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Mindblowing work from Mahmoud Ahmed – one of the key figures of Ethiopian music in the 70s, and a singer with a voice that's beyond compare! The sound here is extremely hard to describe – at one level grooving with some of the funk and jazz undercurrents of the work of Mulatu, but at another level done with a deeper sense of modernism that makes the tunes come across even more starkly. The album predates Ahmed's seminal Ere Mela Mela album – and on some tracks, is harder and funkier –with rhythms that pulsate in a really hypnotic way! Instrumentation includes some great hazy keyboards, as well as a brace of horns that emphasizes the themes of the tunes – and titles include "Gubelye", "Alemye", "Wogenie", "Etugula", "Belaya Belaya", "Ney Denun Tesesh", and the amazing Tezeta".

Ethiopian R&B, jazz and funk from the late 60s to mid 70s – essential numbers by Mahmoud Ahmed, Alemeyahu Eshete, Lemma Demissew, Sefu Yohannes, Bahta Gebre-Heywet, Teshome Metuku and others – all of which are appearing on vinyl for the first time since the incredibly rare original releases! Hasabe works as both a stellar introduction to the adventurously soulful music of Ethiopia during this pivotal period – and as a tightly-focused vinyl sampler of the extensive (27 CDs and counting) Ethiopiques series from Buda Musique. It focuses squarely on the R&B and funkier strains of the diverse Ethiopiques – and as connoisseurs of the series since the beginning – we can honestly tell you that it's impeccably well selected! 10 classic tracks: "Astawesalehu" and "Adrashash Tefabegn" by Lemma Demissew, "Yehagere Sheta" by Tlahoun Gessesse, "Mela Mela" by Sefu Yohannes, "Aynotche Terabu" by Mahmoud Ahmed, "Ayalqem Tedenqo" by Alemayehy Eshete, "Tessaassategn Eko" by Bahta Gebre-Heywet and more.