Holy Bucky Done Gun, has it really been 8 years since Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, aka M.I.A. first burst onto the scene with her Arular eargasm? For me, it was love at first sight. So much so, I bought a first edition CD before she got the clearance of a Sanford & Son theme song sample for the album-highlight track ‘U.R.A.Q.T.”
You know the rest. Critically adored debut and sequel. That gunshot song blows the fux up. Seth Rogen stoner movie trailer. Yada, yada, Madonna. Granted, it was the sight of the world’s sexiest multi-media terrorist at Madge’s Super Bowl gig — singing back-up (gasp!) — in a Cheerleader’s outfit (blecch!) — that ended my one-way love affair quick. Did she sell out Diplo for Max Martin? What’s next? A vampy spread in FHM? A line of saucy frocks at H&M?
Needless to say, I was over her. Until now. Looks like I might be under her again. On November 5th, her new album, Matangi (which I think is also the name of a long-overdue Robin Williams sequel) drops. The first single, ‘Bring The Noize’ was a seizure-inducing audio collage. For the first minute or so of the follow-up single, ‘Come Walk With Me’ — the nasaly, too affected vocals had me reaching for the skip button.
But wait for it…
From the 1:30 mark onward — things get very interesting. Suddenly we’re back where we need to be. Away from the stadiums. Away from Hollywood. Running for our lives through a third world marketplace. Yes. Yes. This is the sweet nectar of the mods that went missing from her last LP.
Love it? Hate it? Judge for yourself.
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