Rapper explores Sri Lankan roots on latest album, ‘Matangi’
M.I.A has always set herself apart from other electronic artists with her use of unique instruments and sound effects. She’s like a dance floor drill-sergeant. The banging of drums and sound of trumpets mixed with heavy bass and rap vocals give birth to a sound suitable for a troop of soldiers marching to battle and groups of ravers taking to the dance floor.
M.I.A’s fourth studio album, “Matangi,” drops today, but has been available for online streaming since Nov. 1 through the exotic rapper’s VEVO account on YouTube.
“Matangi,” named after the Hindu goddess of speech, music, knowledge and art, is heavily influenced by M.I.A’s Sri-Lankan roots. The twang of a sitar and the flutter of the venu, a traditional Hindu flute, accompany the wubbing bass and synth-distort. Think “Slumdog Millionaire” soundtrack but more bump-and-grind-y. Think Bollywood on Molly.
But to label the album as an exclusive celebration of her Sri Lankan culture is impossible. In fact, the album uses so many different instruments and combines so many different genres and cultures that labeling it as anything is impossible. At times, the instrumental orgy reduces the song structure to a disembodied haze of noises, making it difficult to find a beat to latch onto. It can sound like some sort of experimental sound project rather than a song.
Modern dance music is all about the drop, and “Matangi” has some pretty creative ones. “Double Bubble Trouble” uses some kind of Indian horn and will still manage to remove your face from its skull.
M.I.A has always been known for her brilliant use of sound effects (remember how long the gunshots from “Paper Planes” were stuck in your head?) and “Matangi” follows suit. The chop of helicopter blades patter in the background of “Sexodus” to entrancing effect. As the bridge of “Come Walk With Me” builds, an iPhone-volume-click effect builds with it.
The lyrics are half powerful political statement, half nonsense. “Boom Skit” addresses the racism she faced as a Sri-Lankan artist trying to spread her music to the United States. “Brown girl, brown girl / turn your s—- down / You know America don’t wanna hear your sound.” She follows the insightful observation with a full minute of screaming “Boom boom shakalaka boom boom shakalaka” over and over.
While the album is innovative and smart, “Matangi” grows repetitive to the point of irritation. Every single song features a chorus that repeats the same line about bringing “noize” or “freak” or “boom-boom” down upon uncool people like some kind of vengeful Hindu god of swag. And based off of songs like “Karmageddon” and the lines “Ain’t Dalai Lama / Ain’t Sai Baba / My words are my armor and you’re about to meet your karma” that might be exactly what M.I.A thinks she is.
Although the album can be overly-repetitive at times and seizure-inducing at others, it is still a blast and would be fun as hell to see live. With this album, M.I.A held a Hindu-themed music festival and invited the whole world to join her onstage.
So fall in line and prepare to storm the dance floor like it’s a battlefield.