Kala

by M.I.A.

Overview

Kala and Arular are similar in that they are both wildly vigorous and wholly enjoyable albums, generous with blunt-force beats, flurries of percussion, riotous vocals (with largely inconsequential lyrics), and fearless stylistic syntheses that seem to view music from half of the planet's countries as potential source material. But Kala nearly makes Arular seem tame in comparison, magnifying most of its predecessor's qualities as it remains bracingly adventurous. While it certainly sounds like a second M.I.A. album, nothing about it is stagnant. Made in piecemeal fashion while located in several countries, Kala involves a few co-producers: U.K. "dirty house" producer Switch is the primary collaborator, while Baltimore club don Blaqstarr, Diplo, and Timbaland assist M.I.A. on one or a couple tracks each. Further variety is added vocally, not only through M.I.A.'s numerous modes, but also through feature spots from Nigerian MC Afrikan Boy and a crew of young Aborigine rappers. Roughly half the album -- including the opening three-track sequence, which incorporates Jonathan Richman's "Roadrunner," samples from two Tamil-language film soundtracks, squawking chickens, (what sounds like) yelping children, and clustered rhythmic devices that boom, stab, clap, rattle, twitter, and sometimes even prance -- is more intense than anything on Arular. The tracks are so full of chaos and jagged noise that it is disarming to reach the relatively relaxed material, especially the two tracks that resemble actual songs. "Jimmy" is a rather faithful cover, willfully chintzy strings and all, of a flirtatiously lovelorn neo-disco number from the '80s Bollywood film Disco Dancer. "Paper Planes" has a sing-songy float to it, aided by the Clash's "Straight to Hell," though it also appropriates Wreckx-N-Effect's "Rump Shaker" while replacing "zoom-a-zoom-zoom-zoom" and "boom-boom" with sounds from shotguns and cash registers. Like the remainder of the album's best moments, it recalls the late Lizzy Mercier Descloux, another artist who made thrilling music by mixing cultures with respectful irreverence. Perhaps some of Arular's detractors knew M.I.A. was capable of this all along. ~ Andy Kellman

Product Details

Release Date:	08/20/2007
Label:	Xl
UPC:	0634904028114
Rank:	592

Album Credits

Performance Credits

M.I.A.   Primary Artist,Vocals,Lead Vocals,Featured Artist
Mia   Primary Artist
The Wilcannia Mob   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Afrikan Boy   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
Timbaland   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist,Multi Instruments
Buraka Som Sistema   Primary Artist,Vocals
Mia and Jonah   Primary Artist
DJ Ability   Scratching,Turntables
Rye Rye   Vocals

Technical Credits

M.I.A.   Audio Production,Artwork,Composer,Producer,Photography
Morganics   Audio Production,Producer
Diplo   Audio Production,Composer,Producer
Marty Green   Audio Engineer,Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Switch   Audio Production,Mixing,Composer,Producer,Mixing Engineer,Composer,Composer
Timbaland   Audio Production,Producer,Instrumentation
Larry "Live" Lyons   Audio Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Conductor   Producer,Producer
Mark "Spike" Stent   Mixing,Mixing Engineer
Maya Arulpragasam   Composer
Morgan Lewis   Composer
Jim Beanz   Producer,Vocal Producer
Timothy Mosley   Composer
DJ Ability   Cut
Caveman   Producer
Ron Taylor   Editing,Digital Editing
Demacio Castellon   Mixing,Engineer,Programming,Mixing Engineer
Buraka Som Sistema   Composer
Spike Stent   Mixing
T. Clayton   Composer
Janette Beckman   Photography
Michael Kamber   Photography
Carri Mundane   Graphic Design
Liz Johnson Artur   Photography
Daniel M. Wright   Composer
LilJohn   Producer
Steve Loveridge   Graphic Design
Mia and Jonah   Composer
Blaqstarr   Composer,Producer,Remixing
Brendan Adams   Composer
Timothy "Attitude" Clayton   Composer
Colin Johnson   Composer
DJ Riot   Producer
Keith Dutton   Composer
Walter Ebsworth   Composer
Buddy Blair   Composer
Lendal King   Composer
Will Jarrett   Composer
Colin Roy Johnson   Composer
Daniel Wright   Composer
Larry Lyons   Engineer