Q+A/Freeload: Mulatu Astatke + The Heliocentrics, “Masengo”
- story THE FADER
Legendary Ethiopian musician Mulatu Astatke’s collaboration with the Heliocentrics hits a lot of key points we’re into, blending fuzzy psych guitars with heavy drums and complex piano runs. It’s an album that successfully mixes old and new without coming across as a self-conscious throwback. Instead, it works as a meeting of minds with a genuine respect for the music that makes up their backgrounds. This isn’t exactly what you’d get on, say, an Ethiopiques compilation, but it draws from that lineage to create something between the worlds of Ethio-jazz and vintage psych rock. Down below download “Masengo,” the lead-track from their album Inspiration Information 3 (out now on Strut) and after the jump check out our Q+A with Astatke, covering everything from his soundtrack work on Jim Jarmusch’s Broken Flowers to his ongoing update of traditional Ethiopian music.
Download: Mulatu Astatke + The Heliocentrics, “Masengo”
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posted on Apr 16, 2009 in MUSIC INTERVIEWS tags Ethio-jazz, freeload, Mulatu Astatke, psych/folk, Q+A, The Heliocentrics
