Julia

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 left field 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 mixtape didn't mark the end of this unique collaboration, and in late summer '09, The Very Best's debuted 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.

Photograph by Abbey Braden