Music Review: Zap Mama's `Supermoon'

Zap Mama, "Supermoon" (Heads Up International)

Zap Mama is constantly exploring new identities. What started as an all-female a cappella project evolved through various personnel changes and Grammy nominations to include instrumental arrangements and more mainstream pop sensibilities and now is distilled to a one-woman collage of global sound produced by Congo-born and Belgium-bred vocalist Marie Daulne.

"Supermoon" is Zap Mama's debut on the Heads Up International label, home to Hugh Masakela and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. This is "world music" in the truest sense of the word, with various languages and elements of European, American and African music melded seamlessly. Daulne weaves tightly quilted vocal harmonies using cloned choruses of her ethereal, Bjork-ish voice on tracks such as "Moonray." On "Kwenda" she re-creates that trademark Zap Mama atmosphere of a laid-back global block party, complete with crowd interaction.

The title song of the album is right on track as well. "Supermoon" is a word Daulne uses to identify people who are truly themselves, amid a culture that glorifies celebrities with questionable and artificial lifestyles.

Daulne always includes a pygmy song on her albums; they sheltered her family during the Congolese rebellion. "Gati" is this album's contribution, it starts out with a reggae vibe, then quickly shifts into pan-African funkiness with a vibe reminiscent of Paul Simon's "Graceland" album. Zap Mama remains, through all of its incarnations, an unrivaled feast of international tonal delights.

CHECK IT OUT: James Brown continues to cross-pollinate. Check out the guitar riff from "The Big Payback" holding down the groove alongside Meshell Ndegeocello's bass on "Toma Taboo."

(This version CORRECTS spelling of a cappella.)

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