Released: February 23, 2024 (original recordings between 1977 – 1985)

Genre: Ethio-jazz / Blues

From: Ethiopia

Label: Mississippi Records

Why you should listen: Souvenirs is the first vocal album from Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru, a beloved Ethiopian nun, who has written some stunning compositions about wisdom, loss, mourning, and exile. Featuring Emahoy’s moving vocals and beautiful piano compositions, the album is a meditative and immersive listening experience that showcases not only her talents as a songwriter and composer, but is also indicative of Ethiopia’s rich and diverse culture and music. It’s the raw, stripped back energy of the music that makes it such a profound and meditative listening experience. From the colourful and stunning opener “Clouds Moving on The Sky” to the reflective closer “Like the Sun Shines on Meadows”, there’s something really warm, embracing and homely about this project. It evokes nostalgia of being home and with close ones, which is powerful, as I’m not from and have never been to Ethiopia. Her voice is soft and simultaneously evokes so much pain and love. It’s an emotive, poignant album that really hits me emotionally, so I will definitely be immersing myself in this beautiful album for a while.

The album: