Reviews (page 4 of 6)
есть в ней что-то, но также есть гнусавость и сложно читать под неё
It does deserve the spot on the list, but it isnt something I'd hear all the time. 3/5 I wish Paper Planes was on this album, but that one is on the next one, that is also in the list
not my cup of tea
One massive song and a lot of other interesting times, very time and place record for me personally
While I wouldn’t say this is my jam, I would say this is a well-made, unique pop album and I’m glad I listened.
Like most people, only knew paper planes from MIA going in. This was different than most electronic/hip hop of its time. 3*
Energetic debut from M.I.A blending contemporary pop and world music. Smart lyrics alongside great beats. U.R.A.Q.T was great fun and Galang a clear standout.
I don't think I've ever heard anything from her outside "Paper Planes" before this so I was surprised she got 2 album on here. She has an interesting sound but doesn't really do much with/ past it and is a... weirdo about vaccines. Still an interesting sound though 6/10
It's different from the other albums I have heard so far.
Not my taste sounded good tho
It’s ok, that’s all I have to say
Very cool, this. And she's got a cracking back story as well, which makes this more enjoyable. It's not totally my thing, but it's also really enjoyable and admirable.
Sure - I guess M.I.A was big enough/interesting enough to warrant two albums on this list. The mid-2000s were an interesting transition period, and this probably exemplifies the emerging aesthetic - although her follow-up is arguably more demostrative and important.
Interesting fusion of a bunch of sounds. Not bad. Not sure how it holds up as an album though. 3-4?
Hadn't heard this particular album of hers. Lots going on but mostly pretty catchy.
It’s okay. I want to like it. I’m told by influencers, critics and gatekeepers that I should like it. And the beats slap. But I never long to return to it.
Had never really listened to MIA (other than Paper Planes just through pop culture). Gotta say, I’m impressed, especially since this is the debut album. I’m not a hip-hop connoisseur, and while I like some hip-hop, it’s not my go to music. But this album is good! Groovy, makes you want to move, and feels like something unique. Might have to do a deeper dive in M.I.A.
As a newcomer, I found this quite full-on to take as a whole album, but its energy, originality and creativity were obvious. Really interesting (as is her back story); and, good, albeit not quite my thing overall.
Each song is too similar to the next, not in a great way Best Song: Fire, Fire Rating: 6.0/10 (Good) Stars: 3/5
Fine. Catchy at times, although sounds kind of dated. Knowing about them and anti-vax/5G/alex-jones takes off some of the shine.
Fun stuff, but tainted by M.I.A.’s anti vax controversies.
I’ve been having heavy M.I.A. confirmation bias this week. I felt like I was randomly hearing about her all week and then got this. Not sure what’s up with that. I’m not sure why this is on this list, except that the editor is British and loves British rap. It was fine. I didn’t not like it.
I do like MIA but the glitchy grime vibes is exhausting after a while.
Good on MIA for doing her thing. Every time I try to listen to an MIA song that is not Paper Plans or Bad Girls I realize I am not the target audience for MIA's music.
на любителя. слушать было не очень приятно.
61/100.
I want to embody this album as my alter ego
I’m so confused right now. This album seems to be a fusion of things that I generally don’t like all that much. Electronica, dance music, hip hop, and her voice is incredibly annoying (the upward inflection at the end of most of her bars is infuriating). But somehow it seems to all work together? I think I like this album? Probably not enough to really ever listen again, but a lot more than I expected.
I've heard worse....but definitely heard better. It's like the same song stuck on a loop, but switched up juuuuust a little bit between each iteration. Not exactly annoying....but it's pushing the limit. Best part is when she hits the "hoyyeeaaaaah" on Bingo.
boy i hope they find her 3.5*
I was reading about Progressive hip hop the other day. A journalist was saying that M.I.A. was the best example in the UK still putting out relevant work in the genre... I should find this quote... found it in the Wikipedia article on "Progressive Rap": "While arguing that American hip hop was in a creative and commercial decline, Marcus Dowling wrote contemporaneously that the English rapper M.I.A. remained a progressive-rap innovator for conceiving a globalized gaze of class- and gender inequality in a musical style that melds trap, contemporary dance, and deconstructed forms of rapping. "In the 21st century, it's entirely arguable that white is black, black is white, and things are obviously a bit difficult to understand", Dowling contended in regards to modern hip hop. "It's up to a wild, diverse, hyper-intellectualized and new-age brown woman to lead us."" (Dowling, Marcus (November 22, 2013). "M.I.A. and the Challenge of Marketable Diasporic Trap Music". HipHopDX. https://hiphopdx.com/editorials/id.2226/title.m-i-a-and-the-challenge-of-marketable-diasporic-trap-music Retrieved July 15, 2021. The low-budget minimal production is appealing, and all these tracks are danceable. A refreshing lack of rap cliches, though she does veer a bit much to sex themes. But even those are from a subversive state-of-mind. "Bingo" is a new favorite. And while her girly sing-song voice may not work for everyone, she mixes it in to good effect. Not a lot of respect for her politics and worldview though. Kind of surprised about that.
After the first two songs I wasn’t feeling confident this would be a good listen but it hooked me after. A lot of catchy instrumentals and verses with some unique instrumentals. It had a lot of different drum sequences aswell throughout which was a nice way to change it up. Favourites: Amazon, Bingo, Sunshowers, Fire Fire. Overall 6/10.
not my style but pretty good
Don’t know if I’ll make it all the way through but pretty fun and creative.
Not bad
Really enjoyed this one, she is truly an authentic artist
Not bad
Favorite Track: Galang
Dont like it quite as much as the other one. South asian beats and her rapping still hit pretty hard, but some of her affectations get a little grating more so on this one than her second. up with the people, up with the poor
Pretty good. An interesting mixing of genres.
It was pretty cool, just started to sound all the same.
3,45 Muzycznie ciekawe, wielki mash up wielu styli muzycznych. Elektronika + afrykanskie rytmy Ciekawe refreny, bardziej muzykalne niz "chórkowe"
Arular is the debut album from British recording artist M.I.A. She makes a pop/dancehall version of rap, with an underlying message of liberation politics. For a dance album, Arular has surprising range; the tracks utilize rhythms from a wide range of traditions. Most of the album is closest to a dub/dancehall sound. M.I.A creates catchy melodies, and a sassy, punk-like delivery to make a unique, interesting version of pop rap.
Real London sound to this, adds a nice touch. Whilst not a hop hop fan in the slightest I did like how this was produced, had enough hooks to keep me interested.
Fun, loved the fusion of music
OK
Good, but not as good as the other one and inessential. One MIA is enough.
This is not my thing, but I appreciate it for what it is. The fact that this is a woman, let alone a Sri Lankan woman, making overt political and cultural commentary in the context of otherwise fun music that much of the time is either in the background or being danced to rather than thought about, is impressive. Very much appreciated the Sanford & Sons samples in "U.R.A.Q.T." - "you big dummy" hits a bit different in the context of that song. I think I might have heard "Galang" before, though I'm not sure where. Figured it out - I'm impressed with myself. Looking at my last.fm account, I've scrobbled the track a handful of times since 2008. I'm vaguely remembering that it was a free download on the iTunes store? Anyhow, probably won't come back to this, but glad to have been exposed to it. Fun stuff, with a serious side.
I like the inventiveness of this but don't feel like it comes together into something cohesive 3*
6.5/10
Very enjoyable in a mid-00's kinda way.
Not my usual listen, but I like it. Unique DJ with Asian, Caribbean influences.
I don’t think this record is for me, and that’s okay. It certainly wasn’t made for me, so I think myself and this record will agree to disagree. I understand the aspects of this record that people would enjoy, and I can see how it could be fun to listen to. The snotty obnoxious vocals and annoying samples just don’t do anything for me. I will, however, admit that I really liked the percussion throughout this album, the deep kicks and over the top clicky clap tracks are super well done, and fit the vibe and style of the music incredibly well. This whole album, musically, is really well done actually, but I just don’t vibe with it. I want to give this 2.5 so bad, but I guess it’ll get rounded up.
Good, nothing super special to me though
Interesting but unexceptional IMO. I may listen to it again. It's now going to skew my Spotify recommendations.
Enjoyed this album
I think Kala is the better album but this one was good too. A couple of head boppers.
my gut reaction here was sort of like "holy shit this album is kind of annoying" but it's also pretty cool. the beats are a bit out of left field and unconventional, but they are pretty cool. m.i.a.'s flow is fun and very sing-song-y. it does kind of get annoying sometimes. but it is a super unique album and sound. i kind of like it, i kind of hate it. but the one thing you can't say is that it's boring!
Not MIA's best and a little dated honestly
This is truly a little bit of a racket. I was at the prime age for this record when it came out. Part of what M.I.A. was doing felt so new to us at the time. Listening to the first few songs it's a shame she married like a billionaire (right?) and went off the deep end politically. I really enjoyed the parts of this record that sort of imply that there's some diaspora of immigrants from all over the world. I wish that was real as an immigrant, but not a refugee...lol. The Sunflower sample was interesting and something I wouldn't have caught when this first came out. The rest of it other than Hombre? Lame. Hombre is a great song that will be stuck in my head all day long. Other than the whole potentially marrying a billionaire, the thing M.I.A. wouldn't be able to get away with now is using Jamaican slang/fake Jamaican accents in these songs. I guess she is from London, but being from London doesn't make you Jamaican too? There are a lot of Jamaicans there, so maybe some of them approved. But in 2024, it sounds tacky af. Anyway, good little flashback with this one. I enjoyed it but I doubt I will return. Goodbye, forever....M.I.A.!
Definitely trying to put on a persona. Mish mash of sounds and rapping but all ties together nicely. Would throw it into the rotation now and then.
Favorite Track: Bingo
Cool.
Listen to it...interested...not my 7sual listen..but then this is what this is all about...seems to be a very marmite album with either 5 star or 1 star! I'll give it 3. Interesting but not sure I'll listen again
I think this was a bold first album from MIA- it really is different from hip hop albums that were popular st the time. I appreciate her vision even if I didnt enjoy it all the time. There were some catchy songs and some that were a little cacaphonous for me. Overall- not bad. 2.5/5
Fav: 10 Dollar Least Fav: Pull Up The People Really wanted to give this a 4, but whenever there’s a really good beat, M.I.A manages to ruin it in some form, with Bingo being the best example
3.5/5. Actually a pretty solid record, would give it a higher rating but the artist went batshit covid conspiracy crazy.
There are lots of great glitchy and experimental sounds on Arular that I really enjoy. I think I still prefer M.I.A.'s later albums though. Favorite Songs: "Amazon", "Galang"
I unapologetically enjoy MIA. I like the vocals. I like the rhythms. I like the south Asian influence on her sound.
I had really high expectations for this, and thought it would possibly be a 5. But in reality it's nowhere near that kind of talk. It's still good but at times it's quite irritating and annoying more than anything else I'd still give it a 3
The more I learn about this lady the cooler this album becomes. Great electronic vibes and her voice is so nice to hear !!
Hiphoppia, mutta tosi omanlaista. Hyvällä tavalla. Instrut on aika kansanperinteisiä, mutta samalla aika elektronisia. Diplo on ollut tuottamassa levyä, mikä selittää sitä. Parhaat: Pull Up The People, Bucky Done Gun
Get vaccinated kids
It's weird, wild, compelling, and completely different from anything else I've heard.
Enjoyable, but forgettable
Nice beats, interesting lyrical content. I really enjoy a couple of tracks but overall not totally for me. Fav tracks: Bucky Done Gun, Sunshowers, Bingo, 10 Dollar
Composition is great, lyrics left a lot to be desired
M.I.A.'s sound is pretty distinct, and for that reason you can argue it as a good 1001 inclusion, but, and big but, this album doesn't have Paper Planes on it, soooo... not sure how necessary it is. The first 6 or so tracks are quite abrasive and noisy in a way I don't find particularly appealing. The second half has way more interesting cuts such as Amazon, Bingo and even the silly U.R.A.Q.T. An ok album but just makes me thirsty for PP. Fave Tracks: Amazon, Bingo 3.2/5
interesting and chaotic. good beats and rhythms too
Even tho I'm not particularily interested in EDM in general, I recognize the merits of this album. It's was interesting enough to not skip tracks or otherwise get frustrated, but this is not music I'd put on myself.
M.I.A. is an awesome find and a great add to this list, however this is my second M.I.A. album and it's not too different than the other one I've heard. bUt NeiL y0uNg some may say and while softly agreeing, I will counter with NY and his CSNY cronies that may seem overpopulated on this list offer variety and varying influence that this record is missing. 3/5
3/6/25. I always appreciate artists who push the boundaries, especially in hip hop. M.I.A. does that here and although the songs aren't extraordinary, it kept me engaged throughout.
It's fine. I like what she's trying to do, I just don't love the product.
Not quite my cup of tea. I liked the energy, especially with the instrumentals, but the vocal work was a bit of a miss for me most tracks. 'Fire, Fire' was my fave though.
Not bad, but not real hits sticking out
This album is too annoying to be as catchy as it is. It gets pretty similar sounding, but is unique compared to anything else. I want more experimentation and variety with her touch on it. This is like a tease of what could exist with some extra vision.
Great energy! Distinctive sound. Tracks start to sound a bit interchangeable by the end. New find for me, will probably come back to it. 3.5
I didn't love it, but it was very interesting. Huge Missy Elliot influence here. Certainly wasn't trying to fit a mold.
Bright, vivid, distinctive, though a little bit repetitive and also a bit annoying. I can see how she winds people up a bit.
Several tracks here kinda sounded the same, but I like her attitude and the overall vibe. Fun lyrics as well.
Pretty fun and interesting. Favorites: Bucky Done Gun, Dash the Curry
This album was a pretty fun listen, but wow, it seemed like so much was happening. I’m not sure I would say it was too busy, but it felt very “in your face”. I wouldn’t say it was a bad thing, but maybe the album could have benefited from bringing it down a notch at times, as to help highlight the high points. Enjoyable nonetheless.
Great at the time, did not age well.
"If Alex Jones pays for lying, shouldn't every celebrity pushing vaccine pay too?" "If I have to choose the vaccine or chip, I'm gonna choose death." The best part of M.I.A. is watching how upset people are; she doesn't think the approved thoughts and your feeble authoritarian minds are mad because the other people are fascists. Strange, you are free to think what you want, as long as it is what I think; yup, that's how fascists do things. Pot meet kettle. As far as this album, meh.
It's indubitable that M.I.A albums has many qualities, maybe by the diversity of references or the energy, but this debut album itself is far from what she reached on "Kala", a much better album also on the 1001 list. I'll not be surprised at all if more recent versions of the book only kept only the last.
Fun to hear what M.I.A before Paper Planes, some fun samples, classic little bits between songs. It was solid.
Interesting sounds and instruments. But, it wasn’t enough to save the songs from blending together with one another.
idk it was fun i wasn't captivated
I almost feel sorry for this artist. She is very good, interesting, dynamic and worthy. But I think she is Brazilian or otherwise not in the mainstream American scene and she loses out just by that. I found her refreshing and interesting but I had never heard of her before because that is how marketing works. So there is that. I think she should be a household name, and not to put down the skills of others, she deserves a place at the table that she won't get.
My first cut at this was 'cheerleader, to drum music' I came to like the upbeat tempo
ебать, музон такой что все стреляет пердит и ебет одновременно. и цыганка Сэра сверху накидывает. есть прикол , но так как у меня с цыганами свои счеты больше тройки не поставлю ))
Not really into it, but it was an enjoyable listen.
M.I.A.’s whole deal is basically objectively cool (sans recent developments) but sonically the music just annoys me
Her debut. Hip-hop, dance hall, funk. Really cool mix of styles. Less varied than I hoped.
A lot more interesting than her other album. Pretty good, as far as party music goes.
Decent, and very different for the time. A solid debut
Definite talent but not for me. Drum kit have me a headache
Kind of good
3-4
She has a unique vibe. It’s like a cross between like international Londoner, influenced by Indian, Caribbean, Middle East etc and a hooligan lad walk home drunk from the pub. I had fun with this though
Interesting - 3/4 but probably a 3 for me
Every rhyming couplet ends with Ahhh. Seruously though like this artist she has however done better albums.
Nicely different, fresh sounding I liked the mash up of all the different styles even if it did get a bit messy sometimes.
liked it more than her other one
I like M.I.A. well enough, but as a full album this was underwhelming. Definitely not her best.
A bunch of 4 songs and 2 songs from a controversial artist. 3/5
This was surprisingly enjoyable
Pretty good, nothing on par with Paper Planes though
Like her other album on the list, it's too percussive and monotonous with some exotic samples. I don't understand why there's more than 1 on the list. I like this one slightly better. Favorite song: Sunshowers
It was just okay for me
It's been a minute since I've listened to some M.I.A., but I've never listened to this album. I've listened to Kala and Maya, and I even got the chance to see her perform at Austin City Limits in 2011. It seems to me like she dropped out of the limelight a bit after Kala, but made a resurgence after her anti-vax takes in the last couple of years, so I'm curious as to how this album will have aged (side note, she endorsed Trump this year. Gag). Well, time to fire this up I suppose. I thought this album was fine. The energy of the music did a great job of matching the social and political commentary of the lyrics, especially when the lyrics were more militant in nature. Over the course of the album though, the music wore a bit thin on me, and felt pretty repetitive. Some of beats could be pretty jarring at times, but they did give the album a unique sound that makes it stand out from a lot of the more polished hip-hop music that was coming out around this time. "Sunshowers" was my favorite song on the album, and I really liked the melody of the chorus. I'm not a huge fan of the lyrical style of British hip-hop, but M.I.A. does a great job of using that style to get her message across. While I wasn't incredibly keen on this album, I'm looking forward to reviewing Kala soon.
3.3 1x catch up on 12/23 pretty decent
New to me - probably not my favorite by her. But I like her sound and her politics.
3.5
This album made driving more entertaining and the Galang song brought back some fun dancing memories, but I don't think I would be eager to listen to this album again.
Dance/workout vibes. Have to be in the right mood
It’s fine. Easy to ignore until it’s over. Sometimes interesting.
Ok
Love MIA in general, and this album is definitely solid. URAQT and Galang are my favorites, for sure. It's not nearly as good as Kala. Plus I just learned that she's a Trumper, so it's hard to muster true admiration right at the moment.
I'm still not into electronic music.
Teetering on the edge of being brash and fun vs. being brash and annoying.
The general policy is to rate the music, not the (current) political views of the artist, but that's more difficult when the subject of the music is politics. However, aside from the artist's recent politics, this is not bad. I don't usually listen to this style, but I can appreciate the breakout abilities and bold presentation here. (Also, many people are more familiar with her "Paper Airplanes", which is not on this album.) She's built a lot of sound off very limited capabilities, and is using that sound to push forward and challenge the world.
Love her experimentation, but not something I would choose to listen to.
You have to be in the right mood for this album…but it has a good beat and the lyrics are interesting. I wouldn’t add it to my list of albums to listen to, but it is not something that I would immediately turn off either. It’s catch, in small doses!
Good for the style of music, but just not really something of interest to me
This was a slightly exhausting experience. That said, some tracks are certified bangers.
Like a politically charged sugar rush, these repetitive beats and rebel soundbites hit hard but fade fast.
I really only know Paper Planes by her. That had its moments and low points. Pretty meh but was interesting at least.
Not my favourite sound but I can recognise the ambition and the innovation. Sometimes felt like I was listening to proto-hyperpop. 3
Not as good as the other album on here, kind of has one idea and repeats it the whole time, as opposed to the much more inventive and imaginative sequel. Bleh
3.5
Favourite tracks: bingo
excellent
Arular was decent, catchy hooks and some decent vibes with a nice run of songs from Amazon to URAQT but ultimately the lyrics (as much as they can be called lyrics) are ultra repetitive to the point it's annoying, and heavily staccato in style which I don't like much. A solid 3 anyway, it's not bad.
I'm here for the beats: grimy, big, and difficult to pin down a country of origin. MIA's rapping flits between Madonna on "American Life" to earnest drunk girl at the party. The latter definitely works for the album, since this is definitely a mid-00s time capsule, when electroclash was more than a memory. "U.R.A.Q.T." is a complete swing and a miss, though, so hard that it took the batter out of their shoes. Favorite tracks: "Amazon", "10 Dollar"
pretty passable aggro rap-pop. didn't realize how many k-pop groups try (and fail) to imitate this energy
Quite enjoyable dancehall-esque stuff
This is a good dance album. Listening the way I did for this project did do Arular any favors. It's a solid 3.5 star album. But I'll save it for the dance floor
Like this. Nice when the singing comes in in ‘sunshowers’🌞 Love Amazon, good percussion and backing track
Overall I liked this! It honestly went by pretty quickly and I didn't pay super close attention to each song since a lot of them sound very similar. I like that I don't really know what genre this record is. It sounds pretty unique and seems a bit experimental for the time. Overall it was a pretty solid listen but it's not something I'd go out of my way to listen to very often.
Modern, rhythmic, produced
Sonically, this album is fine. Creative, politically interesting messaging (I'm sure, I don't often listen to the lyrics of music I'm hearing for the first time), ultimately this kind of electronic dance music is fine. My issue with it is that this type of music has become the music of tech company commercials trying to be cool. This is the exact music that plays in the background of a meta commercial where a BIPOC young woman bravely constructs a poster to take to her protest against plastic straws. The beginning of these songs makes me instinctively look for the skip ad button. It's hard for me to appreciate this music and its anthemic qualities when I associate it with the annoying commercials of Silicon Valley tech and their glamourized view of the inspired youth.
I only know M.I.A.’s singles like Paper Planes.
alhoewel rap niet mijn ding is, is dit toch niet slecht
I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. 3 stars is still plenty, though, as I can't see myself going back to listen to it.
It was fine.
Kind of bland and a bit annoying at times, but some of the later tracks were fun.
都一样的
I liked this because it was different than a lot of the stuff on this list. Cool production choices. Not entirely my type of music but a fine listen.
I wouldn’t call this a good album. I wouldn’t call this a bad album. It is kind of repetitive in a unharmful way. I listened. I didn’t think it needed to be on a list of essentials.
Lots of boppiness. We enjoyed this a fair amount.
Not a bad album. I used to really like M.I.A. before she started selling tin foil hats, now she is a bit hard to take seriously. Still like her music but some of it loses its gravitas
Thoughts before listening: "Paper Planes" is great. One of the best songs of the 00s. That being said, a full album of that style of music might get a little old. Review: Wait. "Paper Planes" isn't on this album? Every song does kinda sound like MIA's hit but nothing is grabbing me quite like that song either. I'll admit this isn't my style, so a low score was definitely possible, but this is pretty fun. I'll say 3-stars.
June 13, 2024 HL: "Bucky Done Gun", "Galang", "10 Dollar", "U.R.A.Q.T.", "Amazon" 3.5 Maybe I don't love it as much as Kala, but its 42 minutes breezed by. Standout is "Bucky Done Gun" pretty early on in the record, with a brilliant sample of "Gonna Fly Now" from Rocky
MIA is kinda weird, but kinda fun. She has a certain swagger that makes me think I'm the weird one and she knows exactly what she's doing. I'm not sure if I "like" this album, but it kept my attention.
Not my type of music at all, but I really enjoy it. Fun beats in there and quite uptempo. Can't make out any of the lyrics. It does get a bit gimmicky after a while.
This really is quite the statement on a debut album. Political lyrics and the ultimate mesh of styles make this an interesting listen, but definitely not a relaxed one. From Brazilian Funk to Sri Lanka Jungle, with guerilla style rapping, it's uptempo, it's refreshing but also an attack on your senses.
I had only ever heard Paper Planes and always thought it was cool how they used different sounds to make the beat, I guess that is kind of her thing because there is some more of that on this album. I like It and I like her raps but the frantic nature of it kind of wears on me wile listening to an entire album.
I didn’t know what to think about this album. I loved the hip hop elements and she had a very unique style. Personally I am not a big of the beats and backing tracks.
After slogging through so many samey sounding psychedelic rock albums on this list, this was truly a unique and refreshing sound. Not totally my cup of tea but I found myself foot-tapping to a few tracks
Some absolute bangers but the whole package feels a little rough
Beats weren't bad but the vocals just got boring. Would have been great if it was only 20 minutes
She can wright catchy hooks and the music is interesting enough. Her rap is basic and borderline adolescent at times, but this album is better than her paper planes follow up.
Some good songs
Not really my kinda music, but not bad.
Pop dance. Ni fu ni fa.
At first I thought I was gonna be in for a rough time with this album. The first three songs were incredibly grating to me and there was no smash hit saving grace in sight like her last album. But my attitude towards this one became very similar to the paper planes one by the end in that both of them grew on me after about half an hour. This one was definitely even weirder but it still had the same kineticism and social commentary (albeit occasionally dated) even without a more mainstream track or two which made it feel like a less accessible Remi Wolf. I liked Amazon the most I think but I enjoyed the whole last half. I wonder how MIA feels to be known for the one song that sounds nothing even remotely close to anything else in her discography.
This is almost 20 years old! I can accept the 90s as being 'the past' now, but the 00's is still tough. Especially an album with this sound, which is pushing the envelope in many ways. Good album, remember MIA first appearing, but not one I would reach for for repeat listens particularly.
shrugs...
This is an album that's walking a very fine line between being annoying and... Being annoying. Between all the various influences and sources that make up the instrumentals and M.I.A.'s voice itself, it's one hell of a balancing act where, like, it never fell into obnoxiousness for me, but I can absolutely hear how it would for others. All that said, if I'm giving this album a 3 and not a 4 for any reason, it's an apples and oranges comparison kind of deal. Like, if I want music with revolutionary lyrics, I've already got Chumbawamba and Rage Against The Machine for that. Their respective brands of anarcho-punk/dance/world/folk and rap metal are way more up my M.I.A.'s dancehall material. And none of them were anti-vaxxers far as I can remember, so...
Innovative and distinctive but I’m not sure it had the staying power it could have. Overall I enjoyed this listen and can see a lot of modern things in the music but it falls a bit short of great.
Interesting bass use
Annoying if often distracting with hookiness, making it more or less a sugar high, musically, so likely for kids only. Maybe "Amazon" gets pretty catchy, with the marimba-like effects. "10 Dollar" is wild and abandoned. It's a fine balance here as there's repetition trending near to tedium and the catchiness feels mostly algorithmically. Bonus points equally for originality and DIY spirit and political awareness.
I had this 'liked' on Spotify but maybe I was feeling more energised then? This tires me out. She's very talented and it is unusual but maybe tomorrow.
Pretty class
Nothing that matched up to MIA but tolerable though.
Intriguing album. I thought it was solid.
Punk meets hip-hop in a refreshing politically charged album of its time. MIA hasn't held up in terms of her promising debut but the appreciation is still there (if you ignore her current rantings).
býsna gott. gef þessu aðra umferð. 3,5.
I vaguely remember this coming out in a time of heavy Poptimism, where Serious Critics would insist that really goobie forgettable radio pop records held some sort of timeless significance. Usually they were very wrong about that. This one does hold up though. Worth revisiting at least.
M.I.A is great at making very fun and playful music - her lyrics and flow often have a playground chant kind of quality in their simplicity and catchiness without sounding annoying or condescending, which is a difficult balance to strike. I don’t think this record is quite as strong as her follow up to it, but it’s full of character and the production still feels really fresh and exciting even nearly 20 years later
Ok
I didn’t hate this, didn’t particularly like it too much, either. But I consider that a win.
10 Dollar is a good tune 3/5
I expected to hate this more than I did. It was fine. ANd hey it was short which helped so much.
Maybe this is not the MIA album to be featured on the list but its a good album
Surprisingly disappointing. I loved MIA’s other album on this list, and I have a lot of respect for the themes and energy she brings. But this album just doesn’t hit. This album is much less accessible than her other album.
It's not my thing and I really really hated her second album but sometimes this album reminds me a little of early 80s Brit art punk... almost a bit of Bow Wow Wow in here. I don't know if it's the mood I'm in or I've changed just in the past year but I go from "tolerating" to "I actually like some of these songs" (e.g. Bingo and Amazon). A lot of it does just get annoying after a bit and especially her actual voice so I can't do this album as a whole but after a slow-ish start there are a few songs that have something - it might not necessarily be her voice (although...) but her performance and rhythm on the best tracks that make it catchy. Better music on said best cuts as well. Again, I could never have thought I'd be listening to this twice after my initial M.I.A. foray. Maybe I should even re-evaluate that 2nd album... Even tho I'll never put the album on, I'll definitely want to hear a few cuts again and I think that's 3 worthy. 5/10 3 stars
Not my vibe - too erratic, less melodic than paper planes
Meilleur qu’Eminem!
used to love MIA and I think her music was definitely ahead of its time. unfortunately she’s a dumbass with horrible takes these days.
ok, but nothing spectacular
Some nice beats that got me up and out of my chair but nothing to keep me coming back for more 3 stars
Fun beats and a wide mix of sounds. Glad that I pulled up the UK version so that I got to hear Sanford and Son on URAQT.
Enjoyed a lot of this, it got a bit samey
I appreciate MIA and think she's a really interesting artist. I enjoy the social commentary but the music itself isn't really my bag
The album felt really short - or I fell asleep. No classic like Paper Planes on there, but listenable.
Rap, dancehall. Curioso. Gritona.
Many times more enjoyable than the horrible follow-up 'Kala', 'Arular' is overflowing with creativity and sincerity. Some it works quite well ('Sunshowers') while the majority of songs are experimenting in a direction not for me. This indie-version of M.I.A. really was something, even though the lo-fi sampling still feels way out of hand.
Was equal parts catchy and annoying. Not really sure how to rate it. Ha. I just looked at my review (from July 2021) for her other album and I basically said the same thing. "This album is a mixture of catchy and annoying. Not too sure how I feel about it." Consistent at least.
I'll be honest, I was not looking forward to this album at all upon assignment. But I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. I feel like it's not very common to see this much global, specifically island, influence on a hip hop record, so I appreciated that part. Favorite track: Bucky Done Gun
As an album to have on while cleaning, it was perfect. Not gonna relisten to this one much I’d wager, but it’s got a specific energy that’s hard to hate.
I wish there were half stars. This is a clear 2.5 for me. Enjoyable enough, but a bit low budget and repetitive. 2 feels harsh, 3 feels too nice. I'm rating on a Friday, so I'm choosing to be too nice.
then she made some successful singles
It was good. Some of the songs were a bit aggro for me. I could see getting into it in the right context, but not really a sit-and-listen for me.
Feel like I need to give this one a few more listens. Love the political lyrics. Her voice is so interesting and it definitely sounds like the early 2000s, musically it's interesting but not my favorite. I think if I were at the club and had heard it before though it'd fuck it up
This one reminds me a little of Tom Waits - sometimes everything comes together and really takes off. Other times, it's just a lot of pots and pans. This one is more pots and pans for me than Kala was.
A lil’ bit dancehall. A lil’ bit Bhangra. A lil’ bit Quad City DJs. I kinda liked it but it was very repetitive. It felt like the songs could have easily been a minute long and the album would have been just as good.
Really ahead of its time album, but i dont think im gonna revisit this one. She has better albums since then. But its definitely worth checking out
Really solid
Upon initial listening, it was almost a mixture of reggae, techno- and Sinead. I couldn’t get past the fourth song but did scan the first minute of the additional songs. Not my type of music.
I never would have pick this out, but I enjoyed it.
Heureusement que c'était court vu comment ça casse la tête.
Un sacré mic mac cet album, mais je ne deteste pas.
Ok, but seems a bit shallow.
To be honest I found this pretty irritating to begin with, but as time went by the hooks started worming their way into my brain, and it became the good kind of irritating. It’s knowingly trashy but not vacuous, which I kinda respect as a combination.
Bangers
A good dance album nice mix of influences and beats and variations. A high 3.
Tämähän oli aika energinen poppis/rap levy. Soundit ei oo ehkä ihan kestänyt aika mutta sitäkin ilmiötä on vähentänyt ehkä tollaset vähän enemmän ”roiskitaan menemään” -asenteella tehdyt biitit. Ihan pirtee! Yltää kolmosen yli muttei neloseen. 3/5
3.5. Not really my thing but listened while running and it was OK
I’m glad I stuck with this. It’s more fun than I expected and definitely ahead of its time.
This is a fun album from a great artist, but I must admit I am surprised to see multiple M.I.A. albums on this list. Kala is the more deserving album of these two, and indeed in the 2011 version of the 1001 book that I have been reading, Kala is on the list and Arular is not. Despite this, I did enjoy the listen.
I think its a really cool expirament in modern hip-hop. M.I.A is not afraid to take lots of textures and make them more than just samples. kind of reminds me of the genre soup style of the 60s.
Dansbaar, maar vaak haal ik er de tekst maar amper uit
some good beats and very interesting and unique blend of sounds/instrumenta
some weird sound on this one. think it might grow on me if I spun it a few more times
Super fun
I've heard some MIA before but none of this really. It's entertaining, but a little too disjointed for me. I had no idea she was part Sri Lankan, though that is obviously apparent after listening to this album, which is pretty cool. Interesting listen, not my favorite.
Bare bones, but a foundation.
I thought this was the album I got on release which was pretty good, but that was Kala. This was fine, but didn’t have any real highlights.
Doesn’t completely hold up.
3's
Tuesday 12/5/2023, 7:30, office S Tier———————— Amazon Sunshowers A Tier————————— Fire, Fire Galang B Tier————————— Pull up the People Hombre Bucky Done Gun Bingo C Tier————————— M.I.A. 10 Dollar URAQT D Tier————————— One for the Head - Skit Dash the Curry - Skit Banana - Skit
Some class stuff on here
90s nostalgia, album was not bad, just different.
Canciones con ritmo. Un tanto electrónicas. Cierto desorden en el ritmo. Escuchable, sin más.
Hard beats! 3.5
This album was on the border of being too experimental but it wasn’t. She uses her voice in an interesting way where it’s almost too valley girl, but she uses the sounds of words in a cool way. Could definitely hear the creative guidance of a beat machine in how she uses different beats and rhythms on songs. Very diverse throughout the whole album. Thought bingo was cool in how it’s not singing or rapping. Also heard a lot of the 2000s beats in a more primitive way. I wonder if it was alluding to that, or if this served as inspiration for artists such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, Timbaland, etc.
A lot of interesting sounds/instruments in this one.
Given how much I hate Paper Planes, I was surprised at how kinda good this was
I like the fusion of genres 3.5
This was a fun listen. It’s not banger after banger but it is hella creative. And when it hits, it hits. You can really get a feel for where MIA is going. For a debut album, it’s good but didn’t blow me away.
Good, but not for me
Supuso una corriente de aire fresco para el pop de aquellos años.
oh man, I remember when this came out and KEXP's Kevin Cole could NOT stop gushing about MIA. I was into her then. At this point, maybe I've just heard this so much it feels a little tired or dated. It's ok but a full album of this style is too much.
I like the Sanford and Son sample. It wasn't too bad but not anything really special to me. I really thought Paper Planes would be on this album. A 3 I guess. Feels like everything is a 2 or 3 right now.
An interesting album overall. It has its high points, such as "Bucky Done Gun" and "Hombre", but it's not a slam dunk throughout.
It's an energetic album. I could listen to it again.
I became aware of M.I.A. when Paper Planes blew up, purchased the album I think through eMusic (does that still exist?) back when it was in its indie-only, monthly use them or lose them points model. Super catchy but ultimately wears a little thin for me. I enjoyed this maybe a little more than that previous album, it had a rougher, rawer edge that served it well.
2.5
bättre än förväntat
Fun album with different musical influences all over the place. 3 for now and will re-listen at a later date.
Just like the other album on here....average
Eén keer M.I.A. in deze lijst is al ruimdenkend, maar 2 albums in deze lijst is waanzin. Zo te zien is deze vrij recent toegevoegd aan de lijst. Het zat de maker blijkbaar niet lekker dat haar 2e album er wel op stond maar het debuutalbum niet. Maargoed. De kaarten liggen nu eenmaal zo op tafel en we zullen het er mee moeten doen. Bijzondere muziek. Onrustig, trippy, tribal. Een soort voorloper van Die Antwoord. Het is zo bijzonder dat ik het voor 1x wel leuk vind om te luisteren, maar ik kan me niet voorstellen dat je deze regelmatig aanzet. Lekkere productie voor zover ik dat kan beoordelen. Wel bijzonder, niet geweldig.
2005 is such a strange year for music. There's no overall consensus on the best allbums of that year, really. My personal favorites are records by Broadcast, Mars Volta, Sufjan Stevens, Bloc Party, Why?, Kanye West, LCD Soundsystem and Sigur Rós... Yet as much as I love those albums, I can readily understand why they would not be considered "essential" by a lot of other people--even if I *do* consider them essential. Apart from that small list of personal favourites, you had some cool stuff by acts such as Animal Collective or Bright Eyes in 2005. But is that stuff "essential" in the long run? The jury's still out on this one. And then you have overrated borefests by Gorillaz, The National or Coldplay (a few interesting tracks here and there, but as whole albums, they're clearly hit-or-miss affairs, in spite of the somewhat delirious "critical reception" of those particular records). So yeah, it feels that the mid-naughts were a transitional period, as if music itself didn't know where to go next, mulling over its options: go back to the past, just like that recent roots-rock revival? Embrace technology? Reject technology? Slumber your way through that endless string of "landfill indie" acts (most of them British)? This hesitation seemed to affect every style up there, from rap to rock to electronica... In the meantime, listeners with a knack for adventure and groundbreaking proposals had to wait for something truly *new* to come up. This is the context in which M.I.A. released her debut, and I can understand why it was such a breath of fresh air at the time, given those many "problems" popular music had as a whole in those days. Maya Arulpragasam and her producers were pointing the way forward in a manner that could be equally relevant for hip hop, electronica or indie. A lot of tracks shine in this record--too many to mention them all. And most of those productions were already trying very hard to break the mold of past habits so as to offer something new at last. That being said, M.I.A. would only *really* up the ante with her next album *Kala*, of "Paper Planes" fame, which is probably the one essential record she ever released. Not that the rest of her discography is not good. It's just that if you take this debut, for instance, it is only a first sketch before the greater picture. Besides, a few tracks in *Arular* are clearly fillers or awkward "experimental" attempts at crafting off-kilter bangers. Horrid "U.R.A.Q.T." comes to mind here, for example. It's those sorts of missteps she avoided for her next release, and the bangers in the latter were even catchier and more memorable than the ones in this debut. So, well... Don't get me wrong, I still like or even love most tracks in *Arular*. But I'm gonna save some room for more "essential" albums in my own list. There's only eight 5-star reviews about M.I.A.'s debut on this app after all. Sure, there are not many reviews written about it yet, so maybe the album's global score can go higher than this meagre 2.88/5 overall rating. Yet as much as I wish that global score to go up, I'm not gonna change my own rule of thumb: albums rejected from my own list can't have more than a 3/5 grade. It's a cruel world. I'll boost *Kala* to a perfect 5-star grade instead when it appears on this app (I know it's also in that 1001 albums book). Even though there's not so much that separates the two records, to be honest, apart from a clear upgrade in overall quality... 3/5 for the purposes of this list, translating to a 8/10 grade for more general purposes (5+3). Number of albums left to review: 428 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 264 Albums from the list might* include in mine later on: 139 Albums from the list I won't include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 173 (including this one)
It's different, a but refreshing. But at the same time it's not that good, I can see how people may not like this. I guess I would say this album is more fun than good. Overall not bad though.
Album #1049 First Listen. Standouts: Galang, Sunshowers, Others: Pull Up the People, Bucky Done Gun, Fire Fire, Amazon, M.I.A. 3/5
plus hip hop que je connaissais. pas mauvais. 7/10
More hip hoppy than her last album.
crazy i kind of like it 3 stars
Wow, not one but two albums on this list? Thought this was better than the other one she had on here but that isn't exactly saying much. I guess she's experimental but I feel like I could've gone to my death without having listened to this one, outside of just confirming my biases after that first album. 5/10.
5/10. ok.
I really wish critics could get out of the mindset of "This mixes two different genres so it's good!". I liked this less than the other MIA album we had previously, I think her vocal delivery just annoyed me more here. 5/10
Un bon album, mais ça paraît que c'est son premier album car clairement elle cherche son son encore. Mais généralement c'était un bon album de hip-hop. 7/10
The twist of the skit form is more obvious, but hip-hop's propulsion is plucked as cleanly for ends here. The train doesn't hit the general public, but the tracks are aimed just where the artist wants 'em. Still as weird and frictional as anything else by M.I.A.
The artist is familiar to me but I don't think I've heard this album or any of the music from it before. It's engaging and interesting -- her style really pulls me in. Such a cool blend and layering of styles here. It's somehow edgy and smooth, catchy and off-kilter if that makes sense. I really like it. Intriguing stuff.
First 3/4 was super enjoyable. Got a bit samey in the back end though.
Not my usual style. Not a hip hop fan. This one had enough going on to make it interesting.
Pop dance. Ni fu ni fa.
Rap, dancehall. Curioso. Gritona.
enjoyed more than I thought I would
Täynnä nuoruuden iloa ja taitoa, mutta jää yllättävän vaisuksi. Olisi saanut räjäyttää vielä enemmän. Mutta on virkee ja kiva. Viimeistelty vaikutelma.
Melodisesti tässä on sitä jotain, jolla 2010-luvun räppärit hankkivat myöhemmin menestyksensä. Soundillisesti puoleensa vetävää, hieman epätasaista, paikoin tylsääkin, potentiaalisesti koukuttavaa.
Entertaining though rather busy album.
She’s always fun to listen to. I think she’s pretty political, but I didn’t listen very closely to the lyrics, so I’m sure I am missing some deeper meanings. And that’s OK with me. I love the ‘Sanford and Son’ samples in URAQT. M.I.A. and Dizee Rascal remind me of one another.
La seva estrena discogràfica la va situar entre els noms a tenir més en compte a mitjans dels 00's. Original, provocativa, diferent, temes com 'Pull Up the People', 'Bucky Done Gun' o 'Sunshowers' et deixaven bocabadat per la seva eclosió de ritmes i propostes sonores. Malauradament, Maya mai ha estat capaç, ni en aquest treball ni en els posteriors (fins 2023 com a mínim), d'assolir un nivell semblant al llarg del minutatge, barrejant temes excel.lents amb material per omplir no gaire interessant
This was released when Black Eyed Peas were over the top popular. I can see how M.I.A. would have fit in back then. This has a sound made for dance floors and has style due to the fusing of Eastern influences although their next album does that a kittle better.
It's got that edm/club vibe that I typically can't do. But something in the rhythms kept me in for the full play. Can't say I'll run down to the vinyl store and add it to my collection but, who knows, as it doesn't suck entirely.
mia is so cool
This is a shame, I could really like this album if M.I.A. wasn't so fake and plastic. Vibes count for a lot. She just doesn't exude the confidence that I need in my music. She seems like she's struggling with self identity wavering between cutesy pop artist and hard, confident artist pushing the boundaries of music. Musically, this is really wonderful. The quirky combinations of early 80's rap, electronica with repetitive flat bass using improvised instruments infused with some Jamaican spices makes this something to appreciate. But I just can't get beyond M.I.A. the singer. She reminds me of a more spastic immature version of Santigold lacking focus and self-awareness.
“Kala” is still on the list. “Arular” is not. This is the right choice. She may have gone a little cuckoo (anti-vax), but MIA’s first two albums definitely helped bring something unique and fresh. This debut still had some bugs, though. Most bothersome one is her tendency to end lines with vowel sounds (even when the words don’t end with vowels) and a sharp rise. “Sunshowers” is the album’s best track.
I generally like the vibe, problem is each song is so repetitive.
Voor de verandering best aardig.
Ik mag dit wel.
Not all of it grabs me but some of it was catchy as hell. “Hombre” will be stuck in my head for a few days
This album is definitely a fun jam.
nah
It's fun and upbeat and catchy and summery and beachy but im too high rn
Recorded in a bedroom but interesting mishmash
Passed the time on a long car journey, wouldnt go back to it though...