ARTIST: The Very Best

HAILS FROM: Malawi, France and Sweden

Musical Style: Alternative, Indie/Pop, Electronica

FOR FANS OF: M.I.A, Brazilian Girls, Vampire Weekend

WHY YOU SHOULD CHECK THEM OUT:

Malawi born singer Esau Mwamwaya paired up with the dancehall and grime step production team of Radioclit to create an uplifting, sunny and melodic record that borrows sounds from all over the globe.

BACKGROUND CHECK:

The Very Best first gained attention last December when they released a free mixtape on their Myspace page. It was part afro-pop, part sample-based electronica and it took critics by storm. The collection of songs managed to make it onto countless year-end lists, all while earning no money. Their reimaginings of Vampire Weekend’s Cape Cod Kwasa Kwasa and M.I.A’s Boyz offered glimpses of what this singer and production team could accomplish with a fully realized original album. Well now they’ve returned, almost a year later, with an album that has a more developed and mature sound, yet still retains all the contagious fun that their mixtape offered.

Their most recent record, Warm Heart of Africa, sonically follows the same formula as their mixtape: A vibrant and summery sound, with Esau’s vocals out front and Radioclits playful and thumping rhythms offering support. On their first recording they relied on samples of artists like Vampire Weekend and M.I.A, however on this record Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend and Maya Arulpragasam (M.I.A.) come to sing alongside Esau in two new and original songs.

Most of the album is sung in Chichewa, the native language of Malawi, however the joy in Esau’s voice and the range of the musical compositions from Radioclit allows for an understanding that goes beyond words. If you feel like summer may have come and gone too soon, you should definitely spend some time with The Very Best, it’ll bring back the sun right before we head into winter months.

Where you can find them in Cyberspace:

MySpace

On Tour:

JamBase

Artist: Little Boots

Hails From: Blackpool, England

Musical Style: Electropop, Electronica, Alternative/Dance

For Fans of: Siouxsie and the Banshees, Lady Gaga, Hot Chip

 Why you should check her out:

Singer and multi-instrumentalist Little Boots is quickly emerging as a queen of dance floor hooks. Her collection of finely-crafted, Electropop tunes are rife with super-saccharine earworms, earning her a spot on Esquire Magazine’s list of “60 Brilliant Brits for 2009.”

Background Check:

Artist: Major Lazer

Hails from: Philadelphia/London

Musical Style: Dancehall, Reggae, Electronica, Club/Dance

For Fans of: M.I.A., Santigold, Simian Mobile Disco

Why You Should Check Them Out:

The dancehall side project of DJ/producers Diplo (Wes Pentz, of Philadelphia) and Switch (Dave Taylor of London), Major Lazer is infecting dance floors all over the globe. The endlessly creative duo—responsible for M.I.A.’s Grammy-nominated “Paper Planes”—combine forces to create some of the best jams of 2009.

Background Check:

Who doesn’t like a little wacky mythology to spice up their record collection? In order to best disseminate their latest reggae-inflected grooves, Diplo and Switch created the character Major Lazer—a Jamaican commando who lost his arms in the secret Zombie War of 1984 (never heard of it?). According to legend, US military forces rescued the “major” and fashioned him with prosthetic limbs formed from experimental lazers. Major Lazer, under cover as a dancehall club owner, enlists the help of—you guessed it—Diplo and Switch to produce his first LP.

In their own words, the group produces, “futuristic dancehall and digital reggae sounds crafted as a soundtrack to a not-so-distant dystopian future.” Major Lazer endeavors to defeat evil forces through partying and killer tunes—along with his rocket-powered skateboard.

Whatever the intention, the ensuing album, Guns Don’t Kill People…Lazers Do, is a dancehall tour de force. Filled with big beats and electronic pulses, the album revolves around nasty basslines and crafty samples. The Major throws in plenty of found sounds, sex-laden lyrics and a little Auto-Tune zaniness for good measure. The record features an array of guests including Santigold, Nina Sky and Amanda Blank, as well as dancehall stars Mr. Lex, Ms. Thing, Mr. Vegas and Vybz Kartel.

To ensure proper defense against the supposedly encroaching monsters, vampires and zombies lurking just beneath the surface of our “civilized society,” you might just want to arm yourself with a copy.

Where you can find them in Cyberspace:

Majorlazer.com

Myspace

On Tour:

JamBase