Supermoon

Marie Daulne, creator and driving force of the musical entity known as Zap Mama, has been recording and performing music for over 15 years. Born in the Congo to an African mother and Belgian father and raised primarily in Belgium, Daulne embodies the Afro-European energy of Zap Mama's musical creations. In a recent press release she recalls, "My early childhood was filled with the music of my mother, the music of the Congo... when I was growing up in Belgium... we heard a lot of French music [on the radio]. And of course, American music was also very popular all over Europe."

In her late teens Daulne made a pilgrimage back to the Congo and decided to become a musician. "...I was standing in the middle of the forest, hearing the music that had been a part of my earliest memories, and it was like an illumination, like a light." In 1990 the first incarnation of Zap Mama was born and Afropea reached #1 on the Billboard World Music Charts.

Dualne's highly personal sixth album Supermoon is her response to our cultural obsession with superstars. "I say let's be ourselves, and let's create a word for what it means to be ourselves. A 'supermoon' is a unique person. You can be a supermoon if you follow your own desires and pursue the things that you were born to do. To be a supermoon is to be true to yourself and others."

As opposed to her earlier work where Dualne brought together other women to sing with her, this album is all about Dualne. Written and vocalized by Dualne herself, each song in "Supermoon" helps weave a tapestry of musical styles, cultures, and in the end the artist herself. "I'm opening a door to who I am," says Dualne. Dipping as always into many styles including Afropop, American R&B, reggae, hip-hop, and funk along with a slew of top drawer musicians such as Me'shell N'degeocello, Tony Allen, and David Gilmore (who each pop in for exactly one song), Daulne offers an astonishing array of world music.

Who else can borrow James Brown's famous guitar riff from "Payback" and turn African pygmy music into the club anthem of "Gati" without missing a beat? She tells us stories of African immigrants, of human relationships, of schoolyard games and rivalries. And in the end she tells us about ourselves. Intricate vocals, polyrhythmic beats, and deeply moving stories to tell. This may well be the best Zap Mama yet!

This is Zap Mama going strong. Not a departure from what she's done before but I wouldn't say it's more of the same. It's good with a couple of great tracks like Supermoon & Princess Kesia, where she experiments successfully with female choral elements.

I love all of my Zap Mama cd's.... except this one. I saw them live at the Fillmore in San Francisco in the '90's and they were wonderful. I also rushed out to get this as soon as I heard they had a new release but this is so... *bland* in comparison to all the others, and even a little *corny*. I was so excited and now I am sad. I miss the old Zap.

My favorites: "Adventures in Afropea" and "Am A Zone" I could (in fact I have) listen to them over and over.

This is another amazing Zap Mama album and Marie Daulne is in great form. Zap Mama uplifts you and brings music to your soul the way only a true artist can. I love "Hey Brotha," "1000 Ways," "Go Boy," and "Moonray." Support a true artist who impacts your soul and heart by purchasing this. There's no one like her.

After reading several negative reviews online of this album, I decided to pick up a copy of "Supermoon" and judge for myself.

"Supermoon" brings Zap Mama closer to the inevitable sound they've been moving towards at least since "A Ma Zone". With more urban, jazz, and hip-hop grooves than ever, this is probably their most accessible album to date. This is a good thing for those who are just discovering Zap Mama, but a hard reality for those of us long-time fans who loved the rich African feel of earlier releases. For "Supermoon", the most "african" thing about it is Marie Daulne's vocal style.

As for personal favorites, I enjoy the rousing opening track "1000 Ways" and the funky groove of "Toma Taboo". The title track "Supermoon", while catchy in an early Wyclef sort of way, strays too far from her style and includes some painfully vapid lyrics.

Overall this is a mediocre release.. perfectly sterilized for the general public, but leaving long-time fans to close their eyes and dream of "Adventures in Afropea."