First Impression Review: M.I.A.’s /\/\/\Y/\ [MAYA]
If you know me well then you certainly know that M.I.A. is one of my favorite artists. And if you haven’t been living under a rock for the past 6 months then you know the relentless bad press, scathing quotes and Tweets of rage. Through it all I’ve tried to ignore all of this and anticipate/focus on the music, especially after countless praising reviews (ie: SPIN.)
However this morning was the moment of truth for me as a fan, getting the first listen of /\/\/\Y/\, the third full-length release (sans bonus tracks) by Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam aka M.I.A. Check out my thoughts on the album following the track-by-track review below…
Post: After a few listens this album has shaped up to be one of my favorites of 2010. Definitely pushed the envelope even for as a fan but I stand behind this first impression review.
/\/\/\Y/\ out July 13th:
- The Message: Album intro samples Grandmaster Flash’s The Message & states M.I.A.’s theory that the Government controls technology & internet
- Steppin Up: M.I.A. told NYLON that the drill sounds were added to the track as a joke but were kept in. Interesting hard-electro sound
- XXXO: Smooth R&B-pop sound. Definitely one of the most approachable tracks on the album.
- Teqkilla: Lots of interesting percussion, alarm sounds & blips. Cool but not “doing it” for me. Will be released as a single on June 29th :(
- Lovalot: What may seem like a subdued love song actually narrates the story of a 17-year-old “black widow” suicide bomber. Album standout
- Story Told: Great Rusko-production, which unfortunately is all this song has to offer.
- It Takes a Muscle: I dig this track, very light and luau-friendly. [Tracks were recorded and mixed in Hawaii.]
- It Iz What it Iz: I wish she wouldn’t let her voice take the backseat on this album, most notably here. Is that baby Ikhyd I hear at the end?
- Born Free: We’ve all heard the song and seen the video already. As it stands this is my favorite track from the album, so empowering & raw.
- Meds and Feds: Whoa a Sleigh Bells sample?? “We growing up in the middle of the digital ruckus.” Finally steps it up musically & lyrically
- Tell Me Why: M.I.A. finally singing a catchy hook over a cool drum beat in this Diplo production. Can’t wait to play this one out of a proper speaker system.
- Space: A glossier version of that version M.I.A. released earlier this year in protest to The New York Times.
Verdict: B-
I REALLY REALLY wanted to/expected to love this album. With the frustrations of the world, “information politics” and the current state of music, I understand the self-destructive attitude that M.I.A. approached this record with. It’s as if she rebelled against herself by not giving the general public what they wanted and expected. But nonetheless the music has to speak for itself and unfortunately in this case there are only a few moments on /\/\/\Y/\ that truly excited me. Tracks like Lovalot, It Takes a Muscle, Born Free, Meds and Feds and Tell Me Why were on point, but the most frustrating moments for me were Teqkilla and It Iz What It Iz.
Maya beat the sophomore slump by releasing the amazing album Kala, but this time around she took one too many missteps. Some soul searching and time in the clubs would do her good for the next record. Unfortunately /\/\/\Y/\ Iz What it Iz: not M.I.A.’s finest work.
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How did u get to hear this?
Can you post that dubstep remix of Born Free that’s going around?
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