A Ma Zone
| A Ma Zone | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1999 | |||
| Label | Luaka Bop[1] | |||
| Producer | Marie Daulne | |||
| Zap Mama chronology | ||||
| ||||
A Ma Zone is an album by the group Zap Mama, released in 1999.[2][3] The group supported the album with a North American tour.[4] The first single was "Rafiki".[5]
Production
[edit]Produced by frontwoman Marie Daulne, the album was recorded in part in the United States; Daulne was influenced by techno.[6][7][8] The group, which included Daulne's sister, Anita, sang in Swahili and French, among other languages.[9][10]
Manu Dibango played saxophone on "'Allo 'Allo".[11] Black Thought rapped on "Rafiki".[12] Speech also appeared on the album.[13]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [14] |
| Calgary Herald | [15] |
| Robert Christgau |  [16] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [17] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[18] |
| Spin | 7/10[19] |
The Washington Post noted that "actual drums and bass ... now underpin the group's sound, but this album shifts the emphasis back toward interwoven female voices."[20] Entertainment Weekly praised the "strong central voice—main Mama Marie Daulne—anchoring a rare album that’s both global and personal."[18] The Chicago Tribune thought that A Ma Zone "taps into electronica, funk and folk with an inspired, gimmick-free dexterity."[21]
Spin determined that, "at points, the gorgeously arranged vocal interplay suggests pan-rap paradise."[19] The Calgary Herald concluded that "Zap Mama has lost a little of its originality, a little of its uniqueness—or perhaps its funky sound is simply more familiar in the global musical melting pot."[15] Newsday stated that the "sound is an ethereal tumble of synthesizers and other instruments, anchored by muscular, percussive beats."[22]
AllMusic wrote that "breakbeats, jazzy upright bass, and turntable manipulation are now a part of the mix—a mix that was already rich with European and West African influences."[14]
Track listing
[edit]| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rafiki" | |
| 2. | "W'Happy Mama" | |
| 3. | "Call Waiting" | |
| 4. | "Gissié" | |
| 5. | "Songe" | |
| 6. | "Kemake" | |
| 7. | "Comment Ça Va?" | |
| 8. | "Ya Solo" | |
| 9. | "My Own Zero" | |
| 10. | "M'Toto" | |
| 11. | "Gbo Mata (Station)" | |
| 12. | "'Allo 'Allo" |
References
[edit]- ^ "Zap Mama". Trouser Press. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ "Zap Mama Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
- ^ Hart, Ron (Oct 18, 1999). "Must Hear". CMJ New Music Report. Vol. 60, no. 639. p. 3.
- ^ Hay, Carla (Oct 9, 1999). "Zapped in the Zone". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 41. p. 26.
- ^ Oumano, Elena (Oct 16, 1999). "Luaka/Virgin in 'Zone' for 4th Zap Mama set". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 42. pp. 1, 100.
- ^ Bast, Philip (30 Dec 1999). "Zap Mama A Ma Zone". Waterloo Region Record. p. D6.
- ^ Plantenga, Bart (September 13, 2013). Yodel-Ay-Ee-Oooo: The Secret History of Yodeling Around the World. Routledge.
- ^ Robertson, Gail (21 Oct 1999). "Zap Mama blends cultures". Windsor Star. p. E8.
- ^ Heckman, Don (5 Nov 1999). "Zap Mama Stays True to Founder's Roots". Los Angeles Times. p. F22.
- ^ Casey, Vicki Gilmer (17 Oct 1999). "World". Star Tribune. p. 19F.
- ^ Margasak, Peter (September 7, 2000). "Zap Mama". Chicago Reader.
- ^ Pratt, Sarah (Nov 1999). "New Music". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 75. p. 17.
- ^ Moon, Tom (15 Oct 1999). "A Band That Can Zap Musical Borders". Features Weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 15.
- ^ a b "Zap Mama A Ma Zone". AllMusic.
- ^ a b Boettcher, Shelley (9 Sep 1999). "Zap Mama A Ma Zone". Calgary Herald. p. HL20.
- ^ "Zap Mama". Robert Christgau.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 859.
- ^ a b "A Ma Zone". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ a b Dolan, Jon (Jan 2000). "Reviews". Spin. Vol. 16, no. 1. pp. 124, 126.
- ^ "Zap Mama 'A Ma Zone'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
- ^ Reger, Rick (22 Oct 1999). "The A List". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 31.
- ^ Lipp, Marty (7 Oct 1999). "On the Record". Newsday. p. D26.