Zap Mama
Ancestry in Progress
(Luaka Bop)
This female quintet's fifth album sees a full departure from the strictly a cappella delivery of its first three CDs.
A capella, it should be noted - and made particularly apparent in Bjork's current album - is often far removed from barbershop old-school. The album intro, one of only a few true a capella forms, puts that straight, with looped sampled human-beatbox percussion and plenty of sophisticated layered vocals.
Fronted by the striking half-Belgian Zaire native Marie Daulne, Ancestry builds on last album Ma Zone's introduction of session musicians and guest vocalists.
True to her roots, several tracks feature the melding of tribal vocal projects with elements of French and Belgian lyricism.