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Though Radioclit seems to draw production ideas from the already existent ether--largely the African-Western pop alliances of the ’80s--that does nothing to take away from this fascinating and happy moment captured on record.
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It's a true global-pop album, and a hopeful template for things to come.
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When you consider the current crop of supposedly afrobeat influenced indie rock, Warm Heart Of Africa is, if you’ll excuse the pun, The Very Best.
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Naming a band The Very Best may seem like posturing, but on the evidence of Warm Heart Of Africa they're on to something.
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Malawi’s Esau Mwamwaya, however, is proof that even the West’s slickest and sickliest can be used well by inventive minds.
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The live clips of the Very Best on YouTube suggest an almost chaotic stage presence, and this very easy-on-the-ear debut may inspire many imitators.
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It’s all a part of the open exchange in the Afropop community that gives The Very Best their lush and addictive sound.
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There may be a language barrier to be dealt with here, but the feelings of the songs here transcend all walls, real or perceived.
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MojoCameos by Vampire Wekend's Ezra Keonig and Tamil rapper M.I.A. add to a joyous but knowing smorgasbord that will play equally well in a Lilongwe disco or Shoreditch/Brooklyn trend hole. [Oct 2009, p.107]
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UncutWarm Heart Of Africa works best when Radioclit subtly build on the rhythms of Mwamwaya's native kwassa kwassa. [Oct 2009, p.119]
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Ultimately, this set proves that the debut was no fluke, and this genre-bending meld of street traditions both East and West is capable of appealing to anyone with blood instead of sawdust in her/his veins.
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The woozy slow-jam "Julia," among other tracks, proves the group's polyglot street jams are plenty catchy unassisted.
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The trio’s official debut further expands their musical palette to include triumphant synth rock (“Chalo”) and woozy G-funk (“Julia”).
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We're given a deeper record than some may've anticipated -- sonically, for sure--but more so The Very Best's debut stands up higher as document of seamless (and shameless) cultural convergence.
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Under The RadarInstead of approximating a hodgepodge of the 21st century's musical memes, this debut LP takes on a life of its own, authenticity snobs be damned. [Fall 2009, p.68]
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While I never needed to hear the T-Pain Auto-Tune vocal effect in Chichewa, the beats and hooks on this collaboration between Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya and London-based DJ/producer duo Radioclit are inventive enough to forgive the occasional overindulgence.
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It's upbeat and inspiring almost to a fault--the lilting, diamond-soul yelp of Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig holds its own on the Upper West Side Soweto of the title track--which also makes Warm Heart feel like some sort of Disney tourist attraction--enjoyable but not yet revelatory.
User score distribution:
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Positive: 3 out of 5
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Mixed: 2 out of 5
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Negative: 0 out of 5
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JohnMOct 31, 2009Overrated. Certainly not as good as Ali Farka, Amadou and others.