ZENA – TEMESGEN

Ethiopian jazz is a popular gateway for many aspiring jazz enthusiasts (often associated with pioneers like Mulatu Astatke and Getatchew Mekurya from its 1960s–’70s heyday), but London duo ZENA — producer, keyboardist and synth player Yohan Kebede and bassist/producer Menelik — are now carrying it into a new era. On their six-track EP ‘TEMESGEN’, they pick up the blend of traditional pentatonic melodies with jazz, Latin, and soul influences, updating it with a contemporary London feel. Lead single ‘MY LOVE YOUR LOVE’ simmers with psychedelic funk, dub, and R&B textures, threading Raya and Lasta grooves into a hypnotic, flowing pulse. On ‘IT’S YOU (ANTE NEH)’, they invite Meron T. to add elegant vocals to an airy romance song. Born from a shared love for the music of their heritage, ‘TEMESGEN’ balances improvisation, warmth, and exploration, reimagining these roots for a new generation while remaining true to the genre’s spiritual roots.