/\/\/\Y/\ is a disappointing listen. It’s abrasive for the sake of it, lacks direction, cohesion and really only ends up with four or five listenable tunes (‘Steppin’ Up, ‘XXXO’, ‘Born Free’, ‘Space’ and ‘Tell Me Why’). It’s most certainly her least appealing album thus far. After all that truffle fries nonsense, she needed it to be worthy of acting like a twat. Maybe, M.I.A prefers to be the underdog though? Reaction to the album is poor. So she appears on Letterman with an army of M.I.A doppelgangers and Suicide’s Martin Rev on keyboards. It’s a discombobulating performance but a memorable one.
Listen to the album in the more.
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005. He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Cara Magazine, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, co-founder of Lumo Club, event curator, Indie Sleaze club promoter, and producer of gigs and monthly listening parties & events in Dublin.
