Benjamin Clementine-Cornerstone

Cornerstone, the debut single of Benjamin Clementine, is raw. It's pure emotion. Cornerstone is one of my favorite songs of 2013 for this very reason. In an era of factory produced artists, bands, and singles, today's jamandahalf shines because it comes straight from the heart. Born from the life and story of a young Ghanaian immigrant who was discovered singing in the metro of Paris, Cornerstone is a bold statement and a fearless yet poignant"hello world". Showing that there is incredible musical talent all around us, Benjamin reminds us that sometimes true greatness is often easy to miss in a rush to your next destination. Luckily Benjamin was discovered and his face and the tears in his eyes at the end of his live performance in the video below seem to be a sweet, sweet combination of relief and joy. I feel like we're going to be hearing a lot of Benjamin in the next year. Keep an ear out and don't forget to throw a eurodollar or two in the bucket of the next busker you see singing his/her heart out.

JamandaHalfxVagabrothers Destination 8: Rajasthan

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When you're travelling, no amount of guidebooks nor internet forums can replace the wisdom of a local. Being able to see a city through the eyes of someone who lives there gives you a different perspective than being on your own, allowing you to live the city, not just see the sights.

While Griffdawg and I can scour the internet in search of the jams that begin to define a country's musical heritage, it can't come close to someone who has lived that heritage. Today's destination is brought to you by Mrinal, a good friend I met while interning in Hyderabad, India. Currently living and working in Bangalore, Mrinal's musical wisdom runs deep. A budding musician himself, Mrinal is the drummer of Divine Raaga (check out a song from them below and an interview coming soon!), a Bangalore-based band that recently made waves in the Hard Rock Cafe's global battle of the bands, playing in the top 50 out of thousands of bands worldwide. Presenting a best-of "Indian music" playlist is impossible, as is a best of "Indian food" dinner-India's cultural, linguistic, and musical landscape is so vast that it would be impossible to define in a few songs (or plates!). Mrinal writes, "I have tried to represent (albeit its impossible) the current modern soundscape that Indian music is," and shares with us a playlist that draws from many different backgrounds, some of them quite surprising to a non-local ear. Enjoy the YouTube playlist below (as many of the songs weren't on Spotify) and let us know what you think! Thanks again Mrinal.