Search - Zap Mama :: Push It to the Max

Pushed over the edge

Kenneth Hugh Burton | ATLANTA, GA United States | 06/27/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was quite surprised by this CD though I was hasitant to buy it at first. The reason, it only has 7 songs with a total runing time of 36.21 minutes. Song 1 "Nostalgie Amoureuse and song 5 "Poetry Man" were familiar to me (but with new arrangments). Both are featured on the 1997 Zap Mama release "Seven". All I can really say overall about this CD is that I can do some sho nuff dancing to it. It is very energetic and upbeat.The biggest surprise on the CD is song 3 "Mr. Brown" written by Marie Daulne. "Funky, real Funky is Mr. Brown. The CD is worth it for this song along. If I'm gleaming from the lyrics correctly, Mr. Brown is accapella, which is extrodinary, but not suprising with Ms Daulne being the musicologist/anthropologist that she is."

A Re-Mix Album Worth Buying

Ibochild | Los Angeles, CA USA | 12/21/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've never been particularly fond of re-mix albums. They are often very gimmicky and add little to the original studio recordings. Fortunately, that is not the case here.



PUSH IT TO THE MAX is a seven track EP of five songs. Two re-mixes of "Mr. Brown" from Zap Mama's SABSYLMA album are particularly intrigiung. The original version was an a capella tribute to James Brown that takes you back to the African motherland. Since Brown's music has been heavily sampled by hip-hop artists, it is not surprising that "Mr. Brown" gets a hip-hop treatment here on the Chris Cuben mix. However, an alternate ambient mix is more distinctive.



The EP also features a double dose of "Nostalgie Amoureuse." The first re-mix called the "Push It To The Max Bootleg" and is very uptempo and danceable. The DJ Wally mix maintains the slower and moodier sound of the original recording. "Nostalgie Amoureuse" was one of the most emotionally moving tracks from Zap Mama's 7 album with the possible expection of "Poetry Man." The latter is also featured here with a refreshingly subdued re-mix. The last minute of the track is very mellow.



Rounding out the CD are "Bottom" (originally from ADVENTURES IN AFROPEA) and "Ça Varie Varie" (which would find its way to ANCESTRY IN PROGRESS later).



Overall, PUSH IT TO THE MAX is a decent re-mix set. Unless you're in a dancing mood, you might still want to go back to the original versions."