Various Artists - Ethiopian Musics 1971 [Sub Rosa 584]

Released via the long standing Sub Rosa imprint on August 28th, 2k26 in both 2LP and 2CD format is "Ethopian Musics 1971", a highly fascinating and probably unique document both in terms of ethnography and music history - and preservation. The album presents a set of 23 original Field Recordings of original Ethiopian music captured and recorded by Ragnar Johson and Ralph Harrison throughout a trip to the country in 1971, rolled out over the course of rougly 98 minutes in total and accompanied by an extended booklet providing context, explanation and in parts even lyrics resp. the translation thereof. Within a vast array of melodies, styles and musical approaches the pieces captured in Addis Abeba at the time incorporate everything from Ahamric sung poetry to Ethiopian Christian songs alongside craar, washint and kabaro styles as well as pieces connected to ethnic groups like Afar, Fila, Anuak, Nuer and more. With these providing an overwhelming document in itself standout pieces on the first CD include the highly energetic and celebratory "Tej Bejt Song", the raw, almost Avantgarde Electronic leaning hypnotism of "Bagana" whereas "He-le-le Ampapa (Dorze Work Song)" seems to employ the advantages of rhythm alongside call-and-response structures for what could be imagined to be agricultural work and "Fila Flute Dance" brings forward an almost psychedelic and hallucinatory feel vibewise. Furthermore "The Stork Came Down. War Song" on disc 2 seems to be a ancient traditional piece which, in its captivating intensity, has been told and sung in this exact way for centuries, the "Bagana Prayer To Angels" harks back to the same quasi-electronic hypnotism found in one of the songs on the first part of the album, the vocal performance on the guitar x lute driven "Secret Affair" by Mary Armede is as captivating as it is emotional and outerworldy in its raw tonality which also goes for the subsequent "Bitter Lemon", the "Anuak Toum" breaks into sparkling, chiming positive polyrhythms somewhat slightly reminiscent of echoes of South East Asian musics and the "Nuer Dance" provides a perfect example for and example of thundering drums paired with classic tribal chants just to name a few. Fascinating. Go check.

Album artwork on Instagram!