Aron Abraham - Amani'do Yetselem

On this blog I have documented a passion for Ethiopian pop music, from the early warbling horn-led music of Selomon Shibeshi to the glossy breakneck r&b of Aster Aweke. Every Ethiopian artist I have featured here offers something different, while remaining distinctly Ethiopian. My search for more amazing music like this expanded first to Somalia (try funk group Iftin for example) and, most recently, to Eritrea. The finest result of my quest so far has been Aron Abraham, a man who now appears to live in Europe but still remains strongly patriotic to his birth nation. The song posted above, Amani'do Yetselem, is from his record of the same name. There are synthetic brass sounds, offbeat key-stabs and interplay between Abraham's voice and the song's various duelling lead instruments.

Label: n/a
Year: 2002
Genre: Jazz, r&b, Eritrean pop