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Bole2Harlem
Vol. 1 (Sounds of the Mushroom)
"Bole bole bole," chant the minibus drivers en route to the airport in
Addis Ababa. As part of the first track on this debut disc, it
definitely gives you a feel for Ethiopia. Maki Siraj and David
"Ashagre" Schommer mix traditional Ethiopian sounds with all sorts of
other stuff. For those unfamiliar with Amharic tunes, the pentatonic
sounds might seem a little odd, but there's nothing quite like them,
and they do grow on you. "Ensaralen Gojo," is a wonderful nod to the
amazing city of Harar, and Tegist Shibabaw (Ethiopian superstar Gigi's
little sister) lends her vocals to "Amet Bale," a song that, like many
others here, is, as they say in Amharic, "betam torro noh"—very good.
9/10
-Erin Macleod
11/22/06 >> go there