Arular
Arular | ||
---|---|---|
Album cover | ||
LP by M.I.A. | ||
US Release | March 22, 2005 | |
UK Release | April 18, 2005 | |
International Release | April 25, 2005 | |
Recorded | Mid 2003- Early 2005 | |
Genre | Dancehall, Hip Hop, Grime, Electro | |
US Length | 38 min 06 s | |
Record label | XL Recordings | |
Producer | several; see below | |
Professional reviews | ||
Pitchfork Media | 8.6 out of 10 | |
Spin Magazine | 5 out of 5 | |
MIA Chronology | ||
Arular (2005) |
Arular is the highly anticipated debut album by controversial UK rap artist, M.I.A.. The album is titled after her father's political code name used during the Tamil independence movements. After months of delays due to sample issues, "Arular" was finally released on March 22, 2005 in America to universal critical acclaim. Almost a month later, "Arular" was released in the UK with two extra tracks. Fearless and aggressive, "Arular" knocks listeners unconscious with M.I.A.'s snarling, confrontational approach, changing from Jamaican-dancehall toaster, dirty American rapper, monastic-Tibetan chanter and British jungle MC. She also disguises her very serious lyrical messages in what sounds like borderline nonsense; her topics range from teenage prostitution to poverty to war to consumerism, all spit rough-and-ready over punky electro rhythms. "Arular"'s cut-and-paste feel and politically fraught nursery-rhyme babble bring to mind tin toys in crowded wholesale shops and Third World markets: noisy, man-made, harsh, and difficult to ignore. In just forty minutes, M.I.A. has produced an unparalleled mongrel mix of hip-hop, ragga, dancehall, electro and punk.
US Track Listing, Times & Composers
- "Ba-Na-Na Skit" [0:36] (Maya Arulpragasam)
- "Pull Up The People" [3:45] (Maya Arulpragasam, A. Brucker and Paschal Byrne)
- "Bucky Done Gun" [3:46] (Maya Arulpragasam, Carol Conners, Bill Conti, Wesley Pentz and Ayn Robbins)
- "Fire, Fire" [3:28] (Maya Arulpragasam and Anthony Whiting)
- "Freedom Skit" [0:42] (Maya Arulpragasam)
- "Amazon" [4:16] (Maya Arulpragasam and Richard X)
- "Bingo" [3:12] (Maya Arulpragasam and Anthony Whiting)
- "Hombre" [4:02] (Maya Arulpragasam and Dwayne Wilson)
- "One For The Head Skit" [0:29] (Maya Arulpragasam)
- "10 $" [4:03] (Maya Arulpragasam and Richard X)
- "Sunshowers" [3:16] (Maya Arulpragasam, Stony Browder Jr., August Darnell, Steve Mackey and Ross Orton)
- "Galang" [3:35] (Maya Arulpragasam, Justine Frischmann, Steve Mackey and Ross Orton)
- "M.I.A." [3:27] (Maya Arulpragasam and Wesley Pentz)
UK Track Listing, Times & Composers
- "Ba-Na-Na Skit" [0:36] (Maya Arulpragasam)
- "Pull Up The People" [3:45] (Maya Arulpragasam, A. Brucker and Paschal Byrne)
- "Bucky Done Gun" [3:46] (Maya Arulpragasam, Carol Conners, Bill Conti, Wesley Pentz and Ayn Robbins)
- "Sunshowers" [3:16] (Maya Arulpragasam, Stony Browder Jr., August Darnell, Steve Mackey and Ross Orton)
- "Fire, Fire" [3:28] (Maya Arulpragasam and Anthony Whiting)
- "Dash The Curry Skit" [0:40] (Maya Arulpragasam)
- "Amazon" [4:16] (Maya Arulpragasam and Richard X)
- "Bingo" [3:12] (Maya Arulpragasam and Anthony Whiting)
- "Hombre" [4:02] (Maya Arulpragasam and Dwayne Wilson)
- "One For The Head Skit" [0:29] (Maya Arulpragasam)
- "10 $" [4:03] (Maya Arulpragasam and Richard X)
- "U.R.A.Q.T" [2:55] (Maya Arulpragasam and Quincy Jones)
- "Galang" [3:35] (Maya Arulpragasam, Justine Frischmann, Steve Mackey and Ross Orton)
- "M.I.A." [3:27] (Maya Arulpragasam and Wesley Pentz)
Personnel
- Maya Arulpragasam - main performer, artwork
- A. Brucker - producer on "Pull Up The People", final mix and additional production on "Bucky Done Gun" and "U.R.A.Q.T"
- Paschal Byrne - producer on "Pull Up The People", final mix and additional production on "Bucky Done Gun" and "U.R.A.Q.T"
- Diplo - producer on "Bucky Done Gun", "U.R.A.Q.T" and "M.I.A."
- KW Griff - producer on "U.R.A.Q.T"
- Pete Hofmann - engineer and mixing on "Amazon" and "10 $"
- Steve Loveridge - artwork design
- Steve Mackey - producer on "Sunshowers" and "Galang"
- Ross Orton - producer on "Sunshowers" and "Galang"
- Nesreen Shah - chorus vocals on "Sunshowers"
- Anthony Whiting - producer on "Fire Fire" and "Bingo"
- Dwayne "Willy" Wilson III - producer on "Hombre"
- Wizard - programming, mixing and additional production on "Bucky Done Gun"
- Richard X - producer on "Amazon" and "10 $"