‘Matangi’, M.I.A’s fourth album, is every bit as confrontational as you’d hoped. An often jarring explosion of samples, thunderous beats and the fierce words of Mathangi ‘Maya’ Arulpragasam, it isn’t subtle or pretty, but it’s very effective.
This a record born of a chaotic, challenging few years for its creator. With a custody battle, label wrangling and a very public dispute with the NFL over her Super Bowl middle finger filling the air, it’s no surprise that the opening moments of the title track snap and snarl following the relative calm of album opener Karmageddon.
It’s ferocious, but unfocused. Beats smash into one another as vocal samples skip over the top, but as M.I.A reels off a list of countries it’s hard to pin down her intentions. The same is true for the clever, syncopated beats and wordplay of atTENTion - composed with a little help from Julian Assange. It’s technically intriguing, but doesn’t hit all that hard.
Luckily, there’s plenty here that does work. Pre-album frontrunners Bad Girls, Bring The Noize and Come Walk With Me are throwbacks to the sounds that made M.I.A a force to be reckoned with on ‘Arular’ and ‘Kala’, while the short, sharp Boom Skit fires a few shots at conservative America and her Super Bowl battle.
Double Bubble Trouble is a twist on Shampoo’s moment in the sun, with a huge, club-ready beat, and Y.A.L.A is a response to the nonsense of Y.O.L.O: "If you only live once, why we keep doing the same shit?"
M.I.A has unleashed a record packed with competing ideas, one that’s consistently interesting if not always all that engaging. Still, from the moment the ‘play’ button is pressed, there’s absolutely no doubt who’s doing the talking.
NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
.jpg)
