Top Off The List With Something Catchy; The Mob Will Dance, But They Are Easily Pleased. You Put More Effort Into The Mix Than It Was Worth

I am making a playlist for a party next month. Nothing sophisticated. Just slapping together some danceable, sing-a-long songs for a bunch of drunks to stumble to.

I hope to conjure up a variety of memories; hokie middle school dances, slutty excursions to the club and unabashed dancing during household cleaning chores.

The main event will be live music via my amateur, punk-indie (and any other constricting label one can think of) band. A few friends will also play in their respective bands.

The playlist will be used in-between, before and after band sets. Really, it is an excuse to throw together music I like and obsessively run through it.

The secret to a good playlist is transitions.

It is those special moments, like when “Hello, Goodbye” by The Beatles starts to fade out and DJ Paul from Three-6 Mafia lets out a long, guttural “yeaaaah”. Or when Meg White of The White Stripes, stomps her bass through the end of a Dr. Dre song.

I have about six hours worth of music on the list. The party will require two hours, tops. But “better to be safe than sorry” an estranged relative once told me over the internet.

Live music, some jolly friends, a little Talking Heads mixed with Snoop Dogg — here’s to a great party next month.

Unlike most rappers, she samples from more then just classic rock bands and 80’s drum machines; M.I.A. borrows from the world.

Pink Floyd cash registers, gun shots off a cheap Casio keyboard, layers upon layers of lush flute-thermin sounds borrowed from various exotic lands — all flourish into one dance groove that is also known as “Paper Planes” by M.I.A.

Every song off her latest album, “Kala”, could produce an extensive list of influences, samples and instruments.

“Paper Planes” samples from The Clash, but other tracks off “Kala” make use of elements as diverse as The Pixies, remixed Bollywood disco, urmi drummers, and so much more.

And of course, like any dance album that is popular these days, Timbaland has touched it. He worked his mojo-magic on M.I.A, producing the last track on the album, “Come Around”.

M.I.A.’s singing and playful babbling is reminiscent of solo Gwen Stefani and Fergie except less abrasive and far more intelligent.

If not already witnessed by the number of times the song is mentioned in this post, “Paper Planes” is my personal favorite off the album. If there is one monotonous song to choose from the bunch, this song is it.

It is best listened to while dancing naked on uppers and shooting gun fingers to each gunshot in the chorus. This is just a theory though. A theory based on observation.

Half the reason I like the song is the image I have of my roommate whenever the “Paper Planes” ringtone plays on his phone. He stares off into his imaginary ghetto world, wide-eyed, twitching and bouncing his limp hands above his head as the shots in the chorus ring out. It is a visual in which the amusement factor will never cease.

So, far from a perfect song, it’s a perfect ringtone.

The downfall is that all the songs off the album have the tendency to become monotonous.

It is one of the side effects of creating a dance track. Luckily, there is enough layers in the music to keep even the most attention-deficit listener mostly interested.

The remix of Paper Planes, just introduced to me and featuring two other rappers, helps brings diversity to a song that otherwise might lose its freshness.

If you have already discovered and listened to M.I.A., congratulations — you are among those who have already made their decision to love, hate, or be indifferent to her worldly sounds. For the rest of you, try going with my theory on how to best appreciate her music and then judge for yourself.

Go ahead, strip your clothing, go Hunter S. on that stash of drugs you’ve been saving up for a special occasion — then watch M.I.A’s trippy “Boyz” music video and tell me you don’t feel something deep in those dancing bones.