Gig Alerts: M.I.A.

M.I.A.
"Steppin' Up"
Playing SATURDAY at: South Island Field at Governors Island (Accessible by ferry from Battery Maritime Building at 10 South St., Financial District)
Get: Tickets | Directions

Critics may be divided over their opinion of M.I.A.'s new album MAYA (stylized as /\/\/\Y/\), but no one can accuse the artist/rapper/singer of being static. Her latest record dresses up political rhymes in unapologetic industrialized beats, resulting in a sound that's much rougher than tracks such as the disco-styled "Jimmy" or even the smooth, gunshot-laden hit "Paper Planes" from her last record. Early album cut "Steppin' Up" goes hard with power drill and chainsaw buzz menacingly layered under M.I.A.'s Auto-Tuned vocals.

NOTE: This song contains explicit lyrics.