Tesfaye Mekonnen
a coffee farm in the Ethiopian highlands
Tesfaye Mekonnen, known for his precise clippers and careful cultivation of coffee, was born on a small farm in the Ethiopian highlands. Growing up, he learned the value of consistency and order as he watched his mother balance the family budget and keep their home running smoothly. Now, a 33-year-old prison barber, Tesfaye finds solace in music, creating rhythmic compositions at night as he contemplates the fragility of life, symbolized by the coffin he built himself.
About
Obsession
The vibration of the washing machine
Voice
Low hum through pressed flesh
Genre
Mechanical Ambient
Instrumentation
Barber's clippers, traditional Ethiopian bow harp, washing machine vibrations
Vocal Style
Breathy, as if whispered through steam
Production Style
Beside a humming washing machine at home
Influences
The methodical rhythm of clippers slicing through hair, the quiet resilience of coffee trees in misty highlands, the haunting starkness of a pine coffin
Selected 1 time · Last: March 16, 2026