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Arular - M.I.A.
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Metascore
88 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 33 Critics What's this?

User Score
8.0 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 206 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Summary: This short but wildly eclectic debut album from Maya Arulpragasam, a Sri Lankan-born, London-based artist and daughter of a Tamil Tiger revolutionary, is preceded by enormous buzz in both the U.K. and the U.S.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 32 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. Stylus Magazine
    100
    It's a swaggering, spitting, utterly contemporary album of politically dissident, sexually forthright Anglo-Sri Lankan dubstep bhangra hip-pop IDM in which M.I.A. stars as protagonist, antagonist, chanteuse, MC, exotic schoolgirl tease, graphic artist, chastiser of the immoral, and fun-loving London-living party girl. And all in under 40 minutes, too. It's special. We've not heard it's like before.
  2. Spin
    100
    Will likely be the best political album this year. [Mar 2005, p.88]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Q Magazine
    60
    M.I.A.'s style mag-cool pop-rap doesn't have the substance to carry the dark subtext of the title. [May 2005, p.107]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 33 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 109 out of 138
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 138
  3. Negative: 24 out of 138
  1. JM
    10
    One of the essential albums of the year...
    • 2 of 2 users said yes
  2. ElkDog
    5
    Wow, this cd was so annoying. It has a lot of forgettable cheap sounding drum beats with this chick going lalala bakka bakka wicka pricka lacka lacka. I have no idea what the hell she's saying. Very annoying. I can't believe the rating it has on this site.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. Anonymous
    0
    Can anyone even understand what she is saying? I am shocked to see that so many people like this kind of music. And I use the term music lightly, because to me this is just random noises thrown together. If anyone listens to Dane Cook, then they will understand when I say that this is the kind of noise that makes you want to punch a baby.… Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes

See all 138 User Reviews

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