Showing posts with label the Very Best. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the Very Best. Show all posts
Monday, November 17, 2014
Monday, July 9, 2012
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
New Video: The Very Best - "Kondaine ft. Seye"
A true return to form for Esau and company. "Kondaine" (featuring Seye) is a true Summer anthem similar to the likes of "Chalo,' "Julia," "Kamphopo," and others from The Very Best. We will be pumping this at our next outdoor, alcohol-infused outing...
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
New Video: The Very Best - Yoshua Alikuti
After releasing their latest mixtape, Super Mom, The Very Best (Esau Mwamwaya and producer Johan Hugo a.k.a Radioclit) are back for more, this time premiering a new track and video, on Pitchfork, plus announcing their newest album, MTMTMK out July 17 on Moshi Moshi. Dig their new video for "Yoshua Alikuti" above. This is starting to sound like a more mature Esau, but still keeping within his Malawi roots. While not as hook-laden as some of his previous efforts, we are HUGE Very Best supporters and can't wait to hear more from this record. In the meantime, check out this interview we did with him a while back. Yeah, we are best friends now.
Monday, April 25, 2011
The Very Best -- New Mixtape! Super Mom
Yes. Just in time for Summer. Esau Mwamwaya and Johan Karlberg (a.k.a. Radioclit, no without Etienne Tron) are The Very Best. After releasing their first free mixtape in 2008, the duo dropped Warm Heart of Africa to much critical acclaim. Now, the two ready the release of a new mixtape, Super Mom, dropping on May 8th. You can download it for FREE HERE. The music is pure excitement and happiness, full of sun-drenched central-African rhythms, beats and sytles. There is no denying our sheer enjoyment of everything these two produce. It is clear, that Esau and Etienne have one clear goal when making music...to make people happy. We were able to catch up with Easu back in 2009 -- check out the interview here. We also had the pleasure of chatting with Radioclit and Esau at the Fader Fort during this year's CMJ. Can't get enough.
Head over to Pitchfork to stream the title track.
Monday, September 20, 2010
NME Debuts Sleigh Bells' "Infinity Guitars"
Since the NME embed code didn't work, here is the link to the new video for "Infinity Guitars. Sleigh Bells play TONIGHT at Webster Hall Studio at 8, and open for LCD Soundsystem later this week in Jersey.
Also, we had to post this, one of our faves!
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Thursday, September 24, 2009
Javelin Remix of The Very Best's "Julia"
It is known that the second (or third) best song off of the Very Best's newest album, Warm Heart of Africa, is "Julia" (taking a back seat to "Chalo" or the title track.) Newly-established Brooklyn-based-duo Javelin, decided to take this song, which speaks of love loss and heart break (we don't speak Chichewa., Esau told us) making it more...well...Brooklyn-ized. A beat once established by Radioclits' electro-synths, is now driven by vamped, sped up, hard-riffing guitars. An interesting take on a great song.
Enjoy the mp3 above.
Via.
Monday, August 24, 2009
New Very Best: "Rain Dance" (Featuring MIA)
We don't have to go on any more about our love for The Very Best. Today, Fader posted the premire of their new mp3 "Rain Dance" featuring MIA. The Very Best (Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit) worked with Diplo and MIA on their widely praised mixtape, so it's no surprise that MIA makes an appearance on newest record The Warm Heart of Africa coming out October 3rd on Green Owl. You can preorder it now on iTunes. This track killed live and does so on the record. It's less "happy", let's say, than the other more joyful tunes on the record, yet it drives with dark pulsing beats and an incredible plethora of samples that add to the dense mix.
Friday, July 31, 2009
He Got New Yorkers to Dance: The Very Best
STARK vs. ESAU MWAMWAYA (THE VERY BEST)
"They told me, 'people in New York don't dance.' People need to dance," Esau Mwamwaya said, speaking of his recent performance at Manhattan's Le Poisson Rouge. Dance they did, much to Mwamwaya's enjoyment.
Describing himself as a naturally happy and loving person, Mwamwaya reflects on the fact that most from his native Malawi in central African tend to be as well. "If we love one another and build strong relationships, then some of these things won't happen..." Mwamwaya said in regard to the social unrest and impoverishment of some in his homeland. "There are people out there suffering and they need to be loved."
The Very Best, comprised of frontman Mwamwaya and Radioclit a.k.a Etienne Tron and Johan Karlberg, are an unlikely, pseudonym-heavy, musical combination. After releasing their free Mix Tape in 2008 featuring Karlberg's previously-established Rolodex of artist contacts including MIA, Santigold, Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend) and more, the indie world began to take notice.
Hear more from The Very Best including thoughts on the new track "Chalo," Ezra Koenig and a bit of heart break after the jump.
If you are curious as to how a central-African-born drummer became an underground hip-hop sensation, track back to London some years ago. Running a bicycle shop at the time, Mwamwaya crossed paths with Karlberg multiple times before striking up a conversation. "Johan [Karlberg] would cut through my shop, buy stuff...one day he asked if I was doing anything...I told him I was a drummer and he was happy to hear that," Mwamwaya remembers. Soon, Karlberg introduced Mwamwaya to Tron and his production studio giving birth to The Very Best. Sometime thereafter, the newly-formed trio realized the vocal abilities of Mwamwaya and recorded their first track together "Chalo" which is a keynote track on the groups newest record, Warm Heart of Africa, releasing this fall on Green Owl.
"Chalo" as described by Mwamwaya, is "a positive and negative song." "It is about war and starvation, but also about love," Mwamwaya said. Feeling that love is the only foundation that can keep people together, Mwamwaya trys to impart that feeling through his musical performances.
It was this loving life outlook that, after an introduction through Karlberg, initially drew Mwamwaya to Vampire Weekend's Koenig -- "we have a relationship that is more than just music...we hang together," Mwamwaya said. Koenig is featured on the title track of the upcoming Warm Heart of Africa release.
Another fantastic track from the new record is "Julia," a song sung in Mwamwaya's native language of Chichewa. It is assumed that domestic audiences don't understand the lyrics of most, if not all of The Very Best's tracks; therefore, it is interesting to note that even a joyous sounding song, can really be about heartbreak. "Julia" Mwamaway notes, is about "falling in love...you know love is so precious...like an egg, it is easy to break...you need to be careful and handle [gently]."
It is this passion for love, peace, harmony, songwriting, spreading of joy and general betterment of the world, that draws most to The Very Best. Though you may not understand the lyrics, this music makes you feel good about where you are, what you are doing and yeah, that fist that is pumping hard and high in the air.
Monday, July 20, 2009
The Very Best Concert of the Year...So Far
It's true that many bloggers typically don't dance, unless there is enough free alcohol or promisscuousness to warrant such a thing. Well, at Le Poisson Rouge Saturday night, there was a little bit of both, coupled with beacons of happiness that was frontman, Esau Mwamawaya's on-stage demeanor and Radioclit's electro-jams.
We danced. Sometimes we marched. Sometimes, we gyrated without bringing our feet off the ground in cemented-dancing goodness. Regardless, we found ourselves entranced by the tropical rhythms, onesie unitards worn by accompanying dancers, and the house bass jiggling our gens and pumping our chests.
Esau puts a smile on your face; hopping around waving his arms, the Malawian born African-rapper is nothing short of extroverted projecting all things musically right with the world upon his listeners. The show was equal parts, Mix Tape (which he offered for free last year) and songs from his up-coming release, Warm Heart of Africa, coming out this fall on Green Owl.
Performing crowd pleasing hits such as, the remix of MIA's "Paper Planes" titled ,"Tengazako" and "Kamphopop," Esau also dropped some new tracks, which were our favorites of the night. "Julia," our song of the month -- "Chalo," and the title track "Warm Heart of Africa (feat. Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend)" were included in the nights performance. **Yes, Ezra Koenig came out and sang -- indie-goodness in the raw. See video after the jump.
There is nothing more we can say about the Very Best other than it would be the very worst for you to not go extremely out of your way to catch this amazingly spontaneous, at times comical, and heartwarming music live.
Check out The Very Best and Ezra Koenig's "Warm Heart of Africa" live from this show after the jump!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
The Very Best Tonight @ Le Poisson Rouge
So, we posted something we weren't supposed to, an mp3 we believe, and the Web Sheriff decided it was time to usurp our Very Best post from the blog...So be it. But, we are back to announce once again that The Very Best (Esau Mwamawaya & Radioclit) will be performing in NYC at Bleecker St.'s Le Poisson Rouge tonight! Tickets are still available on LPR's website -- doors open at 11:00 pm. Be sure to come early to dig openeing set of QUE BAJO?! as well. Should be a sweaty, debaucheries time. Can't wait.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
New M. Ward and The Very Best Videos
Featured: THE VERY BEST - "Komphopo"
M. WARD - "Hold Time"
We are taking a break from Merriweather for awhile -- I think I have dry mouth from all the hype. Today's On The Blog Reel provides you both uppers and downers.
Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit a.k.a. the Very Best, drop their first official video under the aforementioned moniker. We are talking lo-fi here, camcorders and locals filmed in his hometown Lelongwe, Malawi, as reported by GVB. There are no shortage of smiles here, or people with more rhythm than most of us can boast. What a great song and what a great mood it evokes.
M. Ward released the title track video to his up-coming album Hold Time, dropping Feb. 17 on Merge. The video is mellow, filmed in black and white and a true testament to Matt's musical style. Relax, ride the gondola and sing along. (Video is below, Very Best after the jump.)
THE VERY BEST - "Komphopo"
M. WARD - "Hold Time"
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