Kibrom Birhane LISANE BAHIR

• 1. Jabaadhu
• 2. Horizon
• 3. Addis Zemen
• 4. Utopian
• 5. Winter Tezita
• 6. Lisane Bahir
• 7. Gratitude
• 8. Vortex (ft. Esy Tadesse)
• 9. Orbit
• 10. Yegedel Mamitu
• 11. Elekish Eleka
• 12. Axum
• 13. Amen
• 14. Ethiopian King

Los Angeles-based Ethiopian composer and keyboardist Kibrom Birhane breaks new ground with original release Lisane Bahir - a full-length exploration of Ethio-jazz through the circuitry of analogue synthesis. Recorded in a single, immersive month at Flying Carpet Studios, the album was made entirely with the Studio 110 modular system, eschewing digital tools in favour of voltage, texture and touch. Across its 14 tracks, Birhane fuses the modal language of traditional Ethiopian music with the meditative swirl of cosmic electronics. 'Jabaadhu' and 'Horizon' open with pulsing rhythm and airy motifs, while 'Winter Tezita' and 'Addis Zemen' find emotional power in repetition and restraint. 'Vortex', featuring vocalist Esy Tadesse, offers a rare moment of warmth amid the circuitry, before 'Ethiopian King' closes the journey in regal slow motion. Deeply rooted yet otherworldly, it's a remarkable hybrid of tradition, intuition and experiment.