Zap Mama

ReCreation

Zap Mama - ReCreation

05/26/2009 | Heads Up 

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All Music Guide 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, All Music Guide

ReCreation Track Listing

  • Track#
  • Title
  • time
  • lyrics
  • 1
  • ReCreation
  • 1:16

  • 2
  • Vibrations
  • 3:28

  • 3
  • Singing Sisters
  • 3:39

  • 4
  • Hello to Mama
  • 4:03

  • 5
  • Do You Wanna?
  • 3:46

  • 6
  • The Way You Are
  • 4:21

  • 7
  • Paroles Paroles
  • 4:30

  • 8
  • Drifting
  • 3:41

  • 9
  • African Diamond
  • 4:10

  • 10
  • Harlem
  • 2:40

  • 11
  • Togetherness
  • 4:57

  • 12
  • Non, Non, Non
  • 3:50

  • 13
  • Chill Out
  • 2:45

    • ReCreation Notes

    Zap Mama has a plan. This multicultural musical entity led by Afropean vocalist and songwriter Marie Daulne is sending everyone on vacation, and the first and only item on the itinerary is ReCreation.

    n addition to a rhythm section rooted in a rich Brazilian vibe, ReCreation also boasts a guest list of high-profile vocalists including Bilal, G. Love, actor Vincent Cassel (La Haine, Ocean's Twelve) and several others. The album offers everything the title suggests – a time to make a break, to renew, and to play. "That moment when you are relaxing and enjoying yourself," says Daulne, "is the perfect moment to create a new person within yourself – to heal yourself and let go of all the negative aspects of your life. In those times when you relax, you recreate yourself."

    And in so doing, she says, we strengthen those longstanding relationships that are at the foundation of who we are. ReCreation is, among other things, Daulne's reaffirmation of the important ties that bind us all – parent and child, lover and friend, artist and audience, singer and song, human and universe. Although constantly evolving, these are the dynamics that connect us to our loved ones, our communities and to the world.

    For Daulne, the ReCreation process started in Rio de Janeiro in May 2008, almost by accident. She traveled there from her home in Brussels, Belgium, to record a single track with the help of Cassel, her longtime friend. Making an entire album was nowhere in the original plan. "When I arrived in Brazil, I was hit with an explosion of inspiration," she says. "Everything started to happen. There was the beach and the music and the sounds and the vibe all around me. Even the language was inspiring. It was then that I said, ‘Okay, I'm ready to make a new album. A work of art.'"

    Credits of ReCreation

    • Luc Weytjens
    • Organ (Hammond), Fender Rhodes, Engineer, Editing, Mixing, Keyboards, Mastering
    • Marie Daulne
    • String Programming, Beat Programming, Keyboard Programming, Vocals, Vocals (Background), Producer, Keyboards, Stylist, Executive Producer, Percussion

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