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LISTEN TO IT #13: THE POLITICS OF DANCING
M.I.A. is one of those artists that, on paper, should be right up my alley: born in the UK, raised on the rebel side of the Sri Lankan civil war, now mixing art, agit-prop and global politics with long-form controversial music videos too frightening for YouTube and a confrontational relationship with the press.
If Lady Gaga was political and grew up in the Third World, etc.
But – like Lady Gaga – it’s taken time for me to warm up to M.I.A., partly because of the media hype, and partly because the musical style of the singles getting all the attention wasn’t anything particularly special.
But with her third album out now (called /\/\/\y/\, or Maya, if you like), I may be coming around.
Ironically, it’s the album that’s gone over the least with some critics, possibly because it’s her most experimental-sounding album yet, dripping with technology that almost drowns out her vocals. And I admit sometimes it’s not an easy listen.
On the other hand, that’s not always a bad thing. And whereas M.I.A.’s first two albums played a little more towards the usual hip-hop audience expectations (albeit with a World Music twist), /\/\/\y/\ goes a lot further in letting her music, rather than her cultural background, set her apart from the pack.
If nothing else, I have to respect anyone who goes on Letterman with a Suicide sample a dozen clones of herself onstage.
Copy that,
This is dF
If Lady Gaga was political and grew up in the Third World, etc.
But – like Lady Gaga – it’s taken time for me to warm up to M.I.A., partly because of the media hype, and partly because the musical style of the singles getting all the attention wasn’t anything particularly special.
But with her third album out now (called /\/\/\y/\, or Maya, if you like), I may be coming around.
Ironically, it’s the album that’s gone over the least with some critics, possibly because it’s her most experimental-sounding album yet, dripping with technology that almost drowns out her vocals. And I admit sometimes it’s not an easy listen.
On the other hand, that’s not always a bad thing. And whereas M.I.A.’s first two albums played a little more towards the usual hip-hop audience expectations (albeit with a World Music twist), /\/\/\y/\ goes a lot further in letting her music, rather than her cultural background, set her apart from the pack.
If nothing else, I have to respect anyone who goes on Letterman with a Suicide sample a dozen clones of herself onstage.
Copy that,
This is dF