Movin' with the packs like hyena

In the spring and summer of 2005, I abused my ear drums to outrageous levels of M.I.A.'s Arular. I knew the damage I was doing, but I couldn't help it. Once "Galang" or "Fire Fire" went in through the headphones, I had no choice but to push the volume higher and higher.

In spite of the damage done, I think it was the headphones that made that album for me. It still sounded brillant through speakers, but never as good as it did going straight in my ears while I danced around the dark kitchen in my apartment on 21st.

Maybe that's why, when I first listened to Kala, it didn't do too much for me, but it was coming through speakers. It was only when I put the ear buds in that I really started to like it, renewing my love for M.I.A.'s mesh of baile funk, South Asian pop and Brit-filtered hip-hop. It's delicious. It's like...eating plantain curry. In London. Okay, okay! So I'm hungry!

M.I.A., "Bamboo Banga" (download)