M.I.A. – Arular

Beats Will Quake, Asses Will Shake!

We all know a few people who feel the need to always over–analyze music. However, after a couple of listens to the bombastic, brilliant debut from Sri-Lankan born, London-based, M.I.A. (real name Arulpragasam), those people will most likely want to break away from their analytical mind-sets and seriously start shaking their asses.Arular is a backbreaking assault loaded with underground UK Garage, South American Baile Funk, Old-School Hip Hop, and new Electro influences. On the track “Bucky Done Gone” one could compare M.I.A.’s commanding, dancehall induced lyrical delivery to that of the UK’s screwball Dizzee Rascal, not to mention the subtle yet threatening rhymes of the Real Roxanne. On the other hand, the drugged-out Dub sing-a-long “Bingo” is more consistent, but no less thrilling, with its intense and alarming production. “Fire Fire” is one of the albums more stripped-down tracks with its seismic rhythm, dirty synths, and G-Funk style pitch-bends. Tracks like the booty-shaking, lets go roller-skating “10 Dollar” and the crunchy, immediately catchy “Galang” are sure to summon hordes of people to the dance floor.

However, the hypnotizing “Sunshowers” is Arular’s true secret weapon. Sequenced toward the end of the album, it epitomizes everything great about M.I.A., down-tempo bouncy beats, brash yet silly rhymes, and a gorgeous falsetto hook. It’s the album’s most striking and most memorable moment.

Due to the multi-cultural slang of the lyrics, most people will not understand one word that M.I.A. is saying. Although I include myself in that group, my guess is that she is saying something like, “For God’s sake tight-ass, get the hell up and dance!”