Ethiopiques 11 Alemu Aga CD

Consisting solely of Alemu's soft voice accompanied by the beguena, these songs have a mesmerising quality. The beguena's strings buzz and rattle as Aga sings both religious and secular songs in a low, smoky voice. And although the instrument's melodies are seemingly repetitive--given its limited range and single tuning--they form a fascinating counterpoint to Aga's vocal lines.
"For all its vintage reissues, the series' most stunning disc is volume 11, a collection of 1994 recordings of Alèmu Aga performing a set of religious poems on an instrument known as 'King David's Harp.' Aga plays and sings in an incantatory hum that is both soothing and arresting. The music doesn't just purport to be "sacred" - every second embodies and expounds upon the meaning of sacredness." - Stop Smiling