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: 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)

The Very Best @ Supreme Trading in July (more by Ryan Muir)

The Very Best ("European production duo Radioclit and Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya") are holding a remix contest for their song "Julia." It's the seventh track on their debut full-length, Warm Heart of Africa, which is out now digitally and out on CD October 6th on Green Owl Records. The raw files are hosted HERE and you can send your submission to tvbrmxcomp@gmail.com. Brooklyn's Javelin remixed the song, and you can check out their version on Green Owl's site.

The Very Best will play Green Owl's CMJ showcase on October 21st at (Le) Poisson Rouge. They share a bill with Theophilus London, Violens, Grandchildren, Ninjasonik and Nat Geo Music. Tickets are on sale, or you can try and get in with your CMJ badge.

Violens are also playing a CMJ showcase at Bowery Ballroom on October 24th.

Ninjasonik just posted a small tribute to Beau Velasco of TheDeathSet who recently passed away. "NY ceremonies for Beau will be this Fri & Sat". Stay tuned for more details.

Following their CMJ show, The Very Best has a short string of dates around North America. Album art, tracklist and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "The Very Best touring (dates), playing Green Owl CMJ show @ LPR w/ Violens, Ninjasonik & more ++ a remix contest"

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 "

Yacht @ Fun Fun Fun Fest 2008 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Hopefully you had fun getting down this week so far. There's much more happening this weekend, especially Saturday (7/25):

Fixed is back where it all started 4+ years ago - the Tribeca Grand! JDH & Dave P will be deejaying, plus they've brought together a monster line-up for what is sure to be an awesome return to the original site of some of their best parties:

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ Showtrotta (part 2) (James Murphy, Yacht, Free Energy, Lemonade, Radioclit, Omar S, more) "

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"

by Showtrotta

DOWNLOAD: The Whip - Trash (South Central remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit - The Very Best Mixtape (ZIP)
DOWNLOAD: The Whip - Divebomb (FFS remix) (MP3)

Shout Out Out Out

It's CMJ time again. In a city where there are almost always some good acts passing through it's hard to understand what exactly the big deal is about the CMJ Music Marathon. Then you realize there will be "over 1,000 artists, in more than 65 venues in 5 days" and you have yet to even look at the schedule! Get crackin', run around, and get down! While last year's marathon (which featured Simian Mobile Disco, the Black Ghosts, MSTRKRFT, and Justice to name a few) will be hard to top in terms of dance music, this year's is by no means shabby.

What looks good to me on the official schedule is here (though note that the Little Boots Annex show is actually on Thursday). Explanations & more info is below. Also, be sure to read the official CMJ schedule carefully, as typically late night dj events will often be listed under the following day (ie: a Tuesday night dj set starting at 1am will actually be listed on CMJ's schedule under Wednesday)....

Continue reading "the CMJ week in Dance w/ Showtrotta "

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!!!""