Wa-Zimba – Mande Wazy (Tinder)
Reviewed by Sadie O., 4/27/06
French/Malagasy trio, roots very much in Madagascar, but some modern/jazzy/worldbeat updates. Mostly very relaxed groove, very sweet and pretty, nice syncopation but not a really insistent beat. Nice use of Malagasy vocal harmonies and instrumentation.
All in Malagasy (except a tiny bit of French). I love track 12!
9 and 10 are almost as good. Everything sounds nice, no crap tracks.
1. *slow build at start, flutes and percussion and jungle sounds. Midtempo, complex but not strong beat, lovely vocals.
2. **a bit upbeat but relaxed, good use of Malagasy instrumentation and harmonies.
3. **Solo flute at start, then lots of fun instruments – some almost bluegrassy. Midtempo, really sweet (in fact, the title translates to “Sweet Flute”)
4. *nice complex beat, chugs along with nice energy, cool vocals.
5. *slightly uptempo, rather wistful.
6. **Very complex percussion, atmospheric instrumentation, eerie and a bit wild sounding in places.
7. *Solo Malagasy harp at start, downtempo and relaxed, nice easy beat.
8. **A bit uptempo, nice groove, cool vocals – sweet song about friendship.
9. ***slightly downtempo loping beat, lovely but intense, song about being driven out of one’s village by war.
10. ***Starts with random street sounds, then like a march coming together, then midtempo loping beat, nice energy – “Call for Peace”.
11. *Starts with vocal harmonies, sweet midtempo bounce, but relaxed.
12. ***midtempo, really cool syncopation and instrumentation. Some chanting as well as harmonies. Some heavy metal guitar. This is a great sound!