Sound of the summer.
‘Paper Planes’ may be a bit more relaxed and chilled than what you may have heard previously from M.I.A. but what it lacks in power and fire, it makes up for a casual and chilled approach and loses none of its melodic charm. Having created a live show that is the equal of her ferocious records, there is every chance that the summer of 2008 and the festivals in particular, will have the name of M.I.A. stamped all over it.
With a bundle of remixes available on the packages, it is still an intriguing package for fans that may have the album and with names like James Murphy and Diplo manning the productions there is plenty to listen to. The Murphy remix is particularly classy, tapping into that 80s vein with an almost Tom Tom club vibe going on and it manages to make the song sound even more chilled than the original managed, which is no mean feat.
The Scottie B remix is fairly reminiscent of ‘Bucky Done Gun’, one of the groundbreaking numbers from the artist’s breakthrough record and will act as a good bridge between those who maybe aren’t convinced by the more blessed approach of this track
Quite frankly, M.I.A. is a modern phenomenon who deserves to be a major star in these shallow times as she works on so many levels. With a background that has seen real terror and trouble, to taking many stands against the modern injustices, to making relevant and boundary pushing albums, being a fashion icon, being a fantastic looking young woman and making her live performances one of the most talked about events of the festival season, it would be easier to point out the flaws of the young musician but that’s neither here nor there to be honest.
‘Paper Planes’ is enjoyable but its by no means the sound of M.I.A at full effect but this could be the perfect opportunity to introduce the artists work to a whole new set of fans which can only be good for her, them and us in general.
To view the video: click here
To see M.I.A. perform it on the David Letterman show: click here