Zap Mama - ReCreation (2009) CD Rip

*Zap Mama – ReCreation* (2009) is an album by the Belgian musical collective Zap Mama, led by Marie Daulne. Known for their unique fusion of African vocal traditions, electronic music, and world influences, this album continues their exploration of rich vocal harmonies and innovative rhythms. *ReCreation* blends traditional chants with modern production, creating a vibrant and eclectic sound that celebrates cultural diversity and creativity. The album features a mix of languages and styles, emphasizing themes of renewal and transformation. It is praised for its soulful energy, intricate layering, and the group’s signature vocal artistry.

Tracklist

01. ReCreation (1:16)
02. Vibrations (3:28)
03. Singing Sisters (feat. Sylvia Nawasadio and Sabine Kabongo) (3:40)
04. Hello to Mama (4:03)
05. Do You Wanna? (3:46)
06. The Way You Are (feat. Bilal) (4:22)
07. Paroles Paroles (feat. Vincent Cassel) (4:30)
08. Drifting (feat. G. Love) (3:41)
09. African Diamond (w/ Tony Allen & Meshell Ndegeocello) (4:11)
10. Harlem (2:41)
11. Togetherness (4:57)
12. Non, Non, Non (feat. Vincent Cassel) (3:51)
13. Chill Out (2:46)

Zap Mama - ReCreation (2009) CD Rip


Among longtime followers of Zap Mama, there has been considerable debate over the artistic merits of the group's evolution. Some die-hard fans of Zap Mama's early work miss the days when they were strictly an a cappella group and functioned as somewhat of a female equivalent of Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Others, however, like what Marie Daulne's outfit evolved into, which is a group that uses instruments most of the time and favors a sound that inspires comparisons to Erykah Badu but with more of a strong Afro-pop element, some lyrics in French, and the influence of European pop. But if ReCreation exemplifies a sleeker, more commercial direction for Zap Mama, it is a long way from generic – and Daulne is still taking her share of chances. ReCreation is fairly diverse, ranging from the salsa-flavored "Hello to Mama" to "Paroles Paroles" (Words Words), a French-language version of Mina and Alberto Lupo's early-'70s Italian pop hit "Parole Parole." Zap Mama's version (which features French actor Vincent Cassell) is somewhere between chanson and chillout/downtempo, and it reminds listeners that Daulne can sing as convincingly in French as she sings in English. Meanwhile, "Singing Sisters" (which reunites Daulne with Sylvie Nawasadio and Sabine Kabongo, two members of Zap Mama's a cappella lineup of the early '90s) is the closest this 2009 release comes to the group's early sound. But that track is atypical of ReCreation on the whole, and enjoyable, Badu-ish offerings like "Togetherness," "Drifting" (which features G. Love), and "Non, Non, Non" clearly aren't going for the type of rawness that Zap Mama had in the beginning. Although slightly inconsistent, ReCreation is a generally respectable effort that has a lot more ups than downs – at least if one accepts the fact that Zap Mama didn't quit making worthwhile albums in the 1990s.~Alex Henderson