Ethiocolor

Ethiocolor is a new project exploring cultural traditions from across Ethiopia, and the sounds of its northern azmari culture in particular. The resulting album is polished and slick, having been sharply recorded at the Selam label's studio in Addis. Purporting to ‘come up with a new set of modern traditions within Ethiopian music’ it is, however, slightly difficult to peg where the dividing and connecting points are in this creative process.

On the face of it, there is little to criticise – ‘Otai Ma Na’, for example, builds from a bass-driven, head-nodding 6/8 groove into something almost dance-floor friendly, and the musicianship is great, led by dancer and vocalist Melaku Belay. ‘Sekota’, driven by the masenqo (fiddle) of Endres Hassen, has a gorgeously sultry groove and lead vocal and the ominous ‘Shimunmun’ captures genuine drama in the music. Overall, however, the project feels a little regimented and pristine, which stifles the music somewhat. Instead of soaring, the songs never quite feel like they reach their full stretch.