Everybody get random

As a purist (read: loser), I generally like listening to albums as they were designed to be heard: in sequence, filler-and-all. I don't really know why. Recently, though I've finally come to terms with the fact that almost every album has a weak spot. A couple of weeks ago, I got a new iPod called Horseface (thanks, Stoopid) and for the first time, I made a massive playlist. Just of songs I wanted to hear. At the moment, 'untitled playlist' (it's terribly unimaginative, I know) is at about 350 songs. Cool.

I got in the car this morning, plugged it in (the iPod, obviously, not the car) and hit the previously-overlooked shuffle button. It starts up and it's M.I.A.'s 'Paper Planes'. Not bad! I wish that the song had snuck into 'Pineapple Express' as it did in the trailer, but never mind. Hearing those gunshots will really pump you up on the way to work. Then it fades out, and there's a moment of suspense before the next one. 'Emily Kane' by Art Brut! Are you serious! 8.35am dance party! I tried really hard to avoid eye-contact with other drivers while belting "All my friends think I'm insane" at the top of my early-morning lungs. Next… 'Amazon' by M.I.A.

Wait, what?

I have about seven songs by M.I.A. in this playlist of 350. And somehow, out of the 30 or so songs I've heard or skipped through today, six of them have come up. How does that work? Also, about three songs from Robyn have been selected. Of course, I like all these songs, else they wouldn't be on the list to begin with. But there has to be more to shuffling than this, right? Isn't it supposed to be random? I was hoping for some Cursive or Hot Chip or Malky or any of the other 100+ artists on there.

My only possible explanation is this: My iPod, Horseface, is a woman. But not jsut any woman, else there'd be some Sleater-Kinney, Lucky Soul or Laura Marling getting played. But an ultra-hip, blog-savvy woman. That explains the preponderance of M.I.A. and Robyn, doesn't it? There is no other reasoning.