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Kala

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 373 ratings
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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

THIS CD FEATURES A FREE RINGTONE AND MOBILE PHONE WALLPAPER (see insert for details)

M.I.A. is hailed as one of the most freshly creative artists to hit the scene, paving the way for fierce and adventurous females to break the mold. With KALA, she pulls even more globe-trekking, and genre bending into her musical mix.

Recorded in India, Trinidad, Australia, London, New York and Baltimore, M.I.A. has crafted an international sound that is as excitingly undefineable as it is infectious.

The first single from KALA, "Boyz" was just listed at #1 Rolling Stone's Hot List, and #1 song of the Month in Blender magazine!

"Electrifying" - The New York Times

Amazon.com

Maya Arulpragasam, the British-based daughter of Sri Lankan refugees, delivered one of 2005's eye-popping debuts, Arular. For an album that proudly flaunted tin-can production, indecipherable South London slang, and lyrical nods to suicide bombers, it brought the woman who records under the name M.I.A. unexpected mainstream success--she followed its release by touring North America with Gwen Stefani and recording with Missy Elliott and Timbaland, while the single "Galang" made its way into a car commercial. Kala (the first release was named after her freedom-fighting father, this one after her mother) throws Arulpragasam's newfound pop credentials into the bustle of Bollywood rhythms, police sirens, 8-bit dancehall beats, Third World car horns, and street singers. Recorded across several continents, it presents a far more dynamic listening experience than her first album, especially with tracks like "Bamboo Banga," "Jimmy," and "Paper Planes." It's no less exhausting, though. What with the New Order sample, Timbaland cameo, and gunshot sound effects, there isn't a moment when it doesn't feel like you've unintentionally invited an entire carnival into your home. --Aidin Vaziri

Product details

  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.92 x 5.59 x 0.47 inches; 3.39 ounces
  • Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Interscope Records
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ 3380078
  • Original Release Date ‏ : ‎ 2007
  • Date First Available ‏ : ‎ July 14, 2007
  • Label ‏ : ‎ Interscope Records
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000TJ6CM2
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 373 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
373 global ratings

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Kala is the best album i've heard since Thriller
5 out of 5 stars
Kala is the best album i've heard since Thriller
First of all I would like to say I really enjoyed this album. Every time I pop it into my CD player my heart beat doubles. I discovered this album while reading an article about M.I.A in the Express(a Trinidad and Tobago newspaper), which stated that M.I.A came to our country to record some of its songs. Recently I got the chance to purchase it on amazon.com since it was not available in Trinidad. I must say this this my favorite out of the three albums and deserves more attention. I would recommend this to anyone who would like to have a heart pounding listening experience from beginning to the end.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2009
    Before "The Pinepple Expess" made a success of "Paper Planes," Kala had turned the curious ear of many music fans. Superficially, it presents itself as a head-bobbing hip-hop album that could serve as the cacophonous soundtrack to a jammed block party. However, peeling back this immediate layer reveals socially conscious lyrics layered upon an intricate tapestry of sound. "Kala" features recombined snippets of Eastern folk music alongside old-school Afrikaa Bambataa-style proto-hip-hop. The resulting beats and loops are sophisticated and chaotic, rather like the work of Public Enemy at their creative height. The final product hardly sounds like the components from which it is made, and its elaborate arrangement masks its "loopy" structure. In my opinion, this is the way in which sampling can be musical.

    This aesthetic pervades "Kala." As an example, listen to "Jimmy," in which bollywood-inflected strings co-exist with a disco feel to create...a 70's ABBA track? Sound impossible? I also find the loop on "20 Dollar" to be particularly clever. Although this isn't my favorite track, I appreciate the way that the sub-bass creates the gestalt impression that the listener's speakers are being overblown. The bass notes seem to suspend nearly all else until it subsides. By suspending all other rhythmic activity, the bass hits gain a power that cannot be attained by merely turning up the stereo.

    I do not have much in my library to compare "Kala" to. Because its message is so consistent, I am often reminded of Dr. Dre's breakout "The Chronic." Of course, "Kala" sounds nothing like "The Chronic," but they both have a unifying "vibe." I am also tempted to refer to Panjabi MC, but this comparison is a little weak. Despite their similar cultural background as displaced Indo-British, M.I.A.'s comparatively cheeky attitude, undoubtedly stemming from her varied biography, makes her seem, well, a little "gangsta" in comparison to Panjabi MC. She speaks with a voice that sounds like it has had a wide array of life experiences, which lends it a certain gravitas.

    I am not referring merely to the physical sounds that M.I.A. produces with her lungs and throat. I mean the significance and purpose of the sounds of "Kala." M.I.A.'s sounds speak volumes. Most obviously, the now-famous chorus to "Paper Planes" the sounds of gunshots and cash registers clearly tell a story, and on "XR2," video game sounds take over the expressive role of M.I.A.'s physical voice. These sounds reveal as much about her fractalized musical identity as the words she uses or the melodies she sings. Even when M.I.A. is not technically "singing" on "Kala," you can hear her voice. This type of expression is slowly being eroded away as the public repeatedly chooses the cultureless polish of "American Idol" contestants over artists that really have something to say about who they are and where they are coming from.

    It has become cliché to say that the world is shrinking. Now that any kind of music from anywhere is available any time, it might be more accurate to say that the world has shrunk and the cultural flood gates are open. It has been theorized that the increasing flow of cultural material across various conduits would result in a "cultural grey-out," in which everything, no matter in what part of the world it originated, would start to sound the same. Thankfully, this has not happened. Instead, artists have "dug into" their specific identity and began to simultaneously appropriate and resist the musical materials that they were exposed to. "Kala" is a product of this condition.

    THE LOWDOWN: If you like smart hip-hop with a lot of flavor and deep beats, "Kala" should be on your playlist from beginning to end. However, M.I.A.'s lyrics and identity are also profound. Ten years ago, she might have ended up in the "world music" bin. Now, she represents an entire generation of people whose experiences hold more weight than the patch of land that they call home.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2024
    Quality
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2007
    ... but the time spent taking in this album is well worth it. 'Kala' is extraordinarily complex. It definitely takes a special talent to make something like this.

    It helps to know what to expect. I agree with the notion that other Amazon users have put forward that this is a 'noisy mess'.. but that isn't always a bad thing, at least not in music (See: Velvet Underground's "Sister Ray").

    M.I.A. has her album spattered with all sorts of weird sound effects... beeps, cars, ect... and you could be fooled to think that the CD was actually skipping sometimes on certain songs. Then you have songs like "Birdflu", which is an all-out attack of exotic drum rhythms. And it's all done with a unique sense of style.

    It takes time to truly appreciate. And it's quite impressive.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2010
    As a huge fan of Santogold and a `not so secret' admirer of Lady Gaga, I was recommended M.I.A.'s album `Kala' by some friends. They thought I would really appreciate this experimental breed of pop music.

    Yes, I appreciate it, but not without a few reservations.

    I totally get into the whole chaotic feel of this type of music. The genre bending styles at play here are tantalizing and completely engulfing. You can't help but appreciate and admire the way someone like M.I.A. can blend her influences in total harmony. She is nothing short of interesting, but my reservations also lie within her strengths. At times this album can become overwhelming. She tries a little too much to show us everything she can do. There needs to be a limit. The reason for this is that, about halfway through we have heard it all and so some of the songs start to become redundant and uninteresting. Also, with M.I.A. tossing everything in your direction at once you can become disengaged from her music, considering it nothing but noise.

    She has a tendency to lose herself inside the over-abundance of sound.

    Songs like `Bamboo Banga' start off flawlessly but wind up running out of steam long before the end of the track (it's nearly five minutes long). It becomes repetitive. `Bird Flu' is a case of too much and maybe even two experimental. It's rather annoying. I hated `Boyz'. It gave me a slight headache. The chorus may be the worst thing on this entire album. It just comes over as obnoxious as apposed to inspired.

    I know, this sounds like it's not going well, but hold on.

    `Jimmy' is near perfection for me. The beat is obviously influenced by cultural upbringing and the jovial quality suits M.A.I. like a glove. The sing-song texture of the vocals is enchanting and exciting. Overall, this may be her finest moment on the whole album. She keeps up the excitement with `Hussel'. The track is more intense and far more experimental than `Jimmy', but this is the type of genre bending that works. She sounds convincing and keeps the listener spellbound.

    And then that pickle song takes us on a nosedive towards mediocrity.

    '20 Dollar' spikes us back up again, slinking its way into our eardrums with ethnic beats and techno distorted vocals. It doesn't have the `snap' that I would have wanted from it, but it is definitely memorable and entrancing. It has a very trance-like vibe to it. The next track, `World Turn', steps it up even more and proves to be one of the standouts on the album. It is chaotic and engaging but in all the right ways. It doesn't overdo it. M.I.A. polishes the floor with her swagger. She drops the tempo a tad for the exotic `The Turn', another album highlight that actually understands the importance of subtlety (something that M.I.A. hadn't really demonstrated until this point in the album).

    `XR2' feels kind of awkward. It tries, but it fails in my opinion.

    `Paper Planes' was a big hit and established M.I.A. as `one to watch'. The track is not bad, but I don't particularly care for it. I remember when I heard it for the first time and I was just underwhelmed. When M.I.A. was recommended to me I immediately recalled this song and thought that this album was going to hugely disappoint me. Thankfully, that was not the case. Still, `Paper Planes' is a decent track, although the chorus is a cluttered mess.

    The closing Timbaland track, `Come Around', is a mediocre hip-hop track. It actually takes away from the authenticity of M.I.A.'s sound.

    In the end I recommend this album, but like I said, with reservations. This is not your average musical experience. That's a good thing. It's nice to see artists thinking outside the box. M.I.A. may not be everyone's cup of tea, and she is certainly not an artist that one can listen to at anytime, anyplace, but she is the definition of an artist and she is definitely `one to watch'.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 5, 2023
    Bought this as a gift. Sounds well and clear
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2010
    First of all I would like to say I really enjoyed this album. Every time I pop it into my CD player my heart beat doubles. I discovered this album while reading an article about M.I.A in the Express(a Trinidad and Tobago newspaper), which stated that M.I.A came to our country to record some of its songs. Recently I got the chance to purchase it on amazon.com since it was not available in Trinidad. I must say this this my favorite out of the three albums and deserves more attention. I would recommend this to anyone who would like to have a heart pounding listening experience from beginning to the end.
    Customer image
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Kala is the best album i've heard since Thriller

    Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2010
    First of all I would like to say I really enjoyed this album. Every time I pop it into my CD player my heart beat doubles. I discovered this album while reading an article about M.I.A in the Express(a Trinidad and Tobago newspaper), which stated that M.I.A came to our country to record some of its songs. Recently I got the chance to purchase it on amazon.com since it was not available in Trinidad. I must say this this my favorite out of the three albums and deserves more attention. I would recommend this to anyone who would like to have a heart pounding listening experience from beginning to the end.
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    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2016
    I love this music and I'm happy the CD came in but the case was broken. I dunno who's fault it was but I'm a little bummed the case is broken. I'll find a new one though at some point. The CD is fine, not scratched and it plays great.
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2023
    Dual vinyl runs at 45rpm and sounds amazing.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Fercha
    5.0 out of 5 stars Muy bueno, buen estado
    Reviewed in Mexico on November 7, 2024
    Llego en buenas condiciones, muy buen disco
  • Ian
    5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome
    Reviewed in Canada on October 1, 2021
    Awesome thank you
  • Jesús Alejandro Morón Guadarrama
    5.0 out of 5 stars LLEGÓ BIEN
    Reviewed in Mexico on May 30, 2023
    Un poco doblado de una esquina, pero bien, suena impecable.
    Qué decir de KALA, probablemente la obra maestra de M.I.A. aunque es difícil, sus discos con el paso de los años van tomando fuerza y se van ganando el reconocimiento que merecen.
    Me encantó el sonido en este formato, es otra experiencia, estaba tomando cerveza en Sábado la primera vez que lo puse y encontré nuevos sonidos, es alucinante este disco.
    Cualquier persona que se jacte como concedor del world music o de la musica en general, debe escuhcar este disco, su sonido es ALUSCINANTE.
  • SudeepK
    5.0 out of 5 stars Big Choooooons
    Reviewed in Canada on September 28, 2019
    Great lp
    Catchy tunes
    Features A Hindi film cover " Jimmy " and the smash hit Paper Planes and my favourite xr2
  • Enceladus01
    5.0 out of 5 stars Ein Meisterwerk
    Reviewed in Germany on September 21, 2010
    Was ich noch großartig zum Album sagen soll, weiß ich selber nicht, da meine Vorgänger schon das wichtigste zum Album hingeschrieben haben. Mich fasziniert diese Frau, die Musik ist genauso bunt & schrill wie das Artwork und die Outfits von M.I.A.. Sie verknüpft verschiedene Musikstile (Hip-Hop, Electro & Weltmusik) zusammen.
    Schon die Art, wie sie das Album aufgenommen hat ist interessant: Da Maya (so ihr Vorname) damals Schwierigkeiten bei der Einreise in die USA hatte, entschied sie sich um die halbe Welt zu reisen und so ihr Album aufzunehmen. In Chennai, Indien mietete sie sich ein Musikstudio indem gewöhnlicherweise nur Bollywoodlieder aufgenommen werden. Sie heuerte verschiedenen Musiker, die fähig waren die Urumeetrommeln zu spielen und nahm so die Beats auf. Andere Orte an denen sie das Album aufnahm, waren Trinidad, Liberia, Jamaika und Australien. Es war also keine typische Produktion, bei der man sich einfach irgendwo in den USA ein Studio mietet, Produzenten anheuert und loslegt, alles wurde Stück für Stück gefertigt und am Ende kam der Gesang hinzu. Ich finde das ganze Album gut und empfehle allen, die es noch nicht haben, die Expanded Version mit 6 Bonustracks zu kaufen. Ich liebe ALLE Lieder, aber die besten Hörproben wären: Boyz, Paper Planes, Bird Flu, XR2 & 20 Dollar.