Ethiopia Super Krar
Released
On Ethiopia Super Krar the London based Ethiopian trio give a contemporary spin to the krar, a five-or-six stringed bowl-shaped lyre. Accompanied by Grum Begashaw’s kebero drums and the occasional swirl of the masenqo (a single-stringed bowed lute from Ethiopia) and washint flute, Genet Assefa’s vocals and Temesgen Zeleke’s acoustic, electric, and bass krars create a surprisingly full, gritty sound, transforming Ethiopia’s ancient sounds into a hypnotic, funky dance fest.