If you enjoy both Western and African pop and haven't yet heard of The Very Best, they are well worth your attention. The group is headed by singer Esau Mwamwaya, a Malawian expatriate living in the UK who ran into the (awfully named) dance duo Radioclit. They produced an incredible remix album last year, lathering popular songs by artists like MIA and Vampire weekend with a layer of Chichewa. You can download that album for free here (I highly recommend the Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa remix).
The free remix album was so successful that the group went ahead and produced a full-length album of original music, fully embracing the style that was hinted at in the first EP, called "The Warm Heart of Africa." Those of you familiar with Malawi may find this cringe-worthy - it's an overused catchphrase for the country. Actually, at first glance, the whole match-up seems like it could possibly be cringe-worthy, but the two styles flow together seamlessly, and the unrelenting happiness of the music is infectious. Please check it out.
A song, M to sample:
The Warm Heart of Africa (featuring Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend)