MIA’s “Paper Planes” is the alternative tune of the summer for those who managed to avoid that Umbrella song so it’s not surprising that there are different versions and remixes coming out at the moment. The first version (which Diplo used in that Pitchfork mix) features additional rhymes from Bun B and Rich Boy and it’s great but I’m not going to post it here because of the wonky time change in the version going around (if you want it get it @ J’ai la cassette à la maison) .
The Esau Mwamwaya version moves the song into East African terroritory with a full on African language vocal facelift (Chichewa possibly, my ignorance of African languages is appalling). MIA can’t be heard until the last verse but you’ll hardly notice as this version is a beaut.
Esau Mwamwaya was born in Malawi where he played drums. In 1999, Esau moved to London where he currently run a second-hand furniture store in Clapton, East London. Also on the same street as DJ/ production duo Radioclit’s studio. After Radioclit bought a bike from Esau they began to make music together.
If MIA’s modus operandi is to give a voice to the third world, in an indirect way this version of the song is helping her do just that.
MP3
[audio:https://nialler9.com/mp3/tengazako.mp3]
Thanks to IHeartComix
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
yay! Radioclit are awesome.
yay! Radioclit are awesome.
Not to veer off point, but what Umbrella song?
Also I’d nominate D.A.N.C.E. for the ‘alternative hit of the summer’ title under general popularity and quality.
How about a Nialler9 poll on this one? Though could be a bit, y’know, tacky.
Not to veer off point, but what Umbrella song?
Also I’d nominate D.A.N.C.E. for the ‘alternative hit of the summer’ title under general popularity and quality.
How about a Nialler9 poll on this one? Though could be a bit, y’know, tacky.
Not to veer off point, but what Umbrella song?
under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay,
that one Fionntán, thats the tune.
Not to veer off point, but what Umbrella song?
under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay, under my umberella – ella – ella – ella – ay – ay -ay,
that one Fionntán, thats the tune.
excellent remix! great find! thanks nialler9! i’m loving this song!
excellent remix! great find! thanks nialler9! i’m loving this song!
Very good! Thanks for posting this. Slan . . .
Very good! Thanks for posting this. Slan . . .