Bree Sharp and Don DiLego, the longtime musical collaborators known together as Beautiful Small Machines, have spent the last decade crafting a series of techno-tinged pop EPs. On their latest track, a cover of M.I.A.‘s 2008 hit “Paper Planes,” they take a more laid back approach. In their entry to the ever-popular folk cover genre, they trade the electronic blips of their original work for a banjo, transforming M.I.A.’s politicized Worldbeat into a woozy ballad.
As folk-inspired covers go, Beautiful Small Machines’ take on “Paper Planes” is a good one. Bree Sharp’s smooth vocals are a perfect counterpoint to the gentle twang of the banjo. The track feels slightly too subdued, however, without its iconic sample of The Clash’s “Straight to Hell” and the gunshots that punctuate M.I.A.’s chorus. The cover also comes with a quirky black and white video, which you can watch below.
Beautiful Small Machines– Paper Planes (MIA cover)
Hear more from Beautiful Small Machines at their website or Myspace.
