A Ma Zone

A Ma Zone
Studio album by
Zap Mama
Released1999
LabelLuaka Bop[1]
ProducerMarie Daulne
Zap Mama chronology
7
(1997) 		A Ma Zone
(1999) 		Push It to the Max EP
(2002)

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

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

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
Calgary Herald[15]
Robert Christgau(dud)[16]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[17]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[18]
Spin7/10[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

No.TitleLength
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

  1. ^ "Zap Mama". Trouser Press. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Zap Mama Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic.
  3. ^ Hart, Ron (Oct 18, 1999). "Must Hear". CMJ New Music Report. Vol. 60, no. 639. p. 3.
  4. ^ Hay, Carla (Oct 9, 1999). "Zapped in the Zone". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 41. p. 26.
  5. ^ Oumano, Elena (Oct 16, 1999). "Luaka/Virgin in 'Zone' for 4th Zap Mama set". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 42. pp. 1, 100.
  6. ^ Bast, Philip (30 Dec 1999). "Zap Mama A Ma Zone". Waterloo Region Record. p. D6.
  7. ^ Plantenga, Bart (September 13, 2013). Yodel-Ay-Ee-Oooo: The Secret History of Yodeling Around the World. Routledge.
  8. ^ Robertson, Gail (21 Oct 1999). "Zap Mama blends cultures". Windsor Star. p. E8.
  9. ^ Heckman, Don (5 Nov 1999). "Zap Mama Stays True to Founder's Roots". Los Angeles Times. p. F22.
  10. ^ Casey, Vicki Gilmer (17 Oct 1999). "World". Star Tribune. p. 19F.
  11. ^ Margasak, Peter (September 7, 2000). "Zap Mama". Chicago Reader.
  12. ^ Pratt, Sarah (Nov 1999). "New Music". CMJ New Music Monthly. No. 75. p. 17.
  13. ^ Moon, Tom (15 Oct 1999). "A Band That Can Zap Musical Borders". Features Weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 15.
  14. ^ a b "Zap Mama A Ma Zone". AllMusic.
  15. ^ a b Boettcher, Shelley (9 Sep 1999). "Zap Mama A Ma Zone". Calgary Herald. p. HL20.
  16. ^ "Zap Mama". Robert Christgau.
  17. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 859.
  18. ^ a b "A Ma Zone". Entertainment Weekly.
  19. ^ a b Dolan, Jon (Jan 2000). "Reviews". Spin. Vol. 16, no. 1. pp. 124, 126.
  20. ^ "Zap Mama 'A Ma Zone'". The Washington Post. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  21. ^ Reger, Rick (22 Oct 1999). "The A List". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. 31.
  22. ^ Lipp, Marty (7 Oct 1999). "On the Record". Newsday. p. D26.