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Cooperative Music
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Tel:    +46 8 55 69 69 88
Mail:  kristofer.elofsson@cooperativemusic.se

The Very Best (fr/se/mw)

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 late summer 09 will see the release of The Very Best's dazzling debut LP, "WARM HEART OF AFRICA". Released on Moshi Moshi records, and featuring guest appearances from M.I.A. and VAMPIRE WEEKEND frontman EZRA KOENIG, "Warm Heart of Africa" is a life-affirming triumph.

THE VERY BEST are a shining light of multi-culturalism. Esau Mwamwaya was born in Malawi, East Africa. He grew up in the capital, Lilongwe, where he played drums in various bands such as Masaka Band. He was a good friend of the legendary Evison Matafale and they played together for several years before he was killed in Malawi police custody in 2003. In 1999 Esau moved to England and until recently run a second-hand furniture store in East London. Esau's shop happened to be on the same street as Radioclit's old studio, and after Etienne Tron bought a bike from Esau he invited him to one of their house warming parties, where Esau met the other half of Radioclit, Johan Karlberg. The three soon began to collaborate musically, combining Radioclit’s vast production experience and self-described “ghettopop” style - having produced and remixed tracks for the likes of M.I.A., Lily Allen, Justin Timberlake, Santigold, Britney Spears, TV On The Radio etc - with Mwamwaya’s emotive vocal approach. “Warm Heart of Africa” embodies a without-borders approach to music-making and is one of the most joyous releases of 2009.

4/5
"befriande"
DI Weekend, Jan Gradvall

4/5
"Tops!"
Göteborgs-Posten, Patrik Lindgren

4/5
"Spelas på högsta volym när du får hytten intill Sverigedemokraternas partiledning på färjan. "
Helsingborgs Dagblad, Peter Fällmar Andersson

4/5
"livsbejakande solskenspop"
Metro, Peter Lindholm

4/5
"Det är helt enkelt omöjligt att sitta still."
NWT, Lovisa Eriksson

4/6
"liknar inget annat"
Nöjesguiden