MIA

Blingee!

Everything I've read about this today said it was like 'animated GIF' or '90s screen saver' and they were all wrong. But Blingee, totally!

The sparkling roses, java water reflection are super animated gif myspace comment/90s website.

(and also Blingee)

it's Blingee meets Lisa Frank through an MIA prism of irony. Also, she's giving this gay boy imaginary boners with her sexiness.

seems entirely unsexy to me, but i am often wrong about things. and i'm not sure i understand your objection, adam bruneau. blingee = animated gifs, surely? in a style that's been popular at least since the 90s.

No objection, i was just surprised no sites i was looking at was actually saying "Blingee!" After i read about the 90s screensaver look i was disappointed to find no flying toasters ;-)

seems entirely unsexy to me, but i am often wrong about things.

I totally meant "sexy" in an early 90's hooker sorta way.

MySpace is mid-'00s, let's get this straight.

M.I.A.'S MUYSPACE IS AWESUM U STOP IT

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i like this video!

http://i.mynicespace.com/104/10486.gif

flowers are so lewd

After reading Jenny Eliscu's fantastic article "M.I.A. Radical, Chic" [RS 1110], there is no doubt in my mind that the Sri Lankan sensation finally has it all: a killer third album, fame, a loving fiance and a beautiful son. She's certainly come a long way from sitting in the back of the classroom with "the poor kids." Now if she could just figure out how to get through a show without technical difficulties.

Rachel Scott
Via the Internet

Alright guys, I laughed at Trufflegate like the rest of you and I put off hearing the new album for a few months to let all the hype and criticism die down a bit. Wasn't anticipating much from this new album (actually, I didn't enjoy the previous two all that much, so maybe my expectations were just low?). But I played this through today for the first time and it sounds fantastic. Would I be nuts to say this is my favorite MIA album?

She's had a rough year. Who got uncool faster, MIA or Lebron James?

not nuts at all. I still prefer Kala for its immediacy and I enjoy the percussive-tribal beats more, but in terms of sound-collage, the new one is pretty damned awesome. I don't get the crit-hate at all, although I understand why it's polarizing to some. I should also point out I like King Crimson's Lizard.

I can see why people approaching this as a "pop" album would be thrown off. I mean, I liked "Galang" and "Bucky" and "Paper Planes" too but I failed to see what the BIG DEAL was. But this new album is v. good. At the risk of sounding ridiculous, I think it's heard best through the lens of, say, how you'd listen to some sort of mash-up of Einsturzende Neubauten aesthetics (a strange touchstone, but most of the album sounds very *mechanical*) filtered through a host of grime/dub reference points. Almost comes off like a Kevin Martin (Scorn, The Bug, Techno Animal) type project -- it feels like bits of pop filtered through a lot of dissonance and ugly/noisy electronic fuckery and somehow it comes off heady and occasionally danceable at the same time.

agreed. it wasn't impenetrable like I was made to believe it would be when I got it. and it opens very well.

San Te, I think "sound collage" is a great way to approach it.

I think it's the greatest punk album since I don't know when. Maybe too long of a good thing on "Teqkilla" and lame with the "life is such a game" line in "Tell Me Why," but otherwise perfect.

I'm not sure about the album as a whole, but "XXXO" is a jam.

The rhythmic cluelessness people talk about upthread is obviously purposeful, "Ex sex sex oh" and all. xpost: Ha, she should cover "Futter Mein Ego."

Yes, Kevin Martin is totally a touchstone.

The rhythmic cluelessness people talk about upthread is obviously purposeful

oh well if you put it that way

What the hell does "rhythmic cluelessness" even mean in this context?

yeah, one thing i really like about MIA is her rythmic sense, awkward as it may be

Sorry, how should I put it? I was referring to HI DERE saying she's "arhythmical," when at least in the Letterman clip, she managed to sing her off-rhythm lines exactly as she does on the recording, which requires an ear. "XXXO" seems like another good example, where her slowing down behind the beat is, you know, pretty obviously an effect she's going for. Should I not say "obviously"?

New Diplo-assisted demo. Better than most of the tracks on the album:
http://stereogum.com/521072/m-i-a-diplo-4thepeopleontheboat-demo/mp3s/

it's actually just as good as the other tracks. "Lemme Hump You" is tremendous and the accompanying video even moreso.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NbYsQjLXJA

that's not a video for that song btw

also

"m-i-a-diplo-4thepeopleontheboat-demo/mp3s/"

THE STEREOGUM IS CONNECTED TO THE GOVERNMETN

whooaaa

it's fan made, yes.

it's a fucking diesel ad

check out this fanmade Sleigh Bells video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JtxEygTiDw&

be a bigger dick, please.

vickileekx.com

new mixtape. pretty good all around - a couple of those demos and a bunch of new stuff. all one mp3, but if you look around you can probably find split tracks.

christ I finally get around to hearing MAYA last week and now there's already something else out

I am old

(MAYA is awesome btw, surprised at how much hate it got)

The hate for MAYA was pretty mystifying.

defying expectations is risky

I kinda dig that she made a noisy abrasive album, the level of sonic detail is really engaging to me. I'm more forgiving of sloganeering than others tho

really the only places where the album loses me is where she pulls back on the noisiness ("It Iz What It Iz", "It Takes A Muscle", to a lesser extent "Tell Me Why" and "Space")

yeah those seem like a really intentional respite from the chaos, like there needed to be a break

I like It Takes a Muscle tho

I buy it most from "Space"

"Space" is totally in my top tracks of last year list.

really the only places where the album loses me is where she pulls back on the noisiness

otm ^^

"it takes a muscle" i never want to hear again in my life

took about 4-5 months off from listening to this and still love it. and yea the noisiest bits are the best.....