Rating: NNNNN
I hereby take back all the nasty things I’ve ever said about British hiphop. MIA has convinced me. This highly anticipated debut album is so incredibly addictive that I’m literally hitting the play button again the second it ends. The politics of MIA’s Sri Lankan roots are much less evident than some critics have implied – Arular is more tough and sexy party disc than serious, conscious political critique. The dirty minimalist production blends the best of dancehall reggae, acid house, Miami bass, contemporary hiphop and classic electro, and her rhymes and singing are immediately appealing and infectious.