When it comes to music or cocktails, the most powerful emotions often emerge from the most unexpected combinations. For more than fifteen years, Ukandanz have been refining their explosive formula of Ethiopian rhythms, garage rock, free jazz, and influences from punk and experimental rock. For those wondering whether the heart of the swinging Addis Ababa of the 1970s is still beating, Ukandanz provide an electrifying answer.

The band grew out of the long-standing musical encounter between French bassist and composer Damien Cluzel and the Ethiopian music scene. Since 2010, the charismatic voice of Asnake Gebreyes—one of the leading figures of modern Ethiojazz and a contributor to the legendary Éthiopiques series—has been at the heart of the project.

With six albums, international tours, and a unique blend of tradition and sonic adventure, Ukandanz have established themselves as one of the most distinctive projects connecting Addis Ababa and Europe. Their music combines hypnotic grooves, virtuosic improvisation, and raw rock energy into a sound that does not preserve Ethiopian heritage as a museum piece, but propels it forcefully into the present.