Download: Two Offcuts From The Very Best Mixtape [Yeasayer + The xx]

Words: Saam Das

Radioclit and Esau Mwamwaya aka The Very Best recently put out a 'Super Mom' mixtape but seeing as I'm not really into mixtapes, that passed me by. But after a handy retweet from Stephen Moshi Moshi, I can bring you a couple of songs that didn't quite make the mix. Check out the infusion of African elements into both Yeasayer's 'Ambling Alp' and Jamie xx's remix of 'You Got The Love'.

Yeasayer New Material

The wondrous Brooklynites Yeasayer have returned to give us a taster of what album two, 'Odd Blood' is going to sound like. And it's brilliant!


Building around the "Stick up for yourself son, never mind what anyone else has done" refrain, it's pretty much what Passion Pit would sound like if they covered Prince. An amazingly dynamic psychedelic pop extravaganza. The new album can't come soon enough, quite frankly.

YEASAYER - AMBLING ALP

'Odd Blood' will drop in February 2010. In the meantime check out the ltd ed deals (including t-shirts and 12" vinyls) that Yeasayer are doing for the 'Ambling Alp' release here.

Website // MySpace

George Lamb versus Yeasayer

George Lamb continues to reign supreme over the morning to afternoon slot at BBC 6 Music (that's a radio station, if you haven't heard of it) and as far as I know, people still hate him. I'm still indifferent. Following his sessions with Mystery Jets [KHI post] and Ebony Bones [KHI post], I bring you 'George Lamb versus Music' Part Three, with Brooklyn's Yeasayer.

Now all of you must be familiar with Yeasayer by now. They were part of the buzz brigade of yesteryear comprising of Vampire Weekend, MGMT and Black Kids. From where I'm sitting Yeasayer appear to be the least successful of that bunch. We can probably put that down to their music being a tad too "out there" for the masses. Psych-pop mixing in Middle Eastern and African influences was hardly screaming commerical hit though.


'2080' however, was something of a pop classic - a hypnotic tale of their future, complete with bewitching falsetto and freaky children's choir backing vocals. Thankfully, they played this track (as well as 'Wait For The Summer') for the radio session. In between songs, they engaged in banter with Mr Lamb, where I seem to remember them jokingly calling out fellow Brooklynites Vampire Weekend for fisticuffs and denying that '2080' was proclaiming the end of the world. My memory is a bit shady though so hopefully I haven't made all that up.

YEASAYER - 2080 (BBC 6MUSIC SESSION)//MIRROR
YEASAYER - WAIT FOR THE SUMMER (BBC 6MUSIC SESSION)//MIRROR

For a more authentic African influence, I would suggest looking to Canadian band The Acorn, two of whom actually grew up in Africa. Unfortunatly no mp3s for you but they're like more palatable, less psychedlic Yeasayer. They're quite folky and a UK record deal can't be too far off. It would be well deserved anyway.

Staying on the African front, but at another end of the spectrum, we have WSD, a London band mixing punk rock and the music of their homeland, Zimbabwe. They even occasionally sing in native Zimbabwean language (Shona?). Show offs. Check out 'Bata Mwana Tsike Banana' for such japery. It's their pop anthem, finding its place somewhere between Paul Simon and surf pop yet still managing to sound a bit angry. But a bit ace too.

WSD - BATA MWANA TSIKE BANANA