M.I.A. - 'Kala'

The mainstream prefers its weirdos drug addled and sex crazed, not creative and iconoclastic, but apparently that didn’t bother Interscope too much when it signed British-Sri Lankan rapper M.I.A. Her 2005 debut, Arular, was a critically acclaimed, internationally recognized club rocker. Singing in her own made up language that draws from English, Sri Lankan, Jamaican and whatever else crosses her consciousness over fuzzed out, digitized beats, M.I.A. brought a playful cadence to her political jams.

Unfortunately, voter turnout in the states has been on the decline for a while, so maybe that’s part of the reason why Arular sold squat diddly (by major label standards). Now, two years later, M.I.A.’s sound has evolved further on her second album, Kala. Gone is the MIDI-like electronica in favor of a mix between hip-hop beats and world music. The production is much lusher this time, which helps break up the monotony that Arular occasionally suffered from.

What remains, however, is M.I.A.’s alternating silly/serious lyrics. While she occasionally incorporates some more hip-hop bravado here (“I got more records than the K.G.B./So, uh, no funny business,” goes one memorable line from “Paper Planes”), generally M.I.A. still makes nursery rhymes out of her global activism.

One stunning example of this dichotomy can be heard in “20 Dollar.” Over a distorted electronic pseudo-reggae track, M.I.A. blends her thoughts on Islam, war in Africa and… the Pixies discography… into one song. One minute she’s discussing the cost of A.K.s and balancing Islamic beliefs and Western capitalistic desires, the next she’s quoting “Where is My Mind?” And oddly enough, it totally works. Pixies fans will probably kill a monkey over hearing this rendition of a beloved classic, but over time, the seamless transition between the two sets of lyrics gives both songs more depth. Frank Black’s bleary eyed haze adds to shellshock M.I.A. describes beautifully.

Other highlights include the opening tracks “Bamboo Banger” and “Bird Flu.” Just two seconds shy of five minutes, “Bamboo Banger” slowly builds into a club track, slinky and sexy and slightly reminiscent of Arular. Single “Bird Flu,” meanwhile, ups the fury with its insane percussion section and backing vocals. Over these fervent Indian drums comes an anecdote about M.I.A.’s time as refugee going from country to country and her attempts to break through in the record industry.

Jumping from hip-hop to grime to disco to dance hall to world music listlessly and boasting collaborations with Timbaland and Afrikan Boy, Kala is an eclectic record befitting M.I.A.’s international persona. Examining violence without glorifying it, and delivering dance beats without being annoying, Kala is a solid dance/rap record for fans looking for something a little to the left of the dial.