Quite Possibly the Best Music Being Made Today

By CL * Other CL Posts

I spend a great deal of time using public transportation or walking, and 95% of that time is spent with my iPod turned on. I tend to keep the volume at a moderate level, not least because I don't want the entire subway car to know I'm listening to R. Kelly's "I Like the Crotch on You." There's one exception; one artist that always causes me to jack up the volume to obnoxiously loud levels: The Very Best.

The Very Best makes the happiest, easiest-to-listen-to music on earth. It's a partnership between Esau Mwamwaya, a Malawian singer, and Radioclit, a London-based production duo. The backstory is entertaining but irrelevant; your task right now is to watch the video below, then download the mixtape for free. Give it a chance. You have nothing to lose.



I wasn't expecting the album to be released until October 6th - which would have allowed me to post this in time for you to try the mixtape before the album's release - but as it turns out, October 6th is the physical release date. It was released online last week, and can be streamed and bought here. So stream it, and buy it.

That's really all I have to say. I was going to make this longer. I was going to describe the music itself, which is not just afropop but Africanized western pop; half of the mixtape consists of covers of pop songs. I was going to talk about how I was overjoyed at my discover of the mixtape last year, and sent it to my college roommate, only to find out that Green Owl - the label he works for - already represented the group. But I'd rather keep it short and let the music speak for itself.

So, to reiterate: this may be the best pure music being made today. The mixtape was in my top three albums last year, and the upcoming album has already secured a spot in this year's top three. Enjoy.