Jump to content

Kala (album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by DriveDelta (talk | contribs) at 08:25, 11 August 2008 (Undid revision 230429701 by 71.14.185.14 (talk)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Untitled

Kala is the second studio album by British musical artist M.I.A., released on 20 August 2007 on XL Records (see 2007 in music). The album was mainly written and produced by M.I.A. and collaborator Switch. Upon release, Kala was hailed by critics and was ranked as one of the best albums of the year by several publications.

Album history

Background

M.I.A. began recording for her second album in February 2006 immediately following the end of her tour supporting her first album Arular. The album features collaborations with Afrikan Boy, The Wilcannia Mob, and Timbaland and production by M.I.A., Switch, Blaqstarr, Morganics, Diplo, and Timbaland.[1] M.I.A. has described the album as "shapes, colours, Africa, street, power, bitch, nu world, and brave."[2]

M.I.A. spoke in 2005 of her intention to work with producer Timbaland on a few tracks for her second album, including during her appearance on MuchMusic's Much on Demand music show in September 2005.[3] M.I.A. had also held recording sessions with Three 6 Mafia.[4] She has been quoted as saying "[There was] a track I was working on with Three Six Mafia [that] didn’t make it...and one with Danjahandz, and Samir Debonair. Loads of things didn’t happen because I was having visa issues, but they’ll probably work out in the future.”[5] Despite having written material and formed demos for her second album through late 2005, having no access to her work or her equipment in her house meant starting the album from scratch in early 2006.[5]

She also intended to work with A. R. Rahman on tracks for the album, but due to time constraints on Rahman, she recorded the song "Birdflu" instead using his studio in Chennai, India.[5] She also recorded songs elsewhere in Chennai as well as in Trinidad, Liberia, Jamaica, Australia, Japan, the UK and the US.

Content and recording

Arulpragasam's problems with immigration in the early stages of recording and parallels she saw with her mother's earlier struggles would form the basis for the lyrical content on the album. Arulpragasam adopted a choppier, more fragmented lyrical style on Kala. The "louder, heavier music"[5] on the album was attributed to the layering of several percussive instruments, voices and sounds she employed on the record during sessions across the world - terming it "experimental, weighty... so outsider."[6] She likened the process to "making a big old marble cake with lots of different countries and influences. Then you slice it up and call each slice a song."[6] She described Kala as "realistically more worldly" and debut album Arular more "conceptually worldly."[7] Kala also saw Arul using more samples than on Arular, interweaving acknowledged snippets of songs she encountered across the world into her compositions.

Songs played throughout M.I.A.’s 2007 tour are included on the album. In an interview with Fact magazine, Arulpragasam described how songs such as "Boyz," were recorded using urumee drummers from gaana music in Tamil Nadu, revisiting the "old Tamil folk music that [she] knew from having lived in Sri Lanka"[8] and were worked on further in Trinidad in a soca/dance environment. "For "Birdflu" and "Boyz" and some of the drums on "Hussel", I had these drummers from this crazy traditional village, they play at temples and stuff…we had them come in... Initially, I was just going for the sound...I asked them to play a 4/4 beat... it took ages because they’re so used to free-styling and letting one beat drop into another beat into another beat.”[5] The song “Hussel” began as a photo in Arul’s head, that of “200 people being smuggled in fishing boats in Carila, coming over as refugees.”[6] Arul described in an interview with The Fader, “If they banged that beat on the side of a boat, what would it sound like? That’s why it’s all echo-y and submarine-y. We tried to get that out in music.”[6] “World Town” was recorded with a “weird instrument that comes from temple music called the nadaswaram or p.p. for short.”[6] She described the writing process as “really personal.” Initially played to children in Liberia, Arul expressed a desire to record a video for the song there.[6]

Children can be heard singing on songs such as “Birdflu,” “Mango Pickle Down River” and “Paper Planes.” Her "flat, unaffected vocals and delivery of lyrics" on some songs drew comparisons to British post punk bands such as Delta 5 and The Slits. She says it "was just what was happening to me naturally...I wanted it to be difficult and raw and not get into it so much."[9] M.I.A. spoke of working with guest vocalist Afrikan Boy as he seemed “comfortable expressing himself as a real immigrant” and because "he's from a different place than just a grime MC"[8] and sought to include The Wilcannia Mob's song "Mango Pickle Down River" on the album as oppose to a future mix-tape saying "I just love it because you never, ever hear the aboriginal voice on a record."[8] She also included the track "Come Around," a song she recorded with Timbaland for his album Shock Value. In an interview with Exclaim, she described opening track “Bamboo Banga” as having a “bamboo-stick beat, house-y feel.”[8] The song “Jimmy” was included as a tribute to her mother, her version of an old Bollywood film track she used to dance to at parties as a child.[9] Arulpragasam has said she was interested in how working with Baltimore club musician Blaqstarr on one song, “The Turn,” turned out the album’s only ballad.[8] "20 Dollar" was written on life in an African country during and after a civil war, the relative ease of buying AK-47s there, and M.I.A. contemplating on her journey and goals in music. "XR2" recalls part of the artist's life growing up with rave music in early 1990s London, while the song "Paper Planes" jokingly plays on M.I.A.'s problems with visas and certain perceptions of immigrants.[10]

Album title and artwork

Kala is named after M.I.A.'s mother (her previous album, Arular, was named after her father). She explains "I thought it was fair."[5] M.I.A. stated that "Arular...was a real masculine album." Regarding Kala, she says, "This one is about my mum and her struggle—how do you work, feed your children, nurture them and give them the power of information?"[11][12]

As with her previous album, Arulpragasam created the artwork for Kala, and was also involved in photography for the album. Photos from Arul's travels during the album's making, taken in Liberia and Jamaica were included in a booklet as part of the album sleeve. The cover artwork for Kala featured bright, brash neon colours, with retro, pixelated patterns. These were also seen in her music videos, such as for single "Boyz." It further served as the backdrop for her official website and Myspace accounts, when they were relaunched/redesigned in February 2007. Additional graphics for the album were provided by Carri Mundane (a.k.a Cassette Playa) and Steve Loveridge. In an early blog entry on her relaunched official website, M.I.A. spoke of how she was also inspired by bootleg Nigerian DVDs during the album's early making.[13]

Reception

Kala was initially announced to be released on 26 June 2007, but was eventually released on 8 August 2007 in Japan. Before the release, M.I.A. posted all songs from the album onto her Myspace page. Kala debuted at number 22 on the World Albums Chart upon release. The album peaked at number three on the U.S. iTunes Music Store upon release. It debuted at number 18 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling about 29,000 copies in its first week.[14] The album generally received a very positive reception from critics, scoring 87 on MetaCritic.[15] Kala has so far sold 241,973 copies in the US.[16] Rolling Stone said that Kala "strikes deep. There's a resolute sarcasm, a weariness and defiant determination, a sense of pleasure carved out of work - articulated by the lyrics, embodied by the music."[17] The Hartford Courant called Kala "pop music without the vapidity, and political music without the condescension."[18] Spin said "M.I.A.'s border-crossing dance pop is a revolutionary manifesto set to the victory-party vibe of the future."[19] Rapreviews.com praised Kala as an effort "drenched in a humid heat, leaving a trail of sweat-soaked speakers blown through bass..." Whilst commenting that "it is more expansive and daring - resulting in more highs and lows than Arular," it commended Kala as a "yet strangely alluring and captivating album, revealing more of itself upon each additional listen."[20] Under the Radar, in a positive review, noted that Kala "not only doesn't disappoint, it renews faith in M.I.A. and confirms her commitment to the individualistic sound she has created."[21] By the end of 2007, it was ranked by Metacritic as the 9th best reviewed album of the year.[22] It also achieved a high place on most publications' end of year "best of 2007" lists, including placings at 8 (Stylus Magazine), 7 (NME), 6 (Paste, The Onion AV Club, Entertainment Weekly), 5 (Spin), 4 (The Guardian and Drowned in Sound), 3 (Pitchfork Media). Kala placed number 3 on The Village Voice's 35th annual Pazz & Jop poll for the Best Album of 2007.[23] Blender magazine awarded Kala their number 1 album of 2007,[24] and Kala ranked number one on Rolling Stone's list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007.[25]


Track listing

# Title Producer(s) Featured Guest(s) Time
1 "Bamboo Banga" M.I.A. and Switch 4:58
2 "Birdflu" M.I.A. (additional production by Switch) 3:24
3 "Boyz" M.I.A. and Switch 3:27
4 "Jimmy" M.I.A. and Switch 3:29
5 "Hussel" M.I.A., Switch, Diplo Afrikan Boy 4:25
6 "Mango Pickle Down River" M.I.A. and Morganics The Wilcannia Mob 3:53
7 "20 Dollar" Switch 4:34
8 "World Town" M.I.A. and Switch 3:53
9 "The Turn" M.I.A. and Blaqstarr 3:52
10 "XR2" Diplo (additional production by Switch) 4:20
11 "Paper Planes" Diplo (additional production by Switch) 3:24
12 "Come Around" Timbaland Timbaland 3:53
13 "Far Far" (bonus track) M.I.A. and Switch 3:24
14 "Big Branch" (iTunes bonus track) Diplo (additional production by Switch) 2:44
15 "What I Got" (bonus track) Blaqstarr 3:24
16 "Birdflu (Cavemen Remix)" (Best Buy bonus track) M.I.A. (additional production by Switch) 3:18

"Big Branch" appears as track thirteen on the U.S. and UK iTunes versions as a bonus track, while the Cavemen Remix of "Birdflu" comes as a bonus download with purchase of the Best Buy edition in the United States. The track listing was confirmed on M.I.A.'s official website in May 2007.[26]

Singles

Although not officially considered a single, the song "Birdflu" was made available to download from iTunes on November 23 2006, and its video was posted on the internet in early February 2007. The first official single to be lifted from the album, "Boyz," premiered on Zane Lowe's Radio 1 show on April 24, 2007. The song was released as a 12", enhanced EP, a radio edit and in USB key format on June 11, 2007. Unofficial remixes of the song including by The Twelves, Kimono Kops and Rock Steady Drew circulated around the internet soon after the song's release. The second single released was "Jimmy", a disco-influenced song. The release included remixes by DJ Eli and a radio mix by Dan Carey. Australian public radio station Triple J began playing "Paper Planes" in late 2007; where it received much radio air play before becoming an official single. The song reached number 17 on the Triple J Hot 100. The EP Paper Planes - Homeland Security Remixes featuring the song "Paper Planes" and remixes was released on February 11, 2008, although tracklistings varied slightly depending on the format.

Outtakes

On May 2, 2007, a new track, "Hit That", not intended for an appearance on the album, was made available for download on producer Bangladesh's MySpace. Parts of "Hit That" appear on the Japanese bonus track "What I Got" and a revision of the bridge is heard in "Paper Planes". Arulpragasam uploaded the song "XR2 Turbo", a remixed version of "XR2", onto her MySpace in early October 2006 from Japan.[27]

Samples

  • "Bamboo Banga"'s opening words sample lyrics of "Roadrunner", from Jonathan Richman's The Modern Lovers (1976). Elements of the song "Kaattukkuyilu" from Ilaiyaraaja's soundtrack of the 1991 Tamil film Dalapathi are also heard.
  • "Birdflu" incorporates elements of "Thirvizha Na Vantha" composed by R. P. Patnaik, from the Tamil film Jayam.
  • "Jimmy" is a reworked and rewritten cover of the song "Jimmy Jimmy Aaja" composed by Bappi Lahiri from the 1982 Bollywood film Disco Dancer.
  • "Mango Pickle Down River" is remixed from the original recording by the Wilcannia Mob ("Down River") with M.I.A.'s vocal part added.
  • "20 Dollar" features the lyrics of the Pixies' song "Where Is My Mind?" as the song's chorus and has a bass line similar to that of New Order's "Blue Monday".
  • "World Town"'s chorus incorporates "Hands Up, Thumbs Down" written by Blaqstarr.
  • "Paper Planes" interpolates The Clash's 1982 song "Straight to Hell" and elements of Wreckx-N-Effect's "Rump Shaker" in the chorus.
  • "Come Around" features the bridge from "Let The Music Play" by Shamur, looped both at the beginning of the song and during Timbaland's vocals near the end of the song.
  • "Far Far" borrows the arrangement of the verse in one of M.I.A.'s earlier songs, "Macho".

The song "Come Around" featured in the fourth season finale of Entourage and also appears as a UK and Japan bonus track on the album Shock Value (2007). The song "Boyz" featured in an episode from season two of Heroes and in an episode from season 6 of CSI: Miami. The song "Birdflu" features in the soundtrack of the anime film Vexille (2007).[28] The songs "Boyz" and "Birdflu" can be heard in the video game FIFA Street 3.

The song "Paper Planes" is featured in the trailer for the film Pineapple Express, starring Seth Rogen and James Franco.

Personnel

  • Vocals – M.I.A.
  • Producers:
    • M.I.A. (tracks 1 to 6, 8, 9)
    • Switch (tracks 1, 3 to 5, 7, 8)
    • Diplo (tracks 5, 10, 11)
    • Timbaland (track 12)
    • Morganics (track 6)
    • Blaqstarr (track 9)
  • Assistant engineers - Larry "Live" Lyons (track 12), Marty Green (track 12)
  • Mixing: Mark "Spike" Stent, Switch
  • Digital editing: Ron Taylor (track 12)
  • Vocal producer: M.I.A. (track 6), Diplo (track 6), Jim Beanz (track 12)
  • Graphic design: Carri Mundane, Steve Loveridge
  • Artwork: M.I.A.
  • Photography: M.I.A., Janette Beckman, Liz Johnson Artur, Michael Kamber
  • Cut: DJ Ability (track 6)
  • Featuring vocals: Afrikan Boy, The Wilcannia Mob, Timbaland

Charts

Chart (2007)[29][30] Peak
position
U.S. Top Electronic Albums 1
UK Indie Albums Chart 2
U.S. Top Rap Albums 8
Canada Albums Chart[31] 16
Sweden Albums Chart 18
U.S. Billboard 200 18
Norwegian Albums Chart 22
Belgium Albums Chart 22
United World Chart 22
Irish Albums Chart 22
Japanese Oricon Albums Chart[32] 23
Finland Albums Chart 38
UK Albums Chart[33] 39
Netherlands Albums Chart 44
Australian ARIA Albums Chart 46
European Top 100 Albums 74
Switzerland Albums Chart 74
Austria Albums Chart 74
German Albums Chart 93
France Albums Chart 117

References

  1. ^ ""M.I.A.: Kala"". AllMusicGuide. 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
  2. ^ ""10 essential albums for Spring"". 2007-03-11. Retrieved 2007-04-07. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ ""MuchMusic Much on Demand: M.I.A. Transcript Sep 2005"". Much on Demand. Retrieved 2007-08-24.
  4. ^ "M.I.A. in Ardent". mixonline.com. 2007-05-09. Retrieved 2007-05-09. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e f ""M.I.A. - Fact Magazine"". FACTmagazine. Retrieved 2007-06-07.
  6. ^ a b c d e f ""Life in Exile"". Fader. 2007-07-08. Retrieved 2007-12-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ ""Backstage @ Parades de Coura Festival". ITW M.I.A. Sic Radical. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
  8. ^ a b c d e Lindsay, Cam (September 2007). "M.I.A." Exclaim. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ a b ""Staus Ain't Hood interviews M.I.A."". The Village Voice. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
  10. ^ "M.I.A. Strike, Match, Light, Fire". MTV Overdrive. 2007-12-03. Retrieved 2008-03-06.
  11. ^ Hawkins, Si. "M.I.A.: World Party". Urb. May 17, 2007. Retrieved May 24, 2007.
  12. ^ ""What's Up With M.I.A."". Philadelphiaweekly.com. 2006-09-06. Retrieved 2007-05-27.
  13. ^ ""M.I.A. Blog" (Official Site)". MIAUK.com. 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-30.
  14. ^ Katie Hasty, "'High School Musical 2' Hangs On Atop Billboard 200", Billboard.com, August 29, 2007.
  15. ^ "Kala at MetaCritic". MetaCritic. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  16. ^ Pulse Music Board - Billboard 200 08/09/2008 - Miley Cyrus #1, 371k
  17. ^ "Kala : M.I.A. : Review : Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  18. ^ "Kala by M.I.A." The Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  19. ^ M.I.A. Kala. Sep 2007. Spin. p.127
  20. ^ "M.I.A. :: Kala :: XL Recordings". Rapreviews.com. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  21. ^ M.I.A.: Kala. Under the Radar. Summer 2007. Page 74
  22. ^ Metacritic: Best Albums of 2007. MetaCritic. December 21, 2007
  23. ^ The Village Voice (24 January 2008). "The 35th Annual Village Voice pazz&jop critics' poll". The Village Voice. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help); Unknown parameter |accessmonthday= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ "Best Albums of 2007 - Music Critics' Year-End Top Ten Lists". Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-12-19.
  25. ^ "The Top 50 Albums of 2007". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
  26. ^ ""M.I.A. 2007"". MIAUK. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  27. ^ ""M.I.A. Blog" (Official Site)". MIAUK.com. 2007-06-15. Retrieved 2007-07-01.
  28. ^ Various Artists - Vexille Soundtrack. 7 Digital. Retrieved 23 December 2007.
  29. ^ "M.I.A. Kala". SwedishCharts.com. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
  30. ^ "M.I.A. Kala - Music Charts". aCharts.us. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
  31. ^ "Canada Albums Chart". Jam.canoe.ca. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
  32. ^ "カラ - Ｍ．Ｉ．Ａ． ／ オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. Retrieved 2007-09-03.
  33. ^ Kala U.K. Chart Positions. Chartstats.com. Retrieved 2007-09-04.


Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kala_(album)&oldid=231189372"