m.i.a. 'kala'

if there is a utopian soundscape for the future it does not lie in the blips and the buzzing of machines of a dystopic world cleansed of all conflict by mutual peace and understanding. think radiohead. instead it is this madness.

the displaced collide in a wonderful mish mash of textures and rhythm. clinging to reify vanishing identities in a complicated present, the primal forces of tribal drums seem to be the only constant for all of us to connect. from bollywood (bappi lahiri and ilayaraja), bhangra to hip-hop to the maddening throb of folk music from tamil nadu this is perfect dance music made by diasporic diva (sri lankan british lesbian) and recorded in india, london, africa. even when hotshot american hip hop producer timbaland might seem to get in the way by attempting to tame her she wrestles him to the ground and keeps him there. nothing can get in the way of her sloganeering the resistance to type of the immigrant experience from the third world; least of all corporate American which she embraces only to subvert.

also see Arular from 2005