Back in 2005, the British-born Sri Lankan Mathangi ''Maya'' Arulpragasam burst onto the indie scene like a neon-stemmed bird of paradise, dropping Arular, a cultishly revered album of dirty beats and
politically charged baile funk. A clutch of lackluster tracks aside (including first single ''Boyz''), Kala is propelled by genuinely stellar moments: the manic thrall of ''Jimmy,'' the ferocious gunshot-chorused
''Paper Planes.'' Others may imitate her dense dancehall style (paging Lily Allen!), but even when M.I.A. fails, few manage to innovate quite so bravely. B
DOWNLOAD THIS: Hear ''Paper Planes'' on YouTube
M.I.A. BACK IN ACTION Second CD Kala's best tracks more than make up for its occasional misfires
EW's GRADE
BDetails Release Date: Aug 21, 2007; Lead Performance: M.I.A.; Genre: Experimental
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