This came out in 2005 — or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
“I’ve got the bombs to make you blow,” claims Maya Arulpragasam. “I’ve got the beats to make you bang.” That’s not all she’s got.
The London-born, Sri Lankan-raised rapper also has one of the most intriguing and eclectic debuts of the year. Part party soundtrack, part political manifesto, Arular (named for her militant Tamil father) playfully and seamlessly melds a wealth of styles — hip-hop, dancehall, world beat, electro, grime, crunk and more — into a well-built, hard-grooving foundation for Maya’s lyrical polemics. Sometimes, it’s a tad too well-built — Arulpragasam isn’t an especially powerful vocalist, and often seems dwarfed by all the kinetic thwacking grooves and neo-psychedelic textures. But her ability to merge pure pop and politics, while not exactly revolutionary, certainly supplies plenty of bang for the buck.
