Mikael Seifu Yarada Lij (2014)
Ethiopia, the second-oldest Christian nation after Armenia, embraced Christianity in the 4th century CE under King Ezana of Aksum. Ethiopian Christians believe their musical instruments, such as the masinko, krar, washint, begena, kebero and tom-tom, are sacred gifts from God.
Mikael Seifu weaves sampled sounds from these instruments into his ambient and dance productions. Raised on Napster-era rap, he started making music on his parents' PC. While studying in the U.S., he encountered the radical compositions of Stockhausen and the shadowy beats of Burial—two influences that would profoundly shape his sound.
Today's track blends these influences with distinctive Ethiopian melodies and sounds. It’s an ambient piece that doesn’t just evoke the image of a hang glider drifting over the East African plateau, it lets you feel aflight with every fiber of your being.