As you travel deeper into an album of cybernated madness, you can’t help but feel as though you have stumbled into an ‘80s Atari video game. M.I.A.’s third album, ///Y/, appears to be a rejection of any attempt to categorize her as a mainstream, pop-cultured puppet. Her political baseline remains stable as she continues to take shots at media conglomerates in “The Message.” She takes aim at media monster Google, who has recently taken hold of other websites, like Jambool and YouTube. M.I.A. might have a bone to pick with the YouTube after “Born Free,” the first video released from the album, was banned from the site’s search engine due to its violent nature.
Club-bangers on the album include “XXXO” as well as “Teqkilla.” A remix of the latter features hip-hop’s “Harajuku Barbie” Nicki Minaj. The track unfortunately did not make the album, but has been leaked on various websites. Other songs are less appealing, like “Story to Be Told,” which drags us through a tortuous journey of science-fiction accents and lyrical confusion.
The album lacks the quantity of strong political messages heard in her prior work. Listeners might question if changes in M.I.A’s lifestyle, such as becoming a mother and breaking up with boyfriend and former producer Diplo, fueled this downgraded effectiveness. The album’s style and presentation is a drastic change from her two previous albums, which offered us
a more well-rounded construction of catchy beats and aesthetic validity. Above it all, the artist’s take on this album leaves listeners unengaged—and oblivious about what to expect next from their favorite musical rebel.
