M.I.A.: Arular (2LP) [XL]

Why you'll love it

This XL reissue spreads Arular over four sides in a gatefold jacket. It was shortlisted for the 2005 Mercury Prize, finished second in the Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics' poll and was named album of the year by Stylus.

This edition

• 2LP set
• Gatefold jacket

About the album

Maya Arulpragasam made the first sketches of Arular in her West London bedroom on a Roland MC-505 groovebox, and the result sounded like nothing else in 2005. She worked on it from mid-2003 through 2004, and XL signed her after Frischmann's manager heard those home demos. The title comes from her father's code name, and she has said his ideals give the album its backbone.

The sound is a brilliant collision of dancehall, electro, baile funk, grime and hip hop, built with Switch, Diplo, Richard X, Wizard and Justine Frischmann, with Pulp's Steve Mackey among the Cavemen on "Galang." That single first appeared in 2003 and set the template, "Sunshowers" followed with its sunny melody and sharp edges, and "Bucky Done Gun" rides a booming, chant-along beat. "Pull Up the People," "Amazon" and "10 Dollar" keep the energy high, and the track "M.I.A." sits uncredited at the end of side four.

The Guardian later placed it among the best albums of the 21st century. The beats began on that borrowed groovebox, and we'd like to think Frischmann eventually got it back.

Also at Kops: more M.I.A. on vinyl · browse Hip Hop / R&B

Tracklist

Listen

On XL Recordings (cat# XLLP 186), a reissue of the 2005 album.