Malawi, the Warm Heart of Africa.
From the Press Release at Phonicarecords.com:
Back in 2007, a chance meeting at a second-hand furniture store led the Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya to team up with underground European DJ/producer duo Radioclit to form THE VERY BEST. Last year they dropped “Esau Mwamwaya and Radioclit Are The Very Best”, a leftfield surprise of a mixtape that joyously smashed borders and gate-crashed numerous end-of-year lists. Without promotional assistance or financial support, the collection of well-known pop, dance, afro and indie tracks remixed by Radioclit featuring Mwamwaya’s singing charted more than 300,000 downloads and was hailed by tastemakers including Pitchfork, FADER, and Gorilla vs. Bear among many others. The good news is that that mixtape didn’t mark the end of this unique collaboration and this LP is the outcome, featuring guest appearances from M.I.A. and VAMPIRE WEEKEND frontman EZRA KOENIG, “Warm Heart of Africa” is a life-affirming triumph, embodying a without-borders approach to music-making and is one of the most joyous releases of 2009.
This new release had me tapping my toes the whole may home. Ultra embarrassing since, due to extreme anticipation, I immediately loaded this onto my iPod and was “tapping my toes” in the metro all the way home.
My understanding is that much of the album is sung in Chichewa. Since I speak none of it, I phonetically hum along in my very best, much to the chagrin of my fellow metro riders.
It must be the percussion that makes this album for me. Mostly upbeat and usually coupled with fat strings it needs only that amazing voice of Mwamwaya (of which I understand next to nothing).
The album reminds of a trip to Malwai I haven’t taken (Kamphopo, with the chorus of children’s voices); of a hot summer day I likely won’t see again for a year or so(Chalo); of a rainy day in a desert climate somewhere (Rain Dance featuring M.I.A).
The best thing by far, to me, is the fact that I have listening to this album now for a week straight. It has gone with me in my car, to my office, to my home system to my iPod and it never tires. The vocals of Esau Mwamwaya are what do it for sure, Radioclit is good, but each track is crafted to be sung over by Mwamwaya and that is definitely no bad thing.
There is just no way to be disappointed by this album. Buy it at your favorite music retailer!
