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Tuesday 15 June 2010

M.I.A. 'Jimmy'


M.I.A. is the sort of pop star we need- outspoken, multi-cultural and hook laden pop songs, Clash samples and gun shots (Paper Planes), Bollywood strings (Jimmy), Suicide sampling hard hitting songs with controversial videos (Born Free), political, with a dad who really was an on-the-run freedom fighter, journalist baiting- the list could go on. That she's stunningly attractive doesn't hurt either.

I first saw her on TV on a late night Glastonbury show a few years back. She was in the dance tent, in camouflage, doing Galang. It sounded fantastic. Her new album /\/\/\Y/\ comes out next month, preceeded by the brilliant Born Free (was it a single? Do singles exist?) a while back, which had the video banned by youtube due to scenes showing American redheads being rounded up and shot by the army. Born Free's been posted up in loads of places, so I'm not putting it up here. If you've not heard it go and find it, or watch the video at her own site. Her last album Kala featured Paper Planes, one of the best songs of the last few years, but that's been posted everywhere also. Instead you're getting this, which is equally great. Jimmy is a cover of a Bollywood song Jimmy Jimmy Aaja by Parvati Khan, although M.I.A.'s version features new lyrics refering to Congo and Rwanda. Done in a 70s disco style with swooping Bollywood strings it's an upbeat modern politidisco classic.

jimmy.mp3

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