A Ma Zone

Zap Mama

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 19, 1999)
• Original Release Date: October 19, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Luaka Bop
• ASIN: B00001ZSTL
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #81,639 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > World Music > Europe > Continental Europe > Belgium

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
On their fourth album, Zap Mama slide even further away from their early manifestation as a cappella group singing the traditional pygmy chants of West Africa--but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Enlisting notable Philly hip-hop artists the Roots as well African pop star Manu Dibango, Zap Mama blend the traditional singing for which they gained notoriety with the modern beats of drum & bass and hip-hop. The mix steams up a breathy, sensual brand of Euro-African-American pop. "Comment Ça Va?" swivels in and out of slow hip-hop beats; dark, twanging oudlike bass; and lead singer Marie Daulne's delicate vocals. "'Allo 'Allo" goes light on the sax and heavy on the hook, bringing a funky, playful edge to the collection. "Kemake" grooves understatedly with organ and a soulful, spinning vocal, demonstrating this group's diversified sound. The upbeat French Afro-hip-hop of Les Nubians Zap Mama are not: these women entice with a subtle, underground sound that's all their own. --Karen K. Hugg

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This fine album demonstrates the progress of Daulne and Co., October 24, 1999

By A Customer

"A Ma Zone," Zap Mama's fourth album, is a thematic change from their third, the sublime "7". Unlike that album, with its political undertones and strong cultural messages, "A Ma Zone" is an optimistic view of what false intellectuals now call Afropea.

This new optimism proves a thematic reversion and a musical continuation. Zap Mama continues the transformation it began on "7" from an a cappella chorus to a Belgo-Zairoise hip-hop group. But it reverts back to "Sabsylama" and their self-titled release in its presentation of the world as fun and beautiful.

This mix is interesting, but a little boring. Where "7" fused strong beats and stronger opinions, many of the messages on "A Ma Zone" are banal, making the song so as well. One example: the pointless ballad "My Own Zero," with romantic musings like "You are important to me." The silly lyrics degrade the music.

But this is only one weakness on an otherwise strong album. Though weak in comparison to its own past, "A Ma Zone" is still superior to the girl-group albums that appear from all over now.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beyond Simple Classification, June 27, 2002

By	Ibochild (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

A MA ZONE is definitely the most mainstream of their albums so far, but it doesn't completely stray from the more vocally driven sound of their earlier albums. It's also arguably their most eclectic set to date.

"Call Waiting" sounds like a perfect James Bond theme song with an Afrocentric twist. It's also a good showcase for Marie Daulne's passionate vocals.

For fans of Zap Mama's early work, "Gissié" is a real gem. The vocal interplay on the track is really nice. "M'Toto" is another fine track with playful vocals that sound like they are singing a nursery rhyme.

"'Allo 'Allo" has a mellow, but funky vibe that for obvious reasons sounds like a reworking of Manu Dibango's 1970's classic "Soul Makossa." "Kemake" is also very funky with a serious James Brown vibe.

Generally, all of the tracks are at least good, if not great. Adventurous hip-hop fans should really like this album. Fans of their a capella sound might be a bit disappointed. For most broadminded music fans, this CD is definitely worth a serious listen. It's better than 99% of the stuff you hear on commercial music stations.

Check it out.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Ma Zing - A Ma Zone, November 29, 1999

By	Z MAN (Phoenix, Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews

The music and the beats are infectous. The chants and intertwined vocals are unique. These ladies are incredible at using their voices as instruments, and combining their sounds at the same time. Some of the tracks that try to be almost totally Western/American are a little lackluster, but all in all they have created a special place I will visit often- (the A Ma Zone?)