The Very Best
A singer from Malawi, with British MCs. Bright, refreshing, generally electronic/pop-y music. Less than half of their songs feature lyrics in English. Songs to give you a taste: Julia, Warm Heart of Africa, Mghetto, Adani, Yoshua Alikuti.
This is the group that has been my gateway drug. Warm Heart of Africa was buried in a music sampler playlist I downloaded several years ago. The song features Ezra Koenig, which seems fitting since it's sunny, cheerful song not unlike the music of Vampire Weekend. I was so charmed by it that I found myself looking the group up ('Oh, they're not American!') and then impulse buying the album. That spring I took an African Dance class for some elective credit I needed; it felt like fate. I've been hooked on African music ever since.
Why you should check them out: If you like upbeat, danceable pop music and you appreciate songs that include little touches that separate them from the predictable pop music that is fed to us, you definitely should. Think of groups like M.I.A., Surprise Hotel, the aforementioned Vampire Weekend, Santigold, whose songs feature percussion that isn't boring, who don't make every song about going to the club. Although there are most definitely plenty of dance songs in their repertoire. “Rudeboy” was made for the dance floor.
I also appreciate that while their music is pop, it still has good variety. “Nsokoto” is a dark tune about young people being robbed of their dreams. “Kamphopo” is a tropical song about falling in love; I can't listen to it without feeling sunlight flowing through the music.
Their self-titled first album has a very accessible, while distinctly African, sound to a born-and-raised American like myself. I actually found myself feeling very slightly disappointed when I saw that their second album, Mtmtmk, has a greater number of songs in English. Don't get me wrong though, Mtmtmk is still awesome. It makes me want to throw a dance party, honestly.
