M.I.A. - "Sunshowers" single (XL)

As promised, here's the first bit of new music trickling in, this one from XL Records' most hyped new addition, Sri Lanka's M.I.A. Apparently, her new record is dropping on Feb. 22nd, and "Galang", her first single, has already hit pretty hard in the UK. She's drawing comparisons to the XL's other big UK player, Dizzee Rascal, if only in the kind of promotion push that XL's putting behind her.

I've heard a couple of tracks from the Piracy Funds Terrorism, Vol. 1 mixtape, and I liked a lot of it, even if I didn't get the names of the tracks. The "Sunshowers" single hits close to the top of that pile, but the real surprise is on the b-side, "Fire Fire", which is the best M.I.A. track I've heard and would've been my favorite hip-hop of last year had I heard it then. Like all of her successful stuff that I've heard, "Fire Fire" keeps it really fucking simple, with 1-2 (pause) 1-2 rhythms, a little high hat, some 1-note synth stabs and and occasional bass hit falling to the floor. It leaves room for her voice, which is the best part of an M.I.A. track - she's got a little bit of depth and timbre to it that a lot of female MCs lack. The accent is nice, too.

I also just picked up the "Galang" single from Insound, because XL was all sold out of it. However, Insound doesn't appear to carry the "Sunshowers" single, so you'll have to split up your purchases if you want both of them. Or just wait for her new album to come out.

On the other hand, if you can't wait, here's the 80s hip hop revivalism of the "Galang" video. As I get it, you get it.