A stunner of a joint effort from Ethio jazz funk visionary
Mulatu Astatke
and psych funk genre-busting combo the Heliocentrics – a record we had the highest hopes for
and still find wildly above
and beyond our loftiest expectations! The collective touch on some classic
Mulatu compositions, but the bulk of the material here is brand new,
and purely collaborative – if you know the Helioecentrics or you know
Mulatu, you can clearly hear what each bring to the table –
and it works together brilliantly! There's often a gritty funk bottom end, the best drums
and percussion, fat electric bass lines underneath Ethio jazz inspired sax, trumpet, trombone
and flute – swirling psychedelic flourishes with theremin
and other effects that never take away from the groove.
Mulatu's on vibes, percussion, Wurlitzer, drums
and keyboards –
and his compositions
and the Helios trade back
and forth throughout the set. There's some additional Ethiopian instrumentation
and atmospheric vocals in the mix on some tunes,
and more of an astral, avant funk vibe on
others, but there's always a brilliant confluence of styles. Bottom line, the album is everything we wanted it to be
and more – this will undoubtedly be favorite for years to come! Titles include "Masenqo", "Cha Cha", "Addis Black Widow", "
Mulatu", "Blue Nile", "Esketa Dance", "Chik Chikka", "Live From Tiger Lounge", "Chinese New Year", "Phantom Of The Panther", "Dewel"., "Fire In The Zoo", "An Epic Story"
and "Anglo Ethio Suite".