Clapton bike shop pals.
The Very Best is a truly global collaboration between French - Swedish production outfit Radioclit and Malawian drummer and singer Esau Mwamwaya. Their mixtape released at the end of 08 was a massive blog sensations and featured remixes of a diverse range of artists including the likes of Architecture in Helsinki, The Beatles and Vampire Weekend.
The story goes that Radioclits Etienne Tron met Esau in a second hand shop somewhere in londons charming Clapton, where the later sold the former a nice bike. Tron\'s studio was on the same street as the shop and the pair became friends and began the musical production called The Very Best.
To kick things off and raise awareness the duo began remixing tracks by high profile buzz artists, the results of which became the bands mixtape. Next thing you know, they are the toast of the town and are back in the studio working on their very own album, due for release at somepoint this year.
This track, Warm Heart of Africa, features Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend, and is going to be a big summer festival hit, no doubt about it.
The story goes that Radioclits Etienne Tron met Esau in a second hand shop somewhere in londons charming Clapton, where the later sold the former a nice bike. Tron\'s studio was on the same street as the shop and the pair became friends and began the musical production called The Very Best.
To kick things off and raise awareness the duo began remixing tracks by high profile buzz artists, the results of which became the bands mixtape. Next thing you know, they are the toast of the town and are back in the studio working on their very own album, due for release at somepoint this year.
This track, Warm Heart of Africa, features Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend, and is going to be a big summer festival hit, no doubt about it.
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Is Ichi gargling? Percussion and unexpected sounds abound...
In a reassuring pots-and-pans kind of a way, Ichi, from way out East (or West), is a one-man band brimming over with originality and a peculiar bonkerishness.
Ichi is from Nagoya, Japan, and has been touring in Europe this year, well received by characters along the way. Indeed, the Fence Collective’s Homegame 2009 was veritably lit-up by Ichi’s zesty appearance, and heaven knows those discerning Scots put on some tricky acts to follow.
It may be the downright oddness of his music which works so well. But it would be nothing if he wasn’t able to back it up with technical precision, with excitement and a highly developed sense of fun and of not taking himself too seriously. No problem here, luckily.
‘Otonoha tonbi’, this week’s track, is full of unexpected sounds. When the vocals kick in, we do slightly wonder what is going on, this strange mixture of Cypress Hill and a squawking Monty Python old lady, but after a moment or two it seems entirely normal and we can settle into the track nicely in all its excellence. A steel-drum interlude a little later on transports us magically to the high street where a busker regales us with upbeat, if not entirely welcome, sounds. Just as we are preparing ourselves to forgive him, Ichi has found his way back into the groove. No sooner that than he is off with water-based percussion and a semi-ritualistic chanting business.
Kicking, bouncy, danceable percussion rules the day here, with the strong of scent of the unexpected to keep us on our toes. There’s all sorts of mad sounds in here. Birdsong, splashing and flowing water, a washboard and, seriously, is that a flock of duck? And is Ichi gargling at the start? Could well be, and all the better for it.
Ichi is from Nagoya, Japan, and has been touring in Europe this year, well received by characters along the way. Indeed, the Fence Collective’s Homegame 2009 was veritably lit-up by Ichi’s zesty appearance, and heaven knows those discerning Scots put on some tricky acts to follow.
It may be the downright oddness of his music which works so well. But it would be nothing if he wasn’t able to back it up with technical precision, with excitement and a highly developed sense of fun and of not taking himself too seriously. No problem here, luckily.
‘Otonoha tonbi’, this week’s track, is full of unexpected sounds. When the vocals kick in, we do slightly wonder what is going on, this strange mixture of Cypress Hill and a squawking Monty Python old lady, but after a moment or two it seems entirely normal and we can settle into the track nicely in all its excellence. A steel-drum interlude a little later on transports us magically to the high street where a busker regales us with upbeat, if not entirely welcome, sounds. Just as we are preparing ourselves to forgive him, Ichi has found his way back into the groove. No sooner that than he is off with water-based percussion and a semi-ritualistic chanting business.
Kicking, bouncy, danceable percussion rules the day here, with the strong of scent of the unexpected to keep us on our toes. There’s all sorts of mad sounds in here. Birdsong, splashing and flowing water, a washboard and, seriously, is that a flock of duck? And is Ichi gargling at the start? Could well be, and all the better for it.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Daniel Cross runs Record-Play, he set it up around 7 years ago and thinks music is for hippies.Dan Garber... East London promoter, impresario, general man about town and champion of the world.
We have made this weekly new music bulletin to introduce you to some of the best breaking new bands we have found from going to gigs, browsing around the internet, reading music press or from demo's sent.
ABOUT RECORD-PLAY
We are a music consultancy that supports brands, film makers, ad agencies and producers in finding and licensing music for their productions. We also develop content and design music based marketing plans for brand application. Our clients include some of the biggest high street brands and most respected directors in the industry, check out showreel for more info.ABOUT THE MUSIC HUB
In conjunction with some of the world's best indie labels, we have launched the Music Hub. A fixed rate, one stop sourcing and licensing resource.Collaborating labels include: Tirk, Sunday Best, Illicit, Breakin' Bread, Altered Vibes, People in the Sky, Nuphonic, 5mm, Splank, Central Control and more. If you are looking for high quality independent music that can be licensed immediately at a low fixed rate then visit the site.