| | Full Review | Ratings (703) |
Give your Rating |
| 3.5 great | Iai EMERITUS | August 22nd 07 |
It's like Arular with somebody painting in the gaps - everything here is so much more rich, inventive, and technicolour than on its predecessor. Needless to say, this is a MASSIVE improvement. "Bamboo Banga" is a great crunk track disguised in electro clothing, and a natural continuation from the likes of "Galang" and "Pull Up The People". But she expands elsewhere to great effect; "Jimmy" is absolutely stunning, with epic faux-Indian strings tied to ska guitar and electronic swirls, and M.I.A. actually singing for once. It's easily the best thing she's even put her name to. Much of the remainder sounds like Adam & The Ants coming live from the jungle - it's tribal, but furiously idiosyncractic. Not once does it descend into neanderthal simplicity (as Arular did) or cliche. The only clunker is "20 Dollar", on which she attempts to weave a needless, ill-judged cover of "Where Is My Mind?" by Pixies into the mix. All the plaudits you heard aimed at Arular, whether they were true or not, apply here threefold. Great stuff.
2 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.5 superb | Gene Gol-Jonsson CONTRIBUTOR | September 3rd 23 |
Strikingly angular, pathologically brash, and steadily infectious in the most unpredictable of ways.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.5 superb | Filling | November 28th 13 |
Kala blends every possible sound into one maximalist world-hop almost masterpiece. While one or two songs are obviously weaker (the charming but not quite great Mango Pickle Down River, and The Turn ultimately get lost in a sea of bangers), the entire album stands up as a remarkably stylish and outspoken piece of culture-clashing art.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 4.5 superb | conradtao EMERITUS | October 29th 10 |
Less immediate but much more ambitious than Arular, Kala is a stunningly kaleidoscopic work that eschews funk for woozy, dubby tracks that are refreshingly unclassifiable. When M.I.A. spits out, "I put people on the map/that never seen a map," she could just as easily be talking about her listeners, because after listening to this record, you feel enlightened and exhilarated.
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.0 good | JuriHan | September 27th 23 |
I thoroughly enjoyed M.I.A.'s debut, but for some reason I can't get that into this one. I think I've heard people describe this as her more pop-friendly album, but I don't think that's where my grievances come in with this record. It just feels... like a step-back in comparison to Arular and embraces a lot more of the parts of EDM that annoys me. It's not bad but it feels like a bog-standard dance record with some experimental elements thrown in. Not bad by any means, and better than her other projects I gave a 3.. Just not for me despite my love for both Timbaland and M.I.A. both.
Bump |
| 0.0 | Jeffery J. Bigglestein | July 14th 20 |
I FLY LIKE PAPERS I GET HIGH LIKE PLANESrI feel like this album predicted a lot of today's music.
Bump |
| 2.0 poor | butcherboy | July 31st 17 |
the only cohesively good song on this swamp of dross comes from a sample of a lesser Clash song.. shite
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | nabrazune | October 5th 10 |
Very fun and very creative, we need more pop artists like this.
Bump |
| 4.5 superb | AlexTM510 | April 5th 10 |
MIA Kala brands a weird indie hipster style that mixes world culture music and samples with hazy electro beats and synths. It'll be a miss for some but if you can understand MIA's oddball artsy music slabs you will be in for a treat with Kala in which if it doesn't make you party-it'll intrigued you with the serious and political charged lyrical depth that would seem to counterfeit the music but it does the exact opposite.
Bump |
| 3.5 great | Halez | March 13th 24 |
| 3.0 good | doofy | January 8th 24 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kuna | September 26th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | Timmy | January 11th 23 |
| 4.0 excellent | MvdW | December 16th 22 |
| 5.0 classic | Pvzuzu | January 13th 22 |
| 4.0 excellent | 2ool | September 18th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | DANcore | April 5th 21 |
| 5.0 classic | random | December 9th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Xenoflux | November 28th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | gnardude | November 20th 20 |
| 3.5 great | hel9000 | September 28th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | SweetAsh | September 9th 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Trundle | January 1st 20 |
| 4.0 excellent | Corney | November 21st 19 |
| 4.5 superb | CPCP | November 6th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Josh | February 15th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | dunnope | October 28th 18 |
| 4.5 superb | nolanzz | September 1st 18 |
| 4.0 excellent | evolve9 | August 8th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | Jadiel | June 20th 18 |
| 3.5 great | Veldin | April 18th 18 |
| 3.5 great | Wolfe | April 13th 18 |
| 5.0 classic | kb3984 | December 3rd 17 |
| 3.0 good | Jan555 | November 26th 17 |
| 4.0 excellent | kokageni | November 11th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | kabster | November 3rd 16 |
| 4.5 superb | Brandon | October 22nd 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | tyler | September 16th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Nights | September 13th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | JoshieG | September 12th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | stromz | August 8th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Lanas | July 23rd 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | virpi | June 30th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Henry | May 3rd 16 |
| 3.5 great | Jade | April 11th 16 |
| 4.0 excellent | Tom R. CONTRIBUTOR | February 24th 16 |
| 4.5 superb | mzeet | December 14th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Hep Kat | December 1st 15 |
| 5.0 classic | Nbtful | November 16th 15 |
| 3.5 great | iveau | August 26th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | Klkofe | May 26th 15 |
| 3.5 great | MarkD | May 23rd 15 |
| 3.5 great | Tiemuuu | February 10th 15 |
| 4.0 excellent | slaps | December 18th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | mc83 | December 4th 14 |
| 2.5 average | Runeii | November 10th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | Vader | November 2nd 14 |
| 4.5 superb | vineh | October 18th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Eldar777 | September 12th 14 |
| 3.0 good | jmh886 | September 8th 14 |
| 4.5 superb | Curse. | August 3rd 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | modulor | June 16th 14 |
| 5.0 classic | kaki | June 12th 14 |
| 3.0 good | ethos | May 1st 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Iznie | April 21st 14 |
| 4.5 superb | krka | March 5th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | jtswope | February 10th 14 |
| 4.0 excellent | Giansk | November 27th 13 |
| 3.5 great | kbzn | November 21st 13 |
| 3.5 great | Mac | November 12th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Shadow17 | November 11th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | 00mee | October 28th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | craven | October 18th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | slarti | September 19th 13 |
| 3.5 great | Pndi | August 15th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | EJinHD | July 15th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Ulshad | July 11th 13 |
| 2.5 average | Viales | April 11th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | CWBrown | February 26th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | dogteal | February 23rd 13 |
| 4.5 superb | Shimana | December 19th 12 |
| 2.5 average | urzadek | December 17th 12 |
| 4.0 excellent | Surette | December 6th 12 |
| 5.0 classic | TheGoon | October 30th 12 |
| 2.5 average | jpratm | September 3rd 12 |
| 3.5 great | tlob | August 30th 12 |
| 4.5 superb | chayka | February 8th 12 |
| 3.5 great | iSkane | February 1st 12 |
| 4.5 superb | hamid95 | October 23rd 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Pugnax | October 21st 11 |
| 3.5 great | Tupik | August 27th 11 |
| 3.0 good | stfrnz | August 17th 11 |
| 3.5 great | T0rr35 | August 15th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Acs4b | August 6th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | Ladakh | July 12th 11 |
| 3.5 great | zillah | June 28th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | perlox | June 28th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Drifts | June 16th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | NoFro | June 1st 11 |
| 3.5 great | Teto | May 19th 11 |
| 3.5 great | jOtl | February 28th 11 |
| 4.5 superb | mmadden | February 13th 11 |
| 5.0 classic | dariua | February 5th 11 |
| 3.5 great | Dionni | February 2nd 11 |
| 4.5 superb | Lokudon | December 31st 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | mogieloc | December 31st 10 |
| 4.5 superb | TanMan | December 12th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | bab808 | December 10th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | rymo | December 7th 10 |
| 2.0 poor | ntoman | December 6th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | NLY | November 15th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Drone | October 9th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | aleoh1 | September 17th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Enyc3 | September 15th 10 |
| 2.5 average | roofi | September 14th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | greg84 EMERITUS | August 28th 10 |
| 3.0 good | ShyGuy | August 17th 10 |
| 3.5 great | Donkey | July 19th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | cuki92 | July 19th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | sEby146 | July 18th 10 |
| 3.5 great | Pizza | July 10th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | BenX02 | July 9th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Smevin | July 8th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Yotimi | June 30th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | mmfarva | June 15th 10 |
| 2.5 average | Zizzer | April 4th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | Ramos29 | April 3rd 10 |
| 3.5 great | BSX | March 12th 10 |
| 4.5 superb | malente | February 27th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | kkluver | January 25th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | hdfalls | January 19th 10 |
| 5.0 classic | 33kj | January 10th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | jmae1101 | December 16th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | chuffy18 | November 22nd 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | barns | November 9th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | TomKat | October 30th 09 |
| 5.0 classic | theoedd | October 28th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | JoRos | October 5th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | kojpl | October 1st 09 |
| 2.5 average | Bsmith7 | September 23rd 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | Rut8norm | September 6th 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | Ziefer | September 5th 09 |
| 2.0 poor | ebay | August 7th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | Mach | May 31st 09 |
| 4.0 excellent | Herunar | February 7th 09 |
| 3.0 good | ratcfc | December 10th 08 |
| 3.5 great | engloa | November 15th 08 |
| 5.0 classic | ECRbubs | October 23rd 08 |
| 3.0 good | Kiron | October 9th 08 |
| 4.5 superb | Pointro | September 14th 08 |
| 2.0 poor | woee | August 28th 08 |
| 3.5 great | Bea | August 15th 08 |
| 2.5 average | tom79 | August 15th 08 |
| 3.5 great | ncherf | August 13th 08 |
| 3.0 good | Open | August 12th 08 |
| 3.0 good | Goku | August 7th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | Yellow | June 30th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | ant4tbc | June 19th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | IsItLuck? EMERITUS | June 16th 08 |
| 1.0 awful | Ryzor | May 15th 08 |
| 3.5 great | lewser | April 17th 08 |
| 3.5 great | KINGGS | March 8th 08 |
| 3.0 good | Skyler | February 27th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | natey | February 19th 08 |
| 3.5 great | vang84 | January 15th 08 |
| 4.0 excellent | Bak | December 2nd 07 |
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