I was blown away by The Very Best’s debut album Warm Heart Of Africa, back in 2009.

Initially very impressed with the couple of tracks I had heard, the end of the year saw them get no.3 album in my end of year list, and two entries in the Festive Fifty.

So yes, I was showing them some serious love round these parts back then. They are now back with their sophomore album MTMTMK, which is out in July on Moshi Moshi. Etienne Trot has left the group, so they are now a duo, Malawian singer Esau Mwamwaya and London-based Swedish producer Johan Hugo.

The Warm Heart of Africa featured appearances from M.I.A. and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig, this album features appearances from Amadou & Mariam, Baaba Maal and K’naan amongst others.

The video for the album track “Yoshua Alikuti” was filmed in the Kiamaiko slum in Nairobi and directed by Kenya-based Village Beat, and spoofs Lil Wayne’s “A Milli” video. This all bodes well for the new album…