M.I.A. Answers YOLO With ‘Y.A.L.A.’
M.I.A. is not so sure about this YOLO business: “If you only live once, why we keep doing the same shit?” she asks on new song “Y.A.L.A.,” which stands for “you always live again.” After teasing a snippet of the new tune last week, she posted the full track online today. It’s also available as a download for those who pre-order her upcoming record Matangi, out November 5th.
The song is a mid-tempo jam laced with dancefloor calling cards like wubby bass synths, glitchy, high-pitched builds and some great, over-performed lyrics (including a shout out to offshore banking and Julianne Moore).
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“Y.A.L.A.” is the second cut she’s made available from Matangi, following the release of “Come Walk With Me,” which was posted online back in September. Matangi was recorded in New York, London and Los Angeles (as well as a few other spots around the globe), with M.I.A. tapping a bevy of top producers including Hitboy, Surkin, Switch and Danja.
M.I.A. will accompany the release of Matangi with a few shows slated for November including, two gigs at New York City’s Terminal 5 (on the 1st and 4th, though the latter is sold out), a set at Austin’s Fun Fun Fun Fest on the 9th, and shows at the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles on the 11th and 12th. M.I.A. was also just added to the list of performers at this year’s inaugural YouTube Music Awards, which will be live-streamed on November 3rd.