M.I.A. has crafted an album that’s energetic and mirrors her rebellious soul through jarring production and explosive verses. The production on Matangi is diverse to say the least, but each song on the album fits her expressive style. For Matangi, M.I.A. recruited a few surprising producers for the album, including The Weeknd’s go-to producer Doc McKinney, The Dutch production duo Partysquad, British house DJ Switch, and even Hit Boy. One of the standout songs is Double Bubble Trouble, which mixes hard-hitting trap elements with dancehall flavor. The influence of international sounds are very heavy on Matangi, mostly from Middle Eastern culture.
One of the biggest situations acknowledged on the album is the middle finger incident during the 2012 Super Bowl performance. Other than tackling controversial issues, M.I.A. does take time to show her personal struggles as well. Even with The Weeknd as the only guest feature, Matangi prospers as a project from M.I.A. The sound might attract an acquired taste, but the diversity in production and M.I.A.’s attitude makes the album stand on its own. With all of that being said Matangi is an incredible album with a fighting spirit. Something that is needed in an industry that doesn’t have much of it anymore.
AHH’s RATINGS
Lyricism– 7/10
Production– 9/10
Album Cohesiveness– 9/10
Replay value– 8/10
Overall– 8/10
Personal Favorite Tracks: “Double Bubble Trouble”, “Warriors”, “Bring The Noize″