MIA has nearly finished work on her third album, which she has been recording with Diplo and latterly DJ Blaqstarr.

“He [Blaqstarr] simply makes music that sounds good,” MIA recently told Rolling Stone [via Exclaim], “And I needed that. I definitely needed to come to music on this album, to make music. I don’t want it to be gimmicky or silly or hipstery.”

It’s possible that these comments are a slight dig at Diplo, who last year said with typical bravado that the album would sound like “Gucci Mane meets Animal Collective”.

Blaqstarr, who has worked with MIA on several occasions in the past, is a Baltimore house don who favours a rougher, more minimal sound than Diplo. It’s not known how much of either producer’s input will make the final cut of the LP, which is expected to be released in Spring by XL Recordings.

“I just want to be real, whatever that is,” said MIA. “Even if my songs are shit, and if I have flaws and if I’m confused, if I offend people or if I don’t offend people, I might try to work it out in public, just so you know that it’s okay to think, that thinking’s not a dirty word.”