Brownswood Recordings marks two decades of boundary-pushing independent music this year. To celebrate, we’re delighted to welcome Gilles Peterson’s label for a special evening featuring two new-generation Brownswood artists who look set to write the story of its next 20 years: the Ethio-inspired sounds of ZENA and the soulful stylings of Bel Cobain.
1st show Doors 5pm 6.30-7.15 ZENA 7.40-8.25 BEL COBAIN
2nd show Doors 9pm 9.30-10.15 ZENA 10.40-11.20 BEL
Bel Cobain’s music balances strength with softness. Rooted in nature, spirituality and creativity, the East London artist’s work moves between introspection and the rawness of lived experience.
Named after her beloved dog, her new project 'Kizzy' draws on influences from Pink Floyd and Kate Bush to Joni Mitchell. Across its tracks, Cobain explores accountability, love and growth, from the “sacred rage” of “Am I Dumb” to the dreamlike closer “Mind Is A Dancer”.
More than two years in the making, Kizzy reflects Cobain’s journey since her debut EP, Radical Forgiveness. At its heart is a desire to connect: “Performing live is what it feels like to touch the motherboard.”
ZENA, comprised of keyboardist-producer Yohan Kebede and bassist-producer Menelik, is rooted in the Ethio-jazz that wafted through their childhood homes like the warmth and sacredness of etan, Ethiopian aromatic frankincense.
ZENA upholds the vibrancy and innovation of the London scene both were born out of. It’s mystical yet unorthodox, soulful yet sexy, pulling from alternative R&B, trip-hop, dub and psychedelic influences; ZENA is taking the timeless sonics of Ethiopia beyond the motherland.
The duo’s debut EP, TEMESGEN (released March 20, 2026, via Brownswood Recordings), is a six-track aural odyssey named after the Amharic word meaning “to be thankful.” It balances uncompromising experimentation with a deep sense of home, comfort, and exploration, allowing a profound gratitude for their shared heritage to permeate the project.
