Philly-born singer Santigold doesn't like all the comparisons to MIA, blaming the perception on pigeon-holers. But we see her argument and tuck it neatly into a pigeon-hole reserved for arguments we kindly disagree with. Even the Santigold songs that don't sound like M.I.A. songs are defined as "Santigold songs that don't sound like M.I.A. songs." Chances are if you like one you'll like the other, or else you'll hate one for sounding too much like the other.
Today, we've got a Santigold offering to consider, and it almost seems like she wants us to make the comparison this time. "Big Mouth," a single off Santigold's followup EP Master Of My Make Believe, finally has a video. Aside from the like-mother-like-daughter spastic visuals, liberal Photoshopping and raw dancing, there's the shared DNA. The song was produced by Buraka Som Sistema (who worked with M.I.A.) and Major Lazer's Switch (who worked with M.I.A. and currently works with M.I.A.'s old boyfriend). The video was directed by Ssion's Cody Critcheloe, who knows M.I.A. well enough that it's a joke when he pretends not to (Critcheloe also worked with M.I.A.'s old stylist on another video). "Big Mouth" notoriously has Santigold poking fun at Lady Gaga and Katy Perry, but it's M.I.A. who's really haunting the thing.
None of which is bad. Santigold is giving the people who helped create M.I.A. more work, and there's nothing wrong with work we can dance to.
WATCH:
[via Stereogum]