Ethiobraz
PNL Records (65 mins)
The traditional Ethiopian musicians of Addis Ababa’s Fendika azmaribet have joined forces with Paal Nilssen-Love’s pan-Scandinavian group Large Unit and members of Dutch punks The Ex to create one almighty 22-piece avant garde Ethio-trad-punk, free jazz, big band noisefest. Now there’s a collection of adjectives that will either get you salivating or reaching for the ear-plugs.
I was all up for it – which is why I was a bit stumped at the quiet opening. It’s not until the middle of the third track that it really kicks up a gear, and even then, it feels as though there is something lacking. Musically, the group works really well. The Zappa-like jazz rock freak-outs and Ethiopian vibes complement each other as well as contrasting, and the best moments come when chaos threatens – but never quite manages – to take over completely. All the elements are there to make it an exciting musical explosion, but the end result falls a bit flat. Even though the album is a live recording from 2018, it lacks that passionate live energy – an important factor when the noise becomes challenging.
Ethiobraz is a successful proof-of-concept and the group tour Europe in June (COVID-19 depending) – maybe two years of percolating will have imbued Large Unit Fendika with that extra added spark.