Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit, aka The Very Best, spent the last five weeks in Malawi where they put the finishing touches on their upcoming full-length and played their only live show of 2011. To keep us tied over ’til the album drop, the boys sent this remix of their Super Mom mixtape title-track. The reworked tune features Kinshasa’s sorcerer of words Baloji, who spits au francais while Radioclit loops the trumpet/synth chorus of the original into a celebratory jolt.
Mo Laudi is a progressive DJ/MC hailing from South Africa, residing in the UK, who we first got hipped to through his work with The Very Best. His eclectic and engaging musical style has landed him gigs along side the likes of Roy Ayers, Diplo, Kid Cudi, and Fatboy Slim just to name a few. His new track “The Slaves Meditation” combines a driving bass line of African and Latin rhythms with a chorus influenced by ancient Haitian Voodoo ceremonies. Laudi refers to the track as “Nu World Electro” – appropriate given the mash up of old world X electro future + multiple cultural references. Just what we love. Check out the video for the single, above, which features concert footage from the Sakifo Festival, set on the beach on a small tropical island in the Indian Ocean (note to self: GO THERE). The video itself is a throw-back, using a psychedelic hipstamatic grainy-saturated effect that puts us back in the groovy 70′s, where we like to stay. Vid shot and directed by Mo Laudi and Hannah Newbery. For more great music, check out Mo Laudi on bandcamp. DOWNLOAD “The Slaves Meditation” too, for free!
One is Malawian. One is Swedish. Together they are called The Very Best. A critically acclaimed debut album in 2009 ensured that the London-based outfit stays on their mission to “free African music of its touristic tones since the West took renewed interest in it in the 90′s.” With a remix album to their debut Warm Heart of Africa, due for release in September, the band is dead serious on pushing further ahead on their mission, and to stay true their name. OKA’s correspondent Daluxolo Moloantoa had the chance to chop it up with Johan Hugo, co-founder of the group.
OKA: How and when did The Very Best start?
JH: In 2006 Esau (Esau Mwamwaya) had a secondhand shop outside my house in London. Etienne (DJ Tron) from Radioclit (a production crew made up of Etienne and myself) was walking past his shop every day to get to our studio. One day he went into Esau’s shop to buy a bike. The same day he invited Esau to a party we were having that night. I met with Esau that night and we ended up talking about music a lot. He told me he was a drummer. I invited him to the studio, and we ended up recording him singing on a beat I had made that same day. I was instantly blown away by his incredible voice and we ended up working together from that day onwards.
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One of our favorite new design teams on the scene is Gold Coast Trading helmed by our friend Emeka Alams. For thier newest collection, part of the 14:44 series (read about the history and significance of 1444 here), Gold Coast presents “The Very Best” (past collections include a collabo with our people over at Dutty Artz for a collection inspired by “Soweto Youth 1976“). Along with the fresh threads, Gold Coast is offering up a fourteen minute and forty-four second long mixtape with each new collection. The latest installment is a 14:44 mix POPULAR BASS: An Ode To South Africa, provided by Johan Hugo from The Very Best. Listen and download the mix below, and then head to Gold Coast Trading to view their entire new collection.
Vol.2 | JOHAN HUGO of The Very Best – ‘An Ode To South Africa’ by POPULAR BASS
If you didn’t already download the dopeness that is The Very Best‘s Mother’s day tribute mixtape Super Mom, you’ve been sleeping on some serious summer jams. Now we’re served up two fresh remixes from the project, with interpretations from tropical bass producer WILDLIFE! and the UK garage legend Wookie. In addition, The Very Best – compriesed of London-based Swedish producer Johan Hugo and Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya, have conceptualized and designed a limited edition t-shirt along with Invisible Children. “We wanted something that shows the strength of an African woman. It’s a continuation of the celebration of the Super Mom” says Johan Hugo. 100% of the proceeds (we think that’s pretty special!) of the shirt will go towards Invisible Children’s effort to end Africa’s longest running war in Uganda, where warlord Joseph Kony is abducting children and forcing them to fight as child soldiers. Make sure to support the cause and pick up a t-shirt RIGHT HERE.
The Very Best & Moroka – “Ndekha” (WILDLIFE! Remix):
The Very Best & Moroka – “Ndekha” (Wookie Remix):
For more FREE musics from The Very Best visit their soundcloud page.
Thanks to Eddie “STATS” over at The Fader’s Ghetto Palms (not to be confused with his other other blog), we get a full update on the amazing, the fantastic, The Very Best. Find out more about the beginnings of TVB including Radioclit‘s initial description of Esau Mwamwaya: “he’s like the African Phil Collins!” Also check out what Hugo (one half of Radioclit) has to say about the evolution of TVB, and where they are today, in an exclusive interview. Stats also puts us on to the release of a remix LP of The Very Best’s debut offering, Warm Heart of Africa (a staple OKA fave), available in the states today!
Listen + download “Yalira (Douster remix)” by The Very Best. Then head over to Ghetto Palms for the full scoop, including plenty of music.
After the release of the Super Mom Mixtape, The Very Best are at it again, curating zany African club tracks for their robust new mix for Fact Magazine. The mix features a slew of artists including Buraka Som Sistema, Bujo Mujo, Copia Doble Systema and of course original tracks from The Very Best. Check out “Africa to California Anthem” with Rusko feat. Vocal Slender & Afrikan Boy above, and listen to the mix in its entirety here. Tracklisting for the new mix is after the jump.
Get the Fact Mix by The Very Best right here.
South Africa twists Danish with this remix of Chllngr‘s first single “Ask For” from Okayafrica regulars Spoek Mathambo, The Very Best’s Mo Laudi, and Blk Jks’ Mpumi Mcata who each drop verses on this eerie, dubby track. Download it for free below, and after the jump check out the video from the original track.
Ask For (Africa remix feat Spoek Mathambo Mpumi Mo Laudi) (PRECISE MASTER) by okayafrica
I first saw The Very Best at The Roots’ Picnic in Philly, and I was blown away by their high energy electronic based performance. Currently on tour with Vampire Weekend, the Malawian vocalist Esau Mwamwaya along with London based producers, Radioclit are making huge moves in the music industry…and word on the street is that they are about to drop an african-influenced clothing line as well. Check out the tour dates with Vampire Weekend after the jump. Read More
The Very Best embodies a without-borders approach to music-making that could only happen in the 21st century. The Malawian born vocalist, Mwamwaya, along with London based producers Radioclit, combines a collection of well-known pop, dance, afro and indie music to create a unique new sound.
The Very Best Remix Swedish Pop
The Very Best been bee-busy lately. Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit recently spent 5-weeks in Malawi, recording the new LP and playing the Lake of Stars festival. Soon as that was done, they hit us up with a “Super Mom (Remix)” featuring Congolose wordsmith Baloji. And now, a mere couple days later, they come at us with this remix of Swedish pop/electro group Den Svenska Björnstammen, one of their “favorite songs this year.” As most anything the duo touches, it jams. Listen to “Vart Jag Mig I Världen Vänder (The Very Best remix)” below.
Den Svenska Björnstammen – Vart Jag Mig I Världen Vänder (The Very Best remix) by The Very Best