M.I.A. – Kala (2LP, 45 tours, Half Speed Mastering, Vinyle violet et vert fluo)
RARITY - SEALED
Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam (M. I. A.),
Featuring R.P. Patnaik (A2), Afrikan Boy (B2), The Wilcannia Mob (B3), Timbaland (D3)
Written by M.I.A. (all tracks), Switch (A1 to B2, C1-2, D1), Ilayaraja (A1), Jonathan Richman (A1), R.P. Patnaik (A2), Bappi Lahiri (B1), Diplo (B2, D1-2), Brendan Adams (B3), Buddy Blair (B3), Colin Roy Johnson (B3), Daniel Wright (B3), Keith Dutton (B3), Lendal King (B3), Morgan Lewis (B3), Walter Ebsworth (B3), Will Jarrett (B3), Charles Thompson (C1), Blaqstarr (C2-3), Joe Strummer (D2), Mick Jones (D2), Paul Simonon (D2), Topper Headon (D2), Timothy Clayton (D3), Timothy Mosley (D3)
2 LPs, Gatefold jacket
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : Purple Neon & Green Neon
Speed : 45RPM
Half Speed Mastering
Size : 12'’
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : GZ Media
Label : Vinyl Me Please
Original Label : XL Recordings
Mixed by Spike Stent (A3, B1), Demacio "Demo" Castellon (D3)
Produced by M.I.A. (A1 to B3, C2-3), Switch (A 1, A3 to B2, C1-2), Diplo (B2, D1-2), Morganics (B3), Blaqstarr (C3), Timbaland (D3)
Originally released in August 2007
Reissued in 2023
Tracks:
Side A :
- Bamboo Banga
- Bird Flu
- Boyz
Side B :
- Jimmy
- Hussel
- Mango Pickle Down River
Side C :
- 20 Dollar
- World Town
- The Turn
Side D :
- XR2
- Paper Planes
- Come Around
Awards:
Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time – Ranked 393
NME list of the 100 greatest records of the decade – Ranked 72
NME list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time – Ranked 184
Included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
Review :
« Kala and Arular are similar in that they are both wildly vigorous and wholly enjoyable albums, generous with blunt-force beats, flurries of percussion, riotous vocals (with largely inconsequential lyrics), and fearless stylistic syntheses that seem to view music from half of the planet's countries as potential source material. But Kala nearly makes Arular seem tame in comparison, magnifying most of its predecessor's qualities as it remains bracingly adventurous. While it certainly sounds like a second M.I.A. album, nothing about it is stagnant. Made in piecemeal fashion while located in several countries, Kala involves a few co-producers: U.K. "dirty house" producer Switch is the primary collaborator, while Baltimore club don Blaqstarr, Diplo, and Timbaland assist M.I.A. on one or a couple tracks each. Further variety is added vocally, not only through M.I.A.'s numerous modes, but also through feature spots from Nigerian MC Afrikan Boy and a crew of young Aborigine rappers. Roughly half the album -- including the opening three-track sequence, which incorporates Jonathan Richman's "Roadrunner," samples from two Tamil-language film soundtracks, squawking chickens, (what sounds like) yelping children, and clustered rhythmic devices that boom, stab, clap, rattle, twitter, and sometimes even prance -- is more intense than anything on Arular. The tracks are so full of chaos and jagged noise that it is disarming to reach the relatively relaxed material, especially the two tracks that resemble actual songs. "Jimmy" is a rather faithful cover, willfully chintzy strings and all, of a flirtatiously lovelorn neo-disco number from the '80s Bollywood film Disco Dancer. "Paper Planes" has a sing-songy float to it, aided by the Clash's "Straight to Hell," though it also appropriates Wreckx-N-Effect's "Rump Shaker" while replacing "zoom-a-zoom-zoom-zoom" and "boom-boom" with sounds from shotguns and cash registers. Like the remainder of the album's best moments, it recalls the late Lizzy Mercier Descloux, another artist who made thrilling music by mixing cultures with respectful irreverence. Perhaps some of Arular's detractors knew M.I.A. was capable of this all along. » AllMusic Review by Andy Kellman
Half-speed mastering. In half-speed mastering, the whole process is slowed down to half of the original speed. A typical 33 1/3 rpm record is cut at 16 2/3 rpm. The source material is also slowed down (reducing the pitch in the process) meaning the final record will still sound normal when played back. Slowing the whole process down allows more time, which means the end result sounds better and is more efficient — allowing engineering to minimize the effects of inherent limitations within the vinyl format. The result is a more accurate and more open high-frequency response in the half speed vinyl when compared with a normal speed recording.
Ratings :
AllMusic : 5 / 5 ; Discogs : 4.54 / 5