Mulukèn Mellèssè – Mulukèn Mellèssè with The Dahlak Band (Heavenly Sweetness, 2025)
This is a long-awaited reissue of Mulukèn Mellèssè with The Dahlak Band, one of the final vinyl LPs pressed in Ethiopia before the country’s independent music scene was abruptly dismantled in the late 1970s. Originally released in 1976, the album is widely regarded as a defining statement of the Swinging Addis era and one of its last great works.
Recorded as the Derg regime consolidated power, the album captures a moment of exceptional artistic vitality just before political repression silenced much of Ethiopia’s modern music movement. At the center of this rich musical environment was the unmistakable voice of Mulukèn Mellèssè, whose rose from Addis Ababa’s nightclub circuit. He became one of the most expressive and influential singers of his generation.
Mellèssè is supported by The Dahlak Band, a forward-looking ensemble that included key figures such as Tilayé Gèbrè, Shimelis Beyene, and Dawit Yifru. Together, they developed a sound defined by emotional lyricism; jazz-influenced horn lines; irresistible and trance-like grooves; soulful and charismatic vocals; and tightly constructed arrangements rooted in Ethiopian traditional music.
The reissue highlights the album’s musical sophistication and historical weight. Its measured rhythms, melodic clarity, and confident production reflect a scene operating at full creative strength.
Buy Mulukèn Mellèssè with The Dahlak Band.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.