimsical. fun for my train ride
Brit hop? Nah. Spice Girls meet Jenny Kim? Maybe. It was ok and very unique for me, but im a west coast hip hopper at heart.
Did I enjoy listening to this? Yes. Would I listen to this again? Probably not.
13/05/26 - mesmo dia que Licensed To Ill e Sheer Heart Attack o debut de alguém que eu sempre achei a estética interessante é um eletrônico estranho, que beat bizarro (e não é um bizarro bom - é funcional) minimamente interessante, mas esse nível de experimentalidade não me agrada tanto não colou principalmente a forma que ela rima com o beat, n sei explicar queria dar uma nota boa por esse ser apenas o terceiro álbum feminino que eu recebo em 71, isso me revolta o outro foi bem foda, um 9, esse para legal em um 6 essa segunda música é um pouco mais legal e mais latina, deve ter a ver com ela ter outros elementos não-norte americanos na sua identidade artística fico feliz de ela ter se consolidade na indústria musical sendo experimental assim, significa que ela é criativa e formou uma fanbase ela inclusive é citada em rádio silêncio, mto foda ainda assim essa segunda música não vai salvar esse álbum para mim esse modelo de música não se sustentou pra mim, 3 minutos dessa experimentalidade meio repetida para mim por faixa já é muito foi mal M.I.A, vc é foda mas vc não é pra mim minha nota genuína seria 5/10 / 2.5/5, mas arredondo para 6/10 / 3/5 por reconhecer que tem sua qualidade e eu não a apreciar não diminui isso, principalmente pq ela ascendeu legal na indústria musical fazendo música desse jeito criativo e singular
Some catchy stuff on this album. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it considering that the other M.I.A. album I got on here was a 1/5 for me, but this one wasn't too bad.
Different kinds of beats than familiar with. Some of what was good. Nothing crazy catchy like some other stuff of hers but a fascinating listen
Weirdly cool
Rap
Хип-хап с маршами и воинственной атмосферой.
Nice! Nice eclectic tunes rather and some great lines from MIA. It's the kinda music to inject vaccines to x. The one issue I have is that the songs all go on too long for me, because they don't have highs and lows and such, just feels slightly repetitious after a bit x
Meh.
It’s cool and all, but I don’t know if I’d ever listen to it again
Favorite Tracks: Sunshowers / Amazon/ 10 Dollar / Galang Rating: 3.4 Chaotic, bouncy, fiery mashup jams with a healthy dose of DIY aesthetic. By Kala MIA's production and sound got more polished, but I dug the raw anything-goes creativity on this one. Overall a banger of an album, but one I'll listen to in the right mood/moment rather than songs that find their way into regular rotation for me.
Not as good as Kala but still very enjoyable. MIA songs rock.
Interesting listen. Loads of personality and good production. Feel like it looses abit of steam towards the end of the album. Favourite tracks: Pull up the people and Amazon
Didn’t expect to like this but I did. Catchy, some good beats and I like her style. God that makes me sound fucking old… Ran out of steam for me towards the end but nonetheless, interesting and entertaining.
this was good but i feel like the songs all started to sound like each other. the beats and lyrics were unique enoguh but it was all high energy dance pop i fear
An okay album, just liked Amazon the most.
Very much the kind of music that appears in Britbox crime TV series that I've never heard before and am intrigued by for about 40 minutes. I like it. Listen to it three or four times in a row and it becomes a sort of comforting rhythmic cage.
It's an interesting album, didn't really blow me away. But this was very influential for when it came out, and that's a credit to its originality. I feel that there isn't enough variation in the album, so it can start to feel repetitive after a while. This has a very distinct attitude which gives it a lot of character, this helps add intrigue to the album and give a sense of who M.I.A is. I think the beats are good, and overall had a very catchy baseline throughout. But some of the GarageBand style elements don't work for me. It's interesting, I'll give it that. But really didn't stick with me. Probably doesn't help M.I.A is a weirdo (girl get vaccinated). Fav Track: Galang
Always figured she was a one hit wonder but there are some solid tunes on here. Love the reggae influence. Favorite track: Bucky Done Gun
Not my normal listening fare, but not too bad, all in all.
This might be an album that music people love, but for me it's just okay. I'm torn between a 2 or a 3.... it didn't annoy me too much so I guess I can give it a 3
Definitely some cool, fun, and interesting tunes in here, but probably not the best album for a relaxing morning listen, which is how I initially took it in. What would probably hit just right in a party setting felt a little irritating and obnoxious at times. That's making it hard to rate this one. I should probably give it a listen in the right setting, but who the hell has the time for that? I've got like 1200 more albums to listen to.
This album grew on me as it went on. I think I realized I was listening to it in the wrong context (in my car driving and also on headphones while playing a video game) and I really needed to hear it in a club or something and it would definitely pop off then.
Random thoughts: - I remember getting this one in the mid-2000s. Yes, I was on MIA before Paper Planes - Sunshowers is the one I remember from this album and it still holds up. Very underrated. It’s not even in her top 10 on Spotify. - I also liked URAQT on this listen. Didn’t remember that one from before. - Overall, super fun album. More of a 3.5, maybe a 4 for some.
Really interesting, and more enjoyable than her other album I've gotten in here. I liked the world fusion hip hop idea, and it was done in an interesting way here. I didn't immediately love it but I'd listen to it again.
A star for originality, a star for political stance and a star for such a blend of styles which is cool. But I couldn't listen all the way through--not my jam.
Hated it at first. Softened on a second listen.
Reminds me of Christmas Eve in Austria
This somehow manages to sound both retro and innovative, I'm not sure how. I had fun listening to this, it's fun to dance along with. I enjoyed this much more than I thought I was going to.
Never listened. Expectations: Mid - Verdict: Good - This album doesn’t blow me away but I do find it very likeable. I think I enjoy how unsubtle it is. It isn’t trying to be too clever and just has fun the entire runtime.
Can't believe she's had this crazy of a career trajectory. Was going to give this 4 stars until I remember her actually insane MAGA status. Insane because of who her father is, and also I did NOT realize this album was named after him 💀 Again: literal batshit career AND life trajectory.
Ok mix or rythyms
M.I.A.’s debut album gives us a handful of absolute bangers and a few tracks that make me wonder how they made it out of the studio. I’ve added some material to the workout playlist for sure but the skits and tracks I don’t like will prevent me from returning to this one in full.
Bingo was a bop. Some fun beats throughout but not something I'd daily drive. References to president Bush and a new Nokia in "M.I.A." dated it in a way that made me smile.
a fusion of various beats and genres, plenty of interesting (if not strange) noises and melodies throughout. but not interesting enough for me to ever pick this up again
I think it's up my alley but my possible love of MIA is wasted due to her flummoxing support for Donald Trump (weird since she's a woman and british. I don't know who asked her to speak on it). I'd love to support a brown Uffie-adjacent sort of girl but I don't know her well enough for the music to overshadow the politics and I don't think the music has the same style or likeability that Uffie's or similar artists have. Always found even Paper Planes a little cringey. Sorry, bud
Moments that piqued my interest, lots of energy, interesting mash of styles, but just couldn't get into it. Sounded like 1 long song and nothing particularly stood out.
Very disruptive, tried several times, Bingo !
It was catchy, but not entirely memorable. I did greatly enjoy the Sanford & Son theme song used as a beat on U.R.A.Q.T. I couldn't help feeling like the whole album was a throwback to early 80's rap. I don't see this entering my playlist, but I didn't hate it.
I enjoyed several songs on this album. She has a very pleading voice and localization style. The cuts I recommend are Bucky Done Gun Fure Fire a10 Dollar Galang Galang. Pretty impressive for a first release.
Not for me.
Does her influence get this from a 2* to a 3*? Yeah, I'm not feeling coming up with a 4* replacement.
It's definitely not bad, but not something I sincerely enjoy and it felt a bit samey to me. I liked the energy though! I think with the right mood this could be great.
Interesting and not as annoying as the other M.I.A. album we had.
Now we’re talkin. I have listened to M.I.A. But haven’t heard anything from this album. 🙌🏼
Decent album but does sound like a debut as some songs don’t sound quite right. But defo a cool sound. Fave songs: -Galang -Bucky done gun -
this was such a fun little album!!
Enjoyed
a bit of dangdut, electro, bongo, some indian???, also feel plastic beach vibes, and blackpink somehow not my favs, but then again, i rarely listen to electro & hiphop Overall: 5/10
I really liked this. It's Hip-hop with other types of musical influences and her voice which can have Sri Lankan accent.
Not too shabby MAGA I A.
This was so much fresher when it came out. The next couple of albums were better and MIA has since gone off the deep end
Weirdo femme reggaeton electro. I’m not putting it on when the in laws are over, but hey, this thing is cool.
I was excited to see this, because I already had Kala by M.I.A. and I really liked that album. This one was a little less dynamic, but still some good Caribbean beats. I wasn't able to focus on the lyrics. There wasn't a lot of variety between songs, and it was mostly beats-based. The beats were good but I like more instrumental and tonal elements to be mixed into percussion.
Helt ok innslag i en slik liste. Men ikke det beste albumet fra en tross alt one hit wonder artist.
The peaks are great, the troughs are pretty unremarkable.
Arular is a genre-kleptomaniac collage, mixing countless styles into a politically charged, hard-to-pin-down debut.
Kind of liked the beat and respected the innovation
GOOD
Man, this is all so very same-y. I didn't hate it, but I didn't especially love it either. "Galang" is a jam, and it has its moments otherwise, but I was very underwhelmed.
Bucky Done Gun sounds like an old-school rap song that should have a video with breakdancing. Other songs also have a retro electronic flavor, sounding sometimes like The Knife only happier. A mostly frenetic dance-y record with decent beats and chants.
The sounds are interesting but grating. I enjoyed Sunshowers but her better album on this list is Kala without a doubt.
Doesn't do much for me other than the "bang bang bang bang" song.
It has some moments. However it gets kind of repetitive
Really bad sometimes pretty fun other times
Good vibe, keeps you on your toes.
3 words Bucky Done Gun
I have no idea what I just listened to but I liked it.
3/5 good but all the songs are too similar
Not quite my thing, but I liked it more when she added some hooks like on Fire, Fire and a few others, and this did something very differnet to a lot of similar albums in the genre. File more in the "can very appreciate" than really really enjoy. Also can't believe she's now 50 as I swear she only came to prominence like a decade ago. That is very much wrong, but still.
low-key good shit
i’m glad this album exists, but its far from her best work.
This is a high 3. A lot of it does nothing for me but it flows well enough. Bingo is a very good song, 10 dollar is excellent, luv it
Different for once!
It's a somewhat interesting concept and I somewhat understand its influence at the time of release but it's just not my jam.
Why are there 2 mia albums on here
She sounds like a cheerleader
Un poquito de esto y un poquito de esto otro aah album.
There’s an annoying trend on this list of debut albums from artists whose craft is not yet fully formed and who made much more of an impact with later works.
This album really only has one sound. It's good and doesn't overstay it's welcome
Something different, that's fer sure. Couple interesting tracks I'll revisit
An intriguing mixture of western hip hop and sounds from around the world. While this pulls from a lot of influences, each one is subtle enough to not overwhelm the songs and to create an album that has a consistent sound. This is a bit of a detriment too though, as it causes the songs to blur together a bit. What hooks there are sound fairly similar. While some songs like "Amazon" and "Galang" contain a lot of layered sounds, others like "Sunshowers" are more minimal. The minimal songs lean more towards hip hop than dance or pop, relying on M.I.A.'s lyrics and rapping, which aren't anything to write home about. On her next album M.I.A. created lusher songs with more hooks; those things are largely missing here, so while the sound is still interesting it creates very few memorable moments to come back to.
Very interesting. Kept waiting for the Kill Bill song but that must be on a different album. Yes to a relisten.
I had not high hopes for this album but I’d say I was excited to hear what this album had to offer. I just had to wait a while before I got it. The “A side” is just sorta meh, didn’t really wow me or interest me at all, but then the second half of the album totally won me over. I love the percussion focused instrumentals. The sound was completely original, like I’ve heard other pop/rap female artists before, but genuinely I don’t think anybody has music that sounds like hers. I just wish there was more to get my attention. I’ll be curious to see if she comes up on this list again, but I will look into her other albums at some point cause there’s definitely a lot of talent and potential on this debut album.
Passer best på klubben. Men der passer det også bra. Litt enerverende i lengden.
Meh
Bara fín. Samt ekkert sérstaklega athyglisvert þarna.
I didn't think this was terrible 3
Pretty good first real intro to M.I.A. Heard the hit, but cool to hear her other stuff. Pretty unique from anything I’ve heard but it was intriguing throughout the whole record. 6.8/10
Groovy, but like Kala better.
Good background music while lifting
How is there two M.I.A albums here? Anyway I was mildly amused by it at times so I guess it wasn't so bad
Enjoyed this. I think I’ve only really heard paper planes from M.I.A. previously, but thought this had some guts. Sounded great too.
I only know Paper Planes and had some idea that M.I.A. was a one hit wonder but this is a proper record. Very ahead of it's time for 2005. However I think it lacks some maturity and it felt like once it got 'the idea' down it seemed to repeat quite a lot.
It is mediocre. I don’t think it deserves the hate/disdain it gets
iwie geil, iwie nervig. schade, dass sie mittlerweile crazy is. 3.5.
Stressful
M.I.A., I like you more as an artist than as a person. Catchy as fuck, but damn girl.
This was different. More electronica/hiphop than I’d usually listen to but not actively horrible.
More interesting than I thought it would be, but does get a bit repetitive.
I haven't looked at the reviews for this, but I would not be surprised if people are bashing it. Maybe not? Maybe they'll be like me and say I was kind of surprised that I was grooving with most of this album. It has some bangers on it for sure. Solid 3.25 stars for this one.
Yes, it’s annoying. Yes, it sounds like she’s singing naughty nursery rhymes in the choruses. Yes, everything sounds the same. Still, there’s no denying the danceability of the beats and the catchiness. It makes me smile, so why not three stars?
Always wanted to like MIA more...love the drums on these albums, but the rapping gets a little repetitive. 2.5/5
Like the sound. Some of it is a little repetitive
Catchy. Sexy. Veldig 2000, samtidig som ikke
Gøy, tidvis litt slitsom. Ligger nok et sted rundt 3.5.
OK, for what it is
Pop-Hop
not my cup of tea
𝘈𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 is a bold and inventive debut, where M.I.A. fuses grime, dancehall, hip-hop, and global pop into something uniquely her own. The album radiates political urgency and raw creativity — it sounds like it was made with nothing but a laptop, a vision, and an unshakable sense of rebellion. Tracks like 𝘉𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘺 𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘎𝘶𝘯 and 𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨 still feel vibrant, built around clattering beats and hypnotic chants that defined mid-2000s underground pop. Yet, as exciting as it begins, the record can also feel monotonous after a while; the minimal production and looping rhythms sometimes blur the songs together. 𝘈𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 remains a fascinating and era-defining work, but one that’s easier to admire for its attitude than to love for its replay value. 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙧: While I respect M.I.A.’s influence as an artist, I don’t share or endorse her later political views, including her statements about COVID-19 and support for Donald Trump. My assessment here is focused purely on the musical and cultural aspects of the album.
banana- 5 pull up the people- 5 bucky done gun- 5 sunshowers- 5 fire fire- 5. thought she said she was jacking off to lou reed dash the curry- 5 amazon- 5 bingo- 5 hombre- 5 one for the head- 5 10 dollar- 5 u r a q t- 5 galang- 5 mia- 5 no one makes beats like her
Very notable MIA.
09/10/25 #15 Favourite Tracks: Bucky done Gun, fire fire Rate: 6/10
Honestly better than I thought it was going to be, generally not a fan of this type of dance vibe. But was able to work to it and it was fairly upbeat. Might put it on again but wouldn't for a routine listen.
while fully admitting that i am perhaps just not exposed to similar stuff, M.I.A. strikes me as one of the most unique artists of our time. Not everything here is good to me, but a lot of it is and all of it is interesting.
très expérimental Y2K mélange de sons très bon et très mauvais fais aussi partie de l'ost de mignight club 3 ptdrrrr la nostalgie son préféré: bingo
I guess I generally like M.I.A., though none of the songs on this album compare to Paper Planes and the nostalgia that comes with that song for me.
Surprisingly catchy
lol
The beats were super fun but I felt like a lot of the songs went on a bit too long.
I was not expecting to like this nearly as much as I did. I came in thinking it was going to be a generic rap album, and that M.I.A. was a one hit wonder. She has a really cool sound with a blend of a bunch of genres. If you don't like it though you're going to hate this album because it doesn't change at all. Much better than I expected!
The album showed a fair bit of promise. I especially like “Amazon” and “Hombre,” neither of which were singles (hmm). M.I.A.’s voice is distinctive and interesting. But Arular is *not* quite one of the best albums of all time.
Interesting stuff, I find the bedroom sound charming and I appreciate the fact that a lot of the melodies are very uhhh DIY for lack of a better way of putting it but occasionally the songs end up not really having a lot going on in terms of composition and feel like maybe they would be better turned into video game soundtrack bits or like background msuic for a kids TV show? they can never make me hate MIA tho since she made teqkilla which is probably the best song ever Fav sonG: Galang
Sembrano tutti brani di delle pubblicità. Mi sembrano tutti un po’ uguali e dopo un po’ ci hai ucciso. Però allegro bellino
Nice album. I like her release "Kala" more, but generally her sound is so good that I tend to enjoy all of her releases. The odd thing about her music is that I often don't know what it makes me feel, if that makes sense? I'll listen and think that I'm always in the middle of: - wanting to dance/groove to the music and lose focus a little - wanting to tune in more and focus on production ideas - wanting to tune in more and focus on lyrics, and I kind of just bounce around those. It feels like it feeds my ADHD a bit. Not a lot of acts do that, I think that I tend to listen to acts and they fit into buckets, but M.I.A. I'm always just floating around them. This is like a 2.7/3 for me, enough to round up to a 3. If it had more memorable tunes it could possibly be higher.
M.I.A. is a cultural whirlwind. Her debut Arular blends hip-hop, dancehall, grime, electro, and global beats into something that feels fresh and borderless. It’s a political album at its core, carrying the energy of her activist roots while also being wildly danceable. It’s striking in retrospect, however, as this record introduced her as a sharp, genre-smashing voice with something to say. The tragedy is how her later trajectory got overshadowed by flirtations with conspiracies and fascists, a far cry from the raw, urgent activism that made Arular such a powerful debut.
A bit surprised by this one. At one point in the album I was considering a 4, but the back half dropped off in quality a bit. Still pretty enjoyable overall, it's unique.
What the hell happened from this record to the next. This review should be about this record but I cant detach it from how overwhelmingly shit the next record is. I might be in the minority the one with paper planes is awful. This may not be my favorite thing in the world but its leaps and bounds better than what came after it. Sure it doesnt have a cerified classic like paper planes but it has rhythm and tone and just makes listenable songs. Like nothing is all that amazing but comparatively this is a masterpiece. Better in every single way. This is fun and makes actual songs. Hot damn thats a low ass bar but it does that and then some. I actually saved a few tracks here that were fun and worth listening to again. I dont know her music much at all but maybe she has a backwards trajectory. Best in the beginning and only worse from then on. Idk but maybe