Premiere: Colombo Duo Flowers on Both Ears Drop Psychedelic Video for ‘Amiga, Mi Corazon’
The song taken off the Sri Lankan act’s debut EP ‘UMA’ features Indian singer-DJ Paloma and Bangladesh’s Moumita
Sri Lankan duo Flowers on Both Ears. Photo: Ravi Bandaranaike
In March, Flowers on Both Ears from Sri Lanka released their debut EP UMA, which presented a shapeshifting sound that ran from hip-hop to jazz to psychedelic. The groovy song “Amiga, Mi Corazon” now has an animated music video to go with it, courtesy of Sri Lankan multi-disciplinary artist Muvindu Binoy.
Informed by Monty Python segues and sketches made by filmmaker/actor Terry Gilliam, Binoy says he followed the “energy of the beat,” which is certainly hypnotic in the case of “Amiga, Mi Corazon.” The artist adds, “I used some of the floral timelapse and skits of vintage science documentaries to give this an infomercial experience.”
Flowers on Both Ears, which comprises vocalist Shafni Awam and New Zealand native producer-bassist Isaac J Smith, also have a theme of flowers and sexuality running throughout UMA which is reflected in the video. “Shafni shared some of his botanical knowledge and I used some of his elements to emphasize selective lyrics of the song. All leads to the trance-like ending where the viewer almost feels like this was all part of a hypnosis,” Binoy adds.
The collaboration on the music front for “Amiga, Mi Corazon” also brought together Mumbai-based DJ and vocalist Paloma Monnappa and Bangladeshi singer Moumita. The connection with the latter, according to Awam, came about at Music Matters, a music school and community space that hones experimental and jazz talent in Colombo. Awam adds, “While we [Awam and Smith] were working on one of the sections, I was doing some Islamic chanting and it worked well with it. I wanted to work with Moumita on the project. I thought she was perfect to do the chants.”
Created as a gift for a former lover, Awam notes that “Amiga, Mi Corazon” started out as an idea found in a voice note nearly five years ago. Although Smith is currently back home in New Zealand, Awam says they have about 13 songs written for their next release. He adds with a laugh, “I have to wait till Isaac is able to fly back down to Sri Lanka from NZ, because a record like that requires us to be in the same place to work on, because it is an intimate affair of sorts.”
Watch the video for “Amiga, Mi Corazon” below. Get ‘UMA’ EP here.
