Sound: Electronica, hip hop and Jamaican dancehall meet tribal rhythms and jungle beats; it most often resembles the UK grime sound of Dizzee Rascal and Wiley, but is more danceable and hypnotic; she’s the first woman to bring such a sound to the U.S.
Notes: M.I.A. is essentially Maya Arulpragasam, a Sri Lankan who moved to London at age 11, and a crew of producers
Look for: Militant lyrics that vaguely address the instability in her homeland, push for change and at the same time declare her arrival as an original artist
Also look for: Her mix of rapping, singing, chanting and yelping that occasionally recalls Adam Ant songs like “Ant Rap” and “Prince Charming“
Heavy Rotation tracks: “Amazon“; “Sunshowers“; “10
Dollar“; “Hombre“; “Galang“; (the second half of the album is stronger than the first)
Medium Rotation tracks: The rest
Recommended: To anyone looking for something strikingly fresh and original, all electronic/dance music fans, and people who like political music (even if the politics are confusing).
Grade: A (Strong candidate for the Top 10 Albums of 2005)

(As posted 4/11/05 on davepowersmusic.com)
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