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NBHAP Rating: 3,4/5
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[one_half last=”yes”]THE VERY BEST
Makes A King
Release-Date: 06.04.2015
Label: Moshi Moshi
Tracklist:
01. Nkhondo
02. Hear Me
03. Let Go
04. Guju Guju
05. Bilmankwe (ft. Jerere)
06. Sweka
07. Mwana Wanga
08. Mariana (ft. Seye)
09. The Dead and the Dreaming (ft. Seye)
10. Kanyale
11. Umasiye (ft. Baaba Maal)
12. Uhumu
13. Makes a King (ft. Jutty Taylor)
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Slick and sunny
One thing’s for sure about THE VERY BEST – the production is smooth. Makes A King has been buffed to such a degree that it’s almost reflective. Lounge beats play off buttery synth, vocals rising and falling in perfectly placed trajectories. Tracks such as Sweka bubble in and out with champagne beats designed for the poolside, glassy layers spread across one another in gliding harmony.
Cross-continental fusion
Perhaps the greatest thing about THE VERY BEST is the ingenuity in its fusion of East and West, the brewing of Johan and Tron Karlberg’s electronic mastery melting into Esau Mwamwaya’s joyous vocals. Hear Me is definitely an album highlight representative of this; skirting the boundaries of pop sensibility, but sung in Malawi’s national language of Chichewa, the track draws from multiple strings to create truly unique grooves.
Twinkly-eyed and bright-smiled
It’s almost impossible to listen to THE VERY BEST without breaking into a silly grin – take, for example, first single Let Go. Beats drop in places that make your head feel a little woozy, the washing-over of chorus painting watercolours behind the eyelids. Makes A King isn’t necessarily an exceptional record, but it’ damn pleasing to listen to. A definite addition to your car dashboard collection next time a long journey approaches.
On ‘Makes A King’ THE VERY BEST prove that they have the ability to bridge genre gaps and deliver an uplifting piece of sunshine pop to accompany you this summer.
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