Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Download not available
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 /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $16.65/month
Unknown, Composer - Zap Mama, MainArtist
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
Unknown, Composer - Zap Mama, MainArtist
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
Zap Mama, MainArtist - Marie Daulne, Composer - Sabine Kabongo, MainArtist - Sylvie Nawasadio, MainArtist
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
Unknown, Composer - Zap Mama, MainArtist
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
Unknown, Composer - Zap Mama, MainArtist
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
Bilal, MainArtist - Zap Mama, MainArtist - Marie Daulne, Composer
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
Zap Mama, MainArtist - Marie Daulne, Composer - Vincent Cassel, MainArtist
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
G. Love, MainArtist - Zap Mama, MainArtist - Marie Daulne, Composer
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
Me'shell Ndegeocello, MainArtist - Tony Allen, MainArtist - Zap Mama, MainArtist - Marie Daulne, Composer
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
Unknown, Composer - Zap Mama, MainArtist
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
Unknown, Composer - Zap Mama, MainArtist
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
Zap Mama, MainArtist - Marie Daulne, Composer - Vincent Cassel, MainArtist
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
Unknown, Composer - Zap Mama, MainArtist
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
Album review
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 /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 13 track(s)
- Total length: 00:46:39
- Main artists: Zap Mama
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Heads Up
- Genre: World
(P) 2009 Kesia Editions under exclusive license to Heads Up International a division of Concord Music Group Inc.
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.