08/05/2026
๐๐ข๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐ก๐๐ง๐ - ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐ซ | ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง + ๐๐ข๐๐๐จ ๐&๐
There is a specific kind of devotion usually reserved for hermit monks - a singular, quiet commitment to a craft away from the noise of the world. For almost two years, visionary artist .birhane has lived in that space, surrendering himself to the warmth of analog circuits. The result is Lisanรฉ Bahir, an album that feels less like a new release and more like the discovery of a lost timeline.
While much of contemporary Ethio-Jazz remains lovingly tethered to recreating the Golden Age of the 60s and 70s, Kibrom has chosen to imagine a missing chapter. He looks back to the early 1980s, when analog synths and drum machines began to appear in Addis Ababaโs cassette culture, and asks: What if we never stopped exploring that frontier?
By stripping away the safety net of modern plugins and VSTs, Kibrom spent 18 months in a purist pursuit of sound. This is Progressive Electronic music rooted deeply in Qignet, paying equal homage to the foundational spirit of pioneers like Kraftwerk and Stevie Wonder.
On the title track, this manifests as an expressive solo over a cosmic arp synth that feels like a deep journey through space-time, while in Winter Tizita, Kibrom patiently plays the classic Tizita mode against a soft backdrop of environmental sound, letting the longing notes trickle down to the bottom of the listener's spirit. This human element is peaking in Vortex, where the cosmic textures are met by the voice of Kibromโs partner, Tsegenet. As she sings of the cyclical nature of history and the relentless loop of earth, her vocals act as fresh waterfalls in an analog multiverse. Ultimately, tracks like Amen serve as a sonic reminder to hold onto our blessings and that even in a synthesized world, words hold ancient power.
Come to the rooftop for a close deep-dive into the world of Lisanรฉ Bahir. - deep listening and a video Q&A with Kibrom Birhane.
๐ Thursday, May 14th
โฐ๏ธ 7PM - 9PM
๐ Social Addis Rooftop
๐ 100 ETB
๐ณ Phone-Free Event
๐ in bio to reserve your spot
