I’m not sure if everyone has reached a saturation point with M.I.A. or not. But after she released “Bad Girls” off of her “Vicki Leekx” mixtape over the winter I must admit I have fallen for her mélange of hip-hop-electronic-dance. Forget her supposed antics at the Super Bowl, her disdain for popular culture, or her political antics, there is no denying that she can write some really good songs.
On this new track “Baby” it seems M.I.A. has slowed down her beats and vocals. Perhaps, that is the touch of William Orbit, who produced the track. Orbit, who is known for producing albums like Madonna’s Ray of Light and Blur’s underrated 13, has put M.I.A.’s vocals at the forefront. It sounds clean and chill. There’s no abrasive rapping, just smooth vocals that sometimes fade in and out of distortion. If “Bad Girls” and “Baby” are any indication of what her new album Matangi will sound like, you can count me in!
