words & photos by Benjamin Lozovsky

It's hard to be The Very Best without showing up. That's a lesson Esau Mwamwaya learned the hard way, but one he was eager to make up for as his burgeoning new project with English production duo Radioclit made their return to New York City Wednesday night at Santos Party House. They last properly played NYC in July and two recent no-shows at scheduled performances in the New York area increased the anticipatory grumblings among their fans. First there was a much-awaited appearance at this year's CMJ Music Marathon that never materialized, then there was a Halloween night slot at a benefit concert that found the band performing without their singer.

With a typical display of warmth that has categorized his new group's quick rise to prominence however, the Malawian born, London-based vocalist was roundly apologetic for his previous absences. "I know people were disappointed," said Mwamwaya after the show. "I personally feel so bad for not coming for CMJ, but what could I have done? I had no choice."

continued below...

Continue reading "The Very Best & Sleigh Bells played Santos in NYC - pics"

DOWNLOAD: Sleigh Bells - Crown on the Ground (MP3)

Sleigh Bells (by Rob Loud)

After the Very Best canceled their CMJ appearances in late-October because of travel issues, the band had apparently sorted things out in time for their Halloween show at Brooklyn Masonic Temple. The band wrote: "were super sorry and gutted we had to cancel all the shows so far on the USA tour. we where applying for another visa which took longer than we where told and esau's passport was held. we finally got the passport back and will do the last leg on the tour startin on staurday in new york! sooo sorry and we hope to be back soon and make up for this fuckup."

Despite that, the group performed without singer Esau Mwamwaya at the Brooklyn Halloween show. The only members in attendence were DJ Johan Hugo (aka 1/2 of production team Radioclit) and two of the group's dancers. (Flavorpill, who put on the show, describe the act in their post-show coverage as "The Very Best Sound System.") Other performers on hand for the charity event were Bajah & the Dry Eye Crew, Sub Swara, DJ Kyle Hall, DJ Stretch Armstrong, $mall ¢hange, and VDRK & Bradley D.

Esau did play Boston the following night and will (we hope) be in attendence at their Santos Party House show on Wednesday, November 4th. Tickets are on sale. Sleigh Bells ("electroclash/dancepunk [from] ex-Poison the Well Derek Miller and Alexis Krauss") open.

This will be Sleigh Bells' first post-CMJ show. They left the festival with lots of extra hype. Sheena Beaston wrote, "There's so many great things I coud tell you about their [October 21st] performance [at Santos Party House], which consisted f 5 songs, a guitar on 3, a tmabourine, and an iPod as a backing track. In short, it was one of the best live shows I've seen all year." Stereogum named them a "Band to Watch" one day after that same show. Pitchfork's Ryan Dombal said they were "one of this week's legit breakouts-- just might be the best thing I see all week." Pitchfork then gave their song "Crown on the Ground" "Best New Music" a few days later. Download it above.

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "The Very Best sort of played on Halloween, playing Santos w/ Sleigh Bells (and other dates) "

DOWNLOAD: Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit - The Very Best Mixtape (ZIP)
DOWNLOAD: The Very Best - Warm Heart Of Africa (w/ Ezra Koenig) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Very Best - Warm Heart of Africa (Metronomy remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Very Best - Warm Heart of Africa (Architecture in Helsinki rmx) (MP3)

LPR photos by Kwesi Abbensetts, Supreme Trading photos by Ryan Muir

Esau Mwamwaya @ Le Poisson Rouge - July 18, 2009 (by Kwesi Abbensetts)

The Very Best (production duo Radioclit and Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya) played a late-night show at (Le) Poisson Rouge on July 18th. They were joined by two backup dancers (one of which was on crutches!), and Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend for one song. He stopped by to contribute his part on "Warm Heart Of Africa." That track and two new remixes are posted above.

Ezra Koenig @ Le Poisson Rouge - July 18, 2009 (by Kwesi Abbensetts)

The Very Best's debut record, Warm Heart of Africa, is due to come out on Green Owl, the NYC-based record label that was founded by Benjamin Brewer (the father of M.I.A.'s child), on September 22nd (available digitally August 25). Ezra and M.I.A. both sing songs on it. That album is not to be confused with Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit Are The Very Best which was the mixtape (that contains songs by Vampire Weekend and M.I.A.) they released for free in 2008. Grab that above.

On Saturday night (7/25) (exactly a week after the LPR show), Radioclit brought "their wild monthly London residency, SECOUSSE, to the States for an all out UK vs. BK battle of the riddims." And by "the states", they mean Supreme Trading (or the former Supreme Trading building at 213 N 8th St) in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Green Owl artist Janka Nabay was also on the bill.

"While many genres of African music have made the crossover to the west (Afrobeat, Highlife, etc), Sierra Leone's traditional Muslim street songs, or Bubu music, have not. The king of Bubu is Ahmed Janka Nabay, an amazing humanitarian musician whose life has been shaped by Sierra Leone's civil war." [Straw vs Gold]

According to Green Owl, it was the king of Bubu's first "official" NYC show, but he didn't have to come too far; Ahmed Janka currently lives in Philadelphia. He wore a traditional Rafia costume at the show, that he made earlier that day....

Ahmed Janka @ Supreme Trading - July 25, 2009 (by Ryan Muir)

AND, it ends up that Saturday night's show at Supreme Trading was also a sort-of-secret Very Best show. Radioclit did DJ, but then performed with Esau too (no Ezra this time though). More pictures from both shows and the new album artwork, below...

Continue reading "The Very Best (new remixes) played LPR (w/ Ezra Koenig) & Supreme Trading (a secret show?) w/ Ahmed Janka - pics "

DOWNLOAD: Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit - The Very Best Mixtape (ZIP)
DOWNLOAD: The Very Best - Warm Heart Of Africa (w/ Ezra Koenig) (MP3)

European producers Radioclit and Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya have been working together under the name The Very Best for the past two years. You can check out their debut mixtape, which came out last year and samples M.I.A, Vampire Weekend and Michael Jackson, reposted above. "For the recording, the band brings some guests on board: M.I.A. for 'Rain Dance' and Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig sings on 'Warm Heart Of Africa.'"

The Very Best are making a limited number of US stops before their set at the Pitchfork Festival on July 19th. One of those will be at NYC's (Le) Poisson Rouge on Saturday, July 18th, where they appear with Dragons of Zynth, the Que Bajo?! dance party, DJ Uproot Andy, Geko Jones, Zuzuka Poderosa, DJ Supervixen and Açai Girl. Tickets are on sale.

Two Very Best videos, with a flyer for the show, and all tour dates, below...

Continue reading "The Very Best are here - playing CA, NYC & the P4K Fest"

DOWNLOAD: Esau Mwamwaya, Santogold, M.I.A & Radioclit - Get it up (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Santogold & Diplo, Guns Of Brooklyn (Doc and Jon Hill Dub) (MP3)

"You might have heard this song on the SANTOGOLD VS DIPLO CD,but Radioclit went back to the studio with our boy Esau Mwamwaya to make it even even better. Check for it on the new Esau Mixtape out soon also Radioclit "Secousse" is out on Beatport right now. Also keep your eyes peeled for the Paul Devro Remix to surface sometime soon." [Mad Decent blog]

Mad Decent is going on tour. Santogold's new video for "Lights Out" is below...

Continue reading ""MIA + SANTOGOLD + ESAU ON DA SAME TRACK!!!""