RanjaniG posted a few days back on Cool Hunting about M.I.A.'s Galang video. Good on him. Mike turned me on to M.I.A., who is not the only female M.I.A. around nor the only MIA in history. Popular name, no? But this M.I.A. is not like the others.
Ranjani is dead on with his critique of her music. It has all of the potential of World Music and the production values of modern hip-hip and electronic music (ok, electro) with none of the baggage of any of those genres. The truly innovative tracks have this trait. The first listen and it sounds totally new. A few more listens and you can pick out the elements but they haven't been concocted like this before. Usually makes you regret not thinking of it yourself.
The video is excellent. I'm mean, come on, grass covered tanks! And those outfits. My.
I'm sure Simon Reynolds and crew went crazy for this but unfortunately, no search on ye' old bliss out blog. That is a shame because every time I go there it opens my head up.
Anyway, you can check out the video at xlrecordings. I'd about shit myself if I saw this on M.T.V. In fact, while I was home sick on and off for the past two weeks I tried to find a video music channel. Apparently even MTV2 is no longer for videos. What the hell is wrong with those people? And where is the upstart video channel to knock things into order?