New M.I.A. music is always worth celebrating. She's an amazing artist with a unique perspective on feminism, violence, and globalization. She refuses to shy away from the influence of her Sri Lankan Tamil heritage, instead using cultural influences to open her music up to a wider audience. No one else does what she does and it's just so catchy. "Swords" is her newest single and she directed the video herself. It's based on a rhythm created by physical swords actually colliding in time to the music.
Technically, this "Swords" video is part of a larger short musical film M.I.A. directed called "Broader than a Border." The video features martial artists and dancers from Sri Lanka performing around temples to M.I.A.'s music, including "Swords" from the upcoming Matahdatah and "Warriors" from her previous album Matangi.
You can watch the full edit of "Broader than a Border" at Apple Music.