Ethiopian vocalist Gigi’s Illuminated Audio released on vinyl for the first time – The Vinyl Factory

Ethiopian vocalist Gigi’s Illuminated Audio released on vinyl for the first time

Written by

Gabriela Helfet

Published on

April 5, 2019

Category

News

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With cameos from Pharoah Sanders, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter and more.

Bill Laswell’s dub reinterpretations of Gigi’s debut, Illuminated Audio, will be released on vinyl for the first time, this May via Kay Suzuki’s Time Capsule imprint.

Read more: An introduction to Bill Laswell in 10 records

Gigi aka Ethiopian singer Ejigayehu Shibabaw began her career in Chagni before moving to San Francisco – via Nairobi and Addis Ababa – in 1998, where she met bassist and producer Bill Laswell.

Gigi recorded her self-titled debut in 2001, featuring artists including Herbie Hancock, Pharoah Sanders and Wayne Shorter.

Laswell brought Gigi into celestial and ambient realms in an LP called Illuminated Audio, released on CD in 2003.

Remastered for this first vinyl release, it includes a Japanese obi strip, original artwork by Russell Mills, photography by Jean-Baptiste Mondino and liner notes by Tyran Grillo.

Illuminated Audio follows Time Capsule’s reissue of Japanese fusion guitarist Yuji Toriyama’s Choice Works 1982-1985.

Pre-order a copy of Illuminated Audio here ahead of its 10th May release, listen to ‘Mengedegna’ and check out the tracklist below.

Tracklist

Side A

1. Abay
2. Tew Ante Sew

1. Mengedegna
2. Kahn

1. Sew Argeñ
2. Nafekeñ

Side D

1. Abet Wubet
2. Guramayle
3. Gud Fella
4. Guramayle (Slight Return