Seriously, I can't go more than a week or two without bringing up Sri Lanka-born, London-raised, Brooklyn-dwelling rabblerouser/rapper/designer/artiste M.I.A. Ever since her Clash-sampling single "Paper Planes" entered the Billboard Top 5 the first time (she returns this week) everybody has been bumping the track and talking Maya. She's preggo, she's re-releasing "Boyz" with a new (weak!) verse from Beyonce's man on her new EP Boyz - How Many Votes Fix Mix and she released a limited run clothing line in last few weeks alone.
But her new music that has been released or leaked of late has not been as engaging as anything on Kala or Arular. At first blush, Jay-Z's addition to "Boyz" seems unnecessary and uninteresting - just like his verses on Amy Winehouse's "Rehab [Remix]" and Rihanna's "Umbrella" but it is growing on me. The other tracks on the EP are not up to snuff, "Hit That" was a disappointment and I was beginning to think perhaps M.I.A. shouldn't have un-retired. But if you can dig up an MP3 of "Big Branch" it's totally worth it. It's a bonus track from the iTunes version (also on Japanese pressings, if I recall correctly) of Kala and it's filthy and rediculous and brassy.
But here comes a new collaboration with Blaqstarr, "S.U.S. (Save UR Soul)" It's got a great Baltimore club sound with a gospel vocal stamp. The chorus is based on Tom Waits' "Way Down In The Hole" and it almost sounds like Moby producing a hip-hop track. The video cost $9.95 to make, according to YouTube: three Quicktime screens play black and white close up footage of the performers on computer desktop. Cheap and dirty, but fits well with the sound. Kudos to M.I.A. for directing it!
No comments:
Post a Comment