M.I.A.: Vicki Leekz Mixtape

M.I.A.
Vicki Leekz Mixtape
Rating: Grrrr

M.I.A. had a difficult year last year, igniting a shitstorm by tweeting the phone number of a journalist that wrote an unflattering portrait of her in the New York Times Magazine, and releasing MAYA, an album of unbridled electronic noise and agitprop, that was met with complete and utter indifference by her audience and critics. I was one of the few people that saw through the clutter and felt MAYA was an underrated success, it being a critique of our society's over-stimulation by the media and technology, and how all these new tools at communication and connection only serve to make us more isolated.

Continuing in that same mode, M.I.A. releases the free Vicki Leekz Mixtape, as a tribute to the Wikileaks controversy. Working with almost all the same producers she worked with on MAYA (Diplo, Switch and Blaqstarr; Rusko has been mentioned, however, he has since tweeted that he was not involved), the album is another set of politically contradictory rhymes and rants from M.I.A. set to a blitzkrieg of electronic beats and synths. If you disliked MAYA, there will obviously be a predisposition to dislike this mixtape, but while there are similarities there are more differences that should be taken into account.

For one, this a much more focused release, it is barely over the 30 minute mark and goes by quickly and easily, and hones a lot of MAYA's ideas down with surgical precision. The release is way more beat heavy, with lots of detailed programming and interesting textures, which makes this a lot more "fun" listening experience. And it is less in your face and agitated, being almost a pop-leaning series of tracks.

I can't really speak to the political side of the record, as I really can't pin down what M.I.A. is truly pissed about or what she is trying to comment on. Just as you think you are getting a handle on it, she changes her mind and goes down another path. Half the record seems to be about censorship and government control, then it becomes about too much communication and technology; you can't win with her it seems.

Murky political commentary stances aside, Vicki Leekz is truly a fun listen, the beats are challenging and interesting, and it rushes by at such a frenetic pace you don't have a chance to get bored or lose interest. Plus, the damn thing is free, so what are you complaining about?
Download it for yourself and come up with your own opinion.

Here is a link to the free download:

http://prettymuchamazing.com/reviews/albumreviews/vickyleekx

Rating Guide

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top albums of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been trimmed or polished.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.