Zombie

Great trumpet, great music, bit samey. Would listen to this on a busy saturday

I probably would have never discovered this album on my own, and after reading about the history behind it I have even more of an appreciation for it it. So groovy and immediately made me want to dance, knowing the deep political meaning behind it fuels it even more.

Really fun, just not my style

Loved the saxophone, not sure I was into how much instrumental it was when he sang, it was fun, though songs were also too long for me, for how little was being said in the songs. Yeah, honestly, wouldn't listen to It again.

Zombie is an amazing record. Music is just so well done. You really get drawn in. Then come the lyrics. You really focus on the words because the groove is so good. This music caused a raid on his compound and a riot at a concert. Such power.

The instrumentals are good and are especially great on the title track "Zombie". My only complaint about them is the weird electric keyboard (organ?) on the track "Mistake". The vocals aren't bad, but they're definitely the weakest part of the album. The two bonus tracks "Observation is No Crime" and "Mistake" are not as good as the original. They're still decent though.

The instrumentals are boring and repetitive. On the other Fela Kuti album "Live!" the vocals make it interesting, but there are few vocals here.

Now, that's more like it! This is my jam! Perfect to restart my hiatus after pregnancy leave.

Zombie: Over fem min langt forspill med et Tarantino-aktig preg. På grensa til litt slitsomt? 12 min med omtrent det samme hele tiden. Satisfying beat da. Helt midt på treet. Mr. Follow Follow: Skjønner nå hvorfor det bare er 4 låter på hele albumet for alle varer jo i en halv evighet. 13 min med det som minner om korpsmusikk. Har lyst til å spole noen minutter fremover for å høre om noe endrer seg men jeg holder ut (ingenting endrer seg). Var så lenge av akkurat det samme at jeg glemte at jeg hørte på noe fordi hjernen begynte å filtrere bort musikken. Begynner å synge 7 min inn i låta omtrent likt som i forrige låt. Er gørr kjedelig samtidig som det er utrolig behagelig. Forstå det den som kan. Observation No Crime: Here we go again assa. Trompet i front og noe sløy trommespill i bakgrunn. Nothing to write home about men får ikke vondt i øra heller. 13 min lang denne gangen også. Evig langt forspill denne gangen også. Det er noe søvndyssende over det hele. Mistake: Det er det samme igjen altså, bare denne gangen med buing(?) i bakgrunn i starten og generelt litt mer futt. Soner helt ut her. Sitter og holder på med et puslespill men føler allikevel at øyelokkene sklir igjen. Er noe litt opium-bule over det hele. Akkurat sånn musikk det er i film for å vise at en karakter er rusa. Samlet: Er liksom noe fiffig og samtidig søvndyssende over det hele. Albumet har en stor kulturell og historisk signifikans men ser man bort i fra det så er det korpsmusikk med en halv dråpe LSD innblandet og det er det. Tvilsomt at jeg kommer til å høre på noen av låtene igjen.

A masterpiece and one of the most impressive examples of the political power of popular music that we have.

A searing Afrobeat from Fela Kuti; strong thematically while maintaining its addictability.

Throwback to high school academic decathlon - really good music that doesn’t feel as long as it is.

If I could give this negative stars I would

AfroJazz. Protest. Long jam session can be too long. And someone mentioned he had 27 wives? Listened before? N Saved tracks? N ⭐⭐⭐🥱 3 stars and a yawn

Good horns. So long and repetitive, though.

Una brisa para el alma

I enjoyed this more than the love album. It’s like tribal African jazz. Will totally revisit.

Nice background. Pretty good for jazz and idk what they called it but better than most like this. More interesting

I'm sure it's really wonderful but it's not for me.

This time we're gonna get funky Everybody clap your hands Clap, clap, clap, clap your hands Clap, clap, clap, clap your hands Alright we're gonna do the basic steps Slide to the left Slide to the right Take it back now y'all One hop this time Right foot lets stomp Left foot lets stomp Cha cha real smooth Now turn it out To the left Take it back now y'all One hop this time Right foot lets stomp Left foot lets stomp Cha cha now y'all Now it's time to get funky To the right To the left now y'all One hop this time, One hop this time Right foot two stomps Left foot two stomps Slide to the left Slide to the right Criss Cross, Criss Cross Cha cha real smooth Let's go to work To the left Take it back now y'all Two hops this time, Two hops this time Right foot two stomps Left foot two stomps Hands on your knees, Hands on your knees How low can you go Can you go down low All the way to the floor How low can you go Can you bring it to the top Like you never never stopped Get funky with it Ooooooooh yeah (Come on) Cha cha now y'all Turn it out To the left Take it back now y'all Five hops this time Right foot lets stomp Left foot lets stomp Right foot again Left foot again Right foot lets stomp Left foot lets stomp FREEEZE Everybody clap your hands (Come on now y'all) (Check it out y'all) How low can you go? Can you go down low? All the way to the floor How low can you go? Can you bring it to the top? Like you never gonna stop? Can you bring it to the top, One hop! Right foot now Left now y'all Cha cha real smooth Turn it out To the left Take it back now y'all One hop this time One hop this time See upcoming pop shows Get tickets for your favorite artists You might also like In My Room Insane Clown Posse SexyBack Justin Timberlake Electric Boogie Marcia Griffiths Rever (Reverse) Slide to the left Slide to the right Reverse, reverse Reverse, reverse Cha cha now y'all, Cha cha again Cha cha now y'all, cha cha again Turn it out To the left Take it back now y'all Two hops two hops Two hops two hops Right foot lets stomp Left foot lets stomp Charlie Brown Turn it out now Slide to the right Slide to the left Take it back now y'all Cha cha now y'all Oooh yeah mmm, yeah do that stuff oooh yeah I'm out y'all Peace!

A great listen. Propulsive and fun (even if it was a protest album). Would happily return to it, even if that doesn't seem too likely for me.

Welcome to the new year! It's always exciting to see what the first album of the new year is. 2024 and 2025 made some of the best first impressions I could've gotten with Illmatic and Rumours respectively. So, going into 2026, I was very curious to see if my "peak music" streak would continue. Well, I obviously can't put this at quite the same level as Illmatic or Rumours seeing as those are two of the greatest albums ever made, but that doesn't make Zombie a bad album. Far from it actually. This album is super cool! It's kinda crazy that I got two albums in a row that come from Africa, but between this and that Songhoy Blues album from yesterday, I vastly prefer Fela Kuti. The energy here is palpable. I guess this is where the discussion of afrobeat as a genre starts. Fela Kuti is THE Afrobeat guy. His influence is unmatched by anyone else in the genre, and that influence is pretty strong. Afrobeat music, specifically the work of Fela Kuti, has seen influence on other parts of music history, perhaps most notably on Talking Heads on their 1980 masterpiece, Remain in Light. Now, as I mentioned in my final review of 2025, Remain in Light was the best album that I listened to for the album project last year, so to hear the music that influenced its style is pretty cool! But yeah, the musicianship on display is quite enjoyable. The vocals fit the vibe well. It's very authentic, which is the exact kind of thing that an album like this demands. But do you want to know what I respect most about this album? It's the politics. Yeah, I'm one of those kinds of people, and my biggest source of respect in regards to this album is the album's heavy criticism of the Nigerian government. Protest music is something that is vital in times of corruption and political struggle, and it's something that I think is sorely lacking in the current music world seeing as the "leader of the free world" is a narcissistic bigoted pedophile. The writing of this album is perfect in that it clearly represents the Nigerian culture and the specific issues of that country at the time of recording, and yet it's also understandable to any modern-day English-speaking listener with any sense of reading comprehension. It's the exact kind of thing that appeals to me. The scathing political commentary and the up-lifting energy of the music itself are perfectly balanced, which is quite valuable in music with a message as it helps make said message more palatable for the average listener. It's kind of like System of a Down in that regard. Shit, this thing is making me think about System of a Down and Talking Heads? Maybe I do really love this album after all! I have one problem though. It's too short! Yeah, that's not an issue that's come up very much on this list, has it? I get albums that are too long all the time, so to get an album that I actually want more of rather than less of is a change of pace for sure. I'm impressed. I think this is one of those albums where my respect is slightly higher than my enjoyment of the album, but that doesn't mean that I don't enjoy this thing. Zombie is a blast of an album, but not a meaningless one. I mean, Fela Kuti literally rage-baited the Nigerian government by releasing this album. If that's not bad-ass, I don't know what is! This thing rocks. Low 5/5.

Favorite Tracks: Zombie / Mr Follow Follow / Mistake Rating: 4.4 Only day 3 for me with 1001 Albums, but this is the kind of exposure I was hoping for from this exercise! I'd never heard of Fela Kuti and found this album super interesting and enjoyable. Will definitely dig more into his discography, and reading about Fela on Wikipedia was fascinating, what a story!

Mielenkiintoista uutta kuultavaa. Auktoriteettivastaista musiikkia.

This puts the FUN in Funky… Get it?!?

Really not a fan at all. Difficult to just get through the first song. 1/5 for me.

4 songs but still 53 mins is soooooo much x it’s jazzy and I don’t tend to like this stuff but I rly didn’t hate it! But I’d never play it again x

A 5. Fantastic and unique sound & delivery that the inspired James Brown. Each song is a timeless groove.

So far this app has suggested exactly 0 good albums and I've been doing this for 3 weeks. Another shit album.

Interesting sound on this, not quite jazz but really fun. I dont hate it.

Moments into this thing you can just immediately tell these people can see atoms. They are tuned into the rhythm of the universe. Their playing is as natural as the wind in the trees but more beautiful because they let you see what is special about the moment you are in. This music drives, drives you wild. Everything is cooking and eventually cooked to perfection. Everything that’s wrong with music industry is contained in the fact that this album, or Fela Kuti’s other work, is not routinely seen in the top of the top albums lists. This album makes the 1001 albums list look good.

Before listening: I'm not really sure what I'm looking at. I haven't heard of this album or band/singer? Completely in the dark. The album art is interesting, I'm seeing a public speaker failing to connect with this audience of soldiers. The artwork is a collage similar in feeling to a comic strip of the time, creating a lighter feeling to what is very somber. You cannot see the soldiers faces aside from their eyes. I assume the album will feel political, it feels connected to violence. The sharpie text Zombie is childlike connecting with the comic book imagery. It's all very juxtaposed. Listening: Funky. I was not expecting jazz. I'm vibing for sure. Loving the saxophone solo. I don't have a lot to say but I'm enjoying the album. I am aware based off comments that this a political statement and I'm not reading lyrics so I'm struggling to understand the message but it feels uplifting in spirit. I think I'm getting it, maybe. I like it either way. After listening: Really good, I don't think I've ever listened to a jazz album in its entirety before and this was really great. It sounds like an insult but it was great background music and i think that's a good thing. 9/10

First two tracks really rocked me, but I lost some steam by the end of the album. Nevertheless I was tapping along to the entirety

I was apprehensive about this one after seeing it was 53 minutes over just 4 tracks, but it landed much better than I expected. I didn't love it, but it was not hard to get through. It might even be good if you like jazz. 3.3

Very, very cool. Political activist African jazz-rock? I'm in. The songs are a bit on the repetitive side by my money, but it's still a powerful and surprisingly fun listen. Fave track: - Zombie

If someone asks me what afrobeat is, this is the one I reach for

Conocía el nombre de Fela Kuti y lo asociaba a un estilo afrobeat que jamás había llegado a escuchar. Una vez hecha la escucha… madre mía qué groove! Es como James Brown pasado por un túrmix de jazz, funk y sonidos afrocubanos que da como resultado ritmos sin fin y canciones que se van fácil más allá de los 12 minutos (en otros discos más largas todavía). Pero si indagáis más en la vida de este músico nigeriano vais a ver que estamos hablando de un personaje luchador por los derechos civiles perseguido por las juntas militares de su país y con múltiples contradicciones (machismos recalcitrantes incluidos). Me he tragado el documental “Finding Fela” del tirón y os lo recomiendo encarecidamente. Bueno, buenísimo el artista.

Fela Kuti with another master class on how a good rhythm and arrangement of instruments can catapult your music to another level!

Cover: 7.5/10, it’s resembling of an old timey photograph. I know on the vinyl it’s like textured on the cover. Carry On - Good sense of what the album is before we get into it. Like the acapella moments. Sounds like this album is going to be a great one for 70’s soundtracks. Switch up in the back half of the song took me to Laurel Canyon yes lawd. Teach Your Children - Grateful Dead inspired SOOO BAD. This is a straight forward Country song. Just a vibe. HARMONIES THEY ARE KNOWN FOR THE HARMONIES. Almost Cut My Hair - HOLY SMOKES. I thought this was Neil Young at first but then realized it’s not just his singing. Late night jam for sure. This is exactly what Neil Youngs contribution sounds like to this sector of the band. Heroin in the Canyon Rock. This is where the songs are maybe starting to feel a little long winded or I’m just impatient as fuck and should just shut up. Helpless - I thought this was just a Neil Young songs whoops, but is it not tho? Also get this mixed up with Helplessly Hoping which is also a song by the band. Just sad ol Neil. Good chorus. Let him shine a little bit. Made me think about their dynamic as a band and why they didn’t stay and make more with Young, besides the Stills-Young band. Woodstock - Song about Woodstock? I will be sat. Does this song work completely i don’t know. Honestly straightforward lyrics about being hippy dippy, and doesn’t do much to beat the stereotype. Good chorus and interesting lyrics within. Some banger guitar work especially at the end though. Deja Vu - love the intro scats in the beginning. THIS is what I tune in for, the damn harmonies! Maybe a little disjointed. Soulful. Remincing on the times and how things may seem radical and new but it’s just the start of more change that leads to more war, like a never ending cycle, we have all lived before which is why I’m guessing the overall album experience is called what it is. Becomes a jam track towards the end. NEEDED TO BE HIGH FOR THIS. Good transition Our House - kind of an overplayed intro but I think it’s so sweet. To know that this song is about Joni makes me set the scene more vivid in my head. Makes you CARE about the small things. Possibly the strongest chorus in the whole album, and maybe the strongest song in the whole crop. Drums make it stand away as an almost boroque song and drives it away from being a conventional acoustic song. Knowing how this relationship turned out makes it much sadder. People can RELATE. 4+20 - LOVE the guitar work on this song. Straightforward storytelling on this song. Linear songwriting. Love whoever singing on this songs voice, it really fits the way it’s written. Thought it was going to be a 420 reference, I was wrong I think? Oh wow, short. good way to make a songs that makes you want MORE. Country Girl - starts off with a bang. Neil’s back, and he’s HARSH with them instruments. Piano is STRONG. Sleigh bells is an interesting touch. Maybe a little too much but it gets POWERFUL. Tympanies like THUNDAH. Cool how they made a powerful song like this standout with its powerful arrangement. GOOD HARMONIES YES!! Something different for sure. Gets stronger as is goes. Some solid yearning. IM ACCEPTING THE HARMONICA WITH OPEN ARMS!!! Everybody I Love You - weird placement as last track right after the bombastic last track. Good driving beat. For the out and about person. Ode to everyone, and love everyone. Let everyone’s love fuel your love. Nevermind good CLOSER.

i’ve never heard of this album before but it was so good, i’ll definitely have to listen to more by them.

this album has changed me in a way that I fear I don't have words for. amazing.

Nicht schlecht, aber ...

3.0 RYM

I was not looking forward to this one but was pleasently surprised by it. Fun, groovy album to have on in the background. Reading about the history of the album and governmental response makes me like it even more. He had to have known this would cause an uproar but he did it anyway, risking his family and friends lives. There’s nothing more punk rock than that.

Fun, groovy, enjoyable. I'd listen again.

Amazing music from someone who had a turbulant life! I'd recommend to read the Spotify biography

Just discovered him this past year. Some really cool stuff.

Amazing album, best to be listened to on a good headset.

Mesmerizing, tight grooves with great horn arrangements. I enjoyed reading about the sociopolitical history surrounding Fela and all he went through in his life.

Now I know where Talking Heads got a chunk of their inspiration. The best feature of this music is the willingness to find a groove and just sit in it and explore. I found this to be a good listen. I'm not much of a fan of angry political music. But, in this case, I make an exception.

Felt like an African-style jam band. That last song with the discordant organ was kinda off putting though.

Not bad.

Not my cup of tea

Was unfamiliar with this artist and genre (Afrobeat). Looked him up on google and found out the guy had 27 wives that were all members of his commune. “After the devastating army attack on his Kalakuta Republic, marrying the women offered them legal and social protection from police harassment and false kidnapping accusations.” The guy lived one hell of a life and advocated for human rights so that makes him cool in my book. Music wise this is the longest album this has generated, 53 minutes spanning over only 4 songs. Very danceable but easy listening. Lively. Loved when the words would come in with the almost call and response chorus. Sounds like community and culture. Fav track was the title track, loved the live element of Mistake as well. Not a huge jazz listener but I respect it, and the rhythm of this is undeniable and kind of addicting.

oh no…. there’s no way is it just the same stuff repeated in every song also why is there 4 songs but it’s 53 minutes i don’t think there’s a world in which i would ever listen to this

Great EP. Love the rhythm it really grooves.

Banger.

Dritlættis grom musikk. Skikkelig smittende rytmer, perfekt på en soldag på jobb!

Funky

T1 - first song in any album so far that made me feel like I needed to stand up and start dancing. Shits just too groovy. Whole song is splendid. Simply lovely. T4 what a fun time. ‘Naa baaad mistaaakeee’. Crazy to think this was live in Berlin 50 years ago… and that was towards the end of Kuti’s run! Definitely think this is my favorite of the 4. Whole thing feels like more of a concert performance and less of a studio album, so it’s hard to differentiate and rate separately each of the first three tracks. So most of my review is for the full album as listed on AM. Albums about over but I’m loving this, think I’m going to listen to some related music, decided on just listening to the AM album/playlist called ‘the ‘69 Los Angeles sessions’ by Kuti. Going to be interesting since it was from a decade prior.

Politisk afrobeat-album som kritiserte det nigerianske militæret, og som angivelig førte til at moren til Kuti ble drept. Wow. Zombie er en fantastisk sang.

This is fun. Great rhythmic feeling. Not exactly my taste, i.e. I would not go out of my way to listen to it. But I will keep it in mind and if I hear it somewhere I will enjoy it. Of course it's very well composed, produced and played. Great album to expand my musical horizon.

I reviewed Fela Kuti and Ginger Baker’s Live! album exactly 901 albums ago. As someone who came into this project completely ignorant of Fela, and not very knowledgeable about African music in general, I didn’t have many strong opinions on that album, other than the fact that I enjoyed listening to it, and I gave it four stars. I have a good idea of what to expect from this album, and as luck would have it, I listened to an episode of Radiolab a couple of weeks ago that talked about Fela and his venue The Shrine, so I feel like I have some extra insight to add to my experience this time. Overall, I thought Zombie was a good album. I enjoyed how these songs utilized the same structure to draw the listener in: a long instrumental introduction, followed by the lyrical message of the song. I thought this structure was pretty effective for the messages that Fela was trying to convey on each song. The lyrics were really great, and I felt like it put into perspective the things Fela and his fellow Nigerians were seeing and dealing with while living under an oppressive regime. Musically, while I appreciate what Fela was trying to achieve with his long introductions on each song, I found myself a bit bored at times on these songs. I’m sure that when Fela played these songs live at The Shrine it was a totally different experience, but for me, listening to it on an LP got a bit stale at times. Some notes on a few of the individual songs: I liked the guitar groove on “Zombie.” That groove was really infectious, and it really hooked me in immediately. The horns were great too, and I loved the militaristic call and response of the vocals and backing vocals. The reveille at the end was a really great touch too, just to add an extra jab at Nigeria’s government. “Mr. Follow Follow” really kept up with the Zombie theme of the lyrics, which I really liked. There was a rhythm to the music that pulled me in here as well, but not in a dance-like energetic way like the title track. I liked that “Zombie” was more of a call to action lyrically and musically, whereas this song was more of a direct social criticism of people who went along with the things that Nigeria’s government was doing. I really lided that piano/keyboard part towards the end too. I loved that keyboard intro on “Mistake,” and Fela’s vocals sounded really good here too. The live aspect of this song really conveys the energy that the whole album was trying to achieve, and this song made me wish the whole album had been live. This song brought the album full circle for me, in terms of energy. I think that Zombie is an incredibly important album in terms of its historical impact, and the influence it had on other musicians, but listening to it was a bit of a chore at times. But from a cultural and historical standpoint, Zombie is definitely worth a listen.

There’s a lot to get your head around when reading the biography of Fela Kuti. The sexiest son of a legendary Nigerian feminist, born into a family of notable polymaths and even a Nobel laureate, raised under the ambition of medical practice, serially unable to accept things happening to him and so entirely self-directed toward a career as a musician. A literal military attack was sanctioned by the Nigerian government in response to this record. The thousand soldier strong attack on Kuti’s compound resulted in his mother’s murder, dying from injuries sustained while being defenestrated by the “Zombie” soldiers her son had so recently, and so funkily – I don’t mean to be glib here, but it’s a worthy paradox to observe – ridiculed. The music here is a special brew of influences, but distinctly Kuti. In that sense, Zombie runs parallel with Kuti’s biography – a global citizen with a dream for elevating Africa’s role in the world. I enjoyed this album. It’s a teasing (cajoling, if you’re the then military government) proposition, full of blasts of horns that ricochet around the rhythms like … well, you know. As protest songs go, these are surely among the most successful.

4 seems appropriate. 5 for his courage.

Simple yet effective writing. All four songs follow similar structure. Rhythmic drums, jazzy horn, lyrics begin mid song. Overall enjoyable. A little too long for my liking. the entire album was fifty-three minutes long and it was just four songs. I give it a 4.

A classic! I used to play a prank where I'd pay to play zombie back to back for hours at time at a bar on the jukebox.

not exactly my vibe, but a pretty good vibe!

Funky stuff, found the first song very enjoyable and the closing live track to be fantastic and mesmerizing. Cool to listen to something that fuses so many American styles of music into African music rather than the other way around. Feel like this would fit in nicely with Jazz and funk albums that are great in the background but still get you moving when you focus in and listen.

go and die! go and kill! go and quench! yay! yea i had to read about it after reading your reviews and this is so awesome. really sad that so much awful shit happened but the message and encompassing situation is awesome as f. Zombie itself is an awesome song, especially the go and die go and quench go and kill put am for reverse part lmfao. Mr. Follow Follow is a great vibe as well, the backing vocals are my favorite part (g'boing-boing-boing please) I just know being at the Berlin Jazz Festival for that performance was probably the height of many people's lives. that organ is sick as hell. Overall, with the history and the message and everything surrounding this album, I'm going to have to give it a 5, even if I won't be saving these songs and listening all the time. the vibe that would require listening to this album again is extremely specific, but Inshallah it finds me

Excellent album art and excellent music. Fela blended the instrumental with the vocals well, a rarity compared to some previous instrumental-heavy albums we have listened to. I would have likely never found this album without the list. I read the album's history after listening, and yeah, it added a greater appreciation for the album. Some people make music for fun, others for money... Fela's musical critique on the Nigerian government resulted in his commune getting razed.

I love the stylistic range. I am in a chill bar when I listen to this.

without this record, we have 1) no afrobeat, and 2) significantly less jazz fusion overall. My incredibly lukewarm take is that you can just listen to the title track and be done, but as far as jazz fusion is concerned, this is really quite good. There’s *so* much miles Davis influence here it’s nuts. If we’re not gonna pull an actual miles Davis record (I think or at least hope Bitches Brew is on here?), this is I guess a reasonable substitute jazz is my favorite genre so part of this rating is influenced by my desperation to get a real jazz album soon. still, even though i really do like it, i don't know how often i'd put this one on by choice. i feel it requires a specific mood.

The story surrounding this album is wild and it absolutely heightened the listening experience. Without it, I don't know that I would've listened to this outside of The List existing. But with it, I was locked in. Being a sub-30 minute album made this easier as well. I liked the music as well. It's definitely not the kind of music I would typically listen to. But I had a good time. I'm probably not listening to it again unless the very specific vibe required has been met.

While I usually take offense to super long songs, the organization of this album was great imo. Short in the number of tracks, but with plenty of time to explore some pretty cool stuff. I could tell that this was gonna be a wild ride when I read that Kuti married 27 women simultaneously, and I was not disappointed. Maybe each one of them got to play a drum on these songs.

I only know Fela through hip hop samples (Kendrick sampled a cover of one of his songs on TPAB’s album closer “Mortal Man”) so this was a delight. Glad to add him to my jazz rotation.

Funky, fierce, and inspirational. This album unlocked many new chambers of music exploration for me, and countless others. What’s this guy’s story? What other non-Western sounds am I missing out on? Who are the rich, unconventional influences of other artists I listen to? I’m telling ya, so much to discover behind those 3 queries. If you liked Zombie, check out these fantastic afrobeat / world artists that would not exist without Fela: - Mdou Moctar (Nigerian guitar-driven protest music) - Antibalas (US-based afrobeat) - Budos Band (afro/70s stuff) - Polyrhythmics Plus some other artists that fuse non-Western sounds: - Khruangbin - Altin Gun - Kikagaku Moyo - Hermanos Gutierrez - Glass Beams

Solid

I listen to most of these albums at work and this is the first one that noticeably increased my productivity. I’ll definitely listen to this again soon. 5/5.

nice. sounds like he might have been misogynist?

extremely long songs, do get kind of boring over time because it’s just so repetitive. I feel like it would be so much better if his songs would be shorter, but at this length it’s just dragging the same melody for too long. overall 3/10

a true shock on this list! loved it

protest art turns me on

Background vibes for me but that's not an insult

The stories around Fela Kuti are mythic and it seems this album in particular has such a place in Nigerian history. I do like his music, it seems to use African beats in such a jazz influenced, accessible way. Have to admit I havent listened to him again despite enjoying the live album much and i think I did slightly prefer that one. Need to give his albums a proper go, think I could be in the right mood for more of this.

Better than Live!, but much of it sounds like falling down the stairs with a load of drums strapped to his back. Seems he was a weird chap.

I'd completely forgotten we'd had an album by this guy before. This completely took me by surprise though. Thought it was really good. It's almost ska or dub in parts which I really liked. Bit long, but very good. 4

In a nutshell: fight the power. Now this is my jam. I love an album with songs that make you think twice. The tracks have an engaging beat then when the lyrics kick in, they take you by surprise. It's meant to be a protest album yet it doesn't force the fact. The music speaks for itself. Overall: 8/10

Very enticing Afrobeat with interesting rhythm and time changes that kept me intrigued about what would come next. Varied instrumentation and interesting vocals displayed his musical depth. I love how lyrics in a different language, or with a strong accent, can be heard as more of a vocal instrument than simply a story told . Definitely worth listening to again.

I liked it but jazz isn't really my style. I hope to get eased into the genre later on!

Like solid album, don't get me wrong. The original issue has two 12-minute songs on it, which like. 24 minutes is short. Plus it's good world music and vocals, but to me at least, didn't exceed the "decent sounding enough, not bad, nothing great" 3 star stage.

Zombie: 8/10 i really like this track, it reminds me of meep city on roblox in a way, i feel like dancing while listening to this, the vocals are really good on this as well as the backing, overall this is the best one so far. Mr. Follow Follow: 7/10, this is very calming, id listen to this song while studying, and it reminds me of my childhood. Observation is No Crime: 8/10, again, this would be a really good studying song or like a song to play in the background of a convo about random shit, or even while playing uno. Mistake: 6/10, i dont like how theres a live recording in this album, especially as a closing track. the song is good but i dont like that its live :/

I’m actually addicted. This album sounds so cool, and I love the combination of guitars and extended horn solos and everything. It’s such a unique sound that I could genuinely listen to for hours. When the vocals come in too, they’re incredible. I love the call and response (and ORGAN!!) of “Observation is No Crime.” Also learning about this album’s influence on Brian Eno and Talking Heads’ work was really interesting. It surprised me initially, but it makes so much sense. And the deep message of the album being a critique of mindless soldiers, who can’t or won’t think for themselves (which can also be applied to the fears of AI in our modern world) really adds the icing on the cake to an already incredible-sounding album. Favs: Zombie, Observation is No Crime, Mr. Follow Follow Dislikes: none.

Kind of like jazz but way more upbeat and fun

Such a tasty-looking zombie, yum.

Upbeat weekday morning, put this on while I was doing stuff around my room before work and it was nothing but good vibes. fav is observation is no crime. Actual rating 4.5

0.5/5 I sometimes listen to jazz in the background when I just want something in the background and I could see myself putting on some Fela Kuti but I couldn't listen to it by itself. Very repetitive and when they are 12-13min songs it ends up being a looooong listen. I actually didn't mind these songs, but after 4-5mins of each track I grew tired and weary.

Not as compelling as the self-titled album earlier on the list from Fela Kuti; I think the titular track is still the winner here. Insane to read the Wikipedia page on this album while listening. The impact it had just feels so decoupled from the content itself. Certainly makes me feel appreciative of the freedom art has in the west.

I was with this until "Observation is no Crime", which just got polyrhythmically annoying

Greta reggae grooves!

Not my thing but I appreciate a good political message in a song.

Cool

This works in so many levels - it's fun, artistic, it's political, it works as background music but you can also get lost in it's complexity. Simply great

An extra point for the 27 wives...

Exactly what I came to discover here.

Not bad! Good for long runs

Fantastic

I was unsurprised to hear a vibrant, aggressive set from Kuti complete with a fanfare piss-take aimed at the jackboots running his country at the time. I *was* pleasantly surprised to realize how much of the 8-bit chipcore palette was made in an attempt to recreate the sound of the title track. In any event, I'd hate to have this guy disappointed in me.

YES YES YES YES YES YES. i absolutely loved this and it was the perfect soundtrack to playing my nyt games

Opens with a hard driving funk tour de force, a thick steamy dance party with endless layers of brass, percussion, keyboards, and a relentless bass - an undeniable groove with call and response vocals delivered forcefully, woven between sax lines and trumpet stabs. Mellows out into a slower jazz fusion number to breathe, a patient groove with slinky melodies. The band is huge and with so many parts locked in together it creates a kaleidoscope effect, ever shifting, always a new element or detail, fractal funk.

A fun jazz record, I love it when the list shows me things like this. It’s also insane to read the background on this record.

African jazz fusion that was written in protest of the Nigerian military government. It was fine, good beats and instrument work. Album was only two songs long (20 mins total), so it didn’t overstay its welcome. 3/5

I'm sure this is an important album and I am glad I listened to it, but it was a bit repetitive for my taste.

I like it.

De ersti track sehr nervig. überfüllte unruhige funky song. Aber de zweit isch smooth as fuck. Funky mit chli reggae und african instrumental gmixt. Vlt gib es 3.

This isn't really my jam, but tough to deny the talent.

It got repetitive and annoying after a point. Likely just not my style

Great blend album

I mean personally I don't think I would every listen and like go out of my way to listen to an album like this, but it was still super enjoyable. I think the fun music throughout with the vibrant energy and the live track played into the enjoyment a lot. I felt myself humming along or bouncing with the loud trumpets and drums. Really solid.

Ein Afrobeat Album. Ist ok zu hören, aber nicht meine favorisierte Musikrichtung. 2/5

A good album, a toe tapper. Not a great album, a hip swinger.

This just grooves, the sound in its self is pure funk, but with such a message. Can’t question the authenticity of the artist on this one. Definitely a keeper 4 Star

Superb afro beats !

Split on this. Loved the first half of it but then it seems to lose its way and rhythm and I lost interest. Still. Enjoyed it more than guy previous two albums and I gave them a 3 each.

I'd never heard of Fela Kuti, it started of fun and interesting, but 4 songs that last 10 minutes each and meander around a bunch got tedious. By track 4 I didn't care for it anymore.

From the album cover alone I knew this was going to be something good and then I started reading about it. I might not have rated the music as highly without the context (I still really liked it, it would have been at least a 4 anyway), but I do think who an artist is can make the music more interesting. Anyway this is my review so I get to give it 5 stars

This was very good. I dont know if there is a different version I was supposed to listen to, but this one was an EP with two tracks a long and short version of the Zombie song. Either way very good song. Looking into the history of the song, everything about it is crazy!

Surprisingly fun a lot of really cool Jazz instrumental sections with compositions that ban a pretty long time per song but I didn't find myself getting bored by it I really enjoyed it overall.

Favorite tracks: Zombie This album was a blast, particularly Zombie - I love me a good political commentary track

Volvemos después de días de feriados y asuetos a hoy viernes con éste artista del carajo que fue Fela Kuti. El disco, bah, su música, es como un mantra. Un trance sonoro que no suelta al oyente hasta que termina el LP. Muchas gracias y hasta el lunes

Decent music, another one that's not really my genre though.

Better than yesterday’s album but still not sure on the whole jazz thing

Brilliant. I'd heard some Fela, but never this, which is clearly a very important album in all sorts of ways.

A nice listen, I was surprised that I liked it more than I thought I would. I'm not really a jazzy person, but this was easy on the ears (for the most part) and brought a nice atmosphere. But I think I would only listen again under specific circumstances, and I'd be inclined to pick another album over this one. But by no means do I dislike this.

The meaning and history of this album alone are incredible. Jazz is the kind of music which give me thoughts of 'I should maybe listen to this in my free time in the background more often' when I hear in a cafe or bar, but never do. I kind of had the same feeling with this album. Now, I do agree with some reviews saying that the songs are a little too long and you can probably shave off the first and last couple of minutes from the songs. Yes, it is very nice to listen to, but at some point it just gets repetitive and gets drowned out in my head, so to speak. The parts with lyrics I liked (I might have a bias to political music, and this hits hard). Would not hate listening to this more often but would rarely select this album to play when I need to decide what to listen to. Normally I would hesitate giving this a 3 and maybe give it a 2 but the meaning behind it makes me give it a solid 3.

3.4 Not my usual cup of tea but I can appreciate it. First track was the stand out one, saved it down to a playlist. The rest I thought were a bit less interesting, but not bad.

Sadly, I couldn't hang with this. I really liked the other Fela album (Live! w/Ginger Baker), but here... I honestly don't understand what he was thinking tonally with his saxophone playing. The grooves are great and obviously, this is a historically important album. I'll take it as my own failing and give it a 3 and maybe revisit this in the future, perhaps it just hit me at an off moment.

Incrível. A versatilidade, abrangência e dinâmica do som de Kuti foram o que mais me surpreendeu. Já entrou para minha lista de melhores que conheci este ano.

The history of this album is super interesting, and I enjoyed the sound enough, but it was a pretty passive listen for me. The jazz sections were really long and sort of went in one ear out the other. Still cool to listen to though.

Felt repetitive to listen to. It was a vibe for the first few minutes but it's just not my type

I really thought Id like it more and I do want to get into jazz but this did not do it for me. Maybe I havent accquired the taste for this aspect yet, but for now its either a 1 or a 2.

music for the soul. while this is not something i would listen to regularly, i still really like it. this is top tier, and i really vibe with the message he conveys. oh my shit after additional research i discovered that he apparently created afrobeat wtf lmaoo? this guy was a genius overall, i rlly like this!!

Really good and unique. Just the right amount of vocals for this genre.

It’s alright but good to see this album on here

This what talking heads was smoking

You could say 'it's in my head' now

I didn't have high expectations coming in to this one but was pleasantly surprised. Honestly, this is the sort of thing I was hoping for with this generator. This is something I wouldn't have listened to on my own but I think it's definitely a recommend.

insane banger

A complete groove that is only more remarkable in the fact that all that booty shaking music is political protest music!

eh, not my sound, but nice

Jazz.... Was really good but 30 mins was too much would revisit though

This is a great album, the vivid instrumental and horns set a party theme melodies that contrasts with the lyrics, and Injustblove when this happens. Zombie lyrics are great, it could be used as a metaphor not only for what happened in Nigeria. . I enjoyed the 2 first songs, although the album came to me as a 4 songs.. 4/5

I'll admit I was a little scared when I saw the album was made up of only four fifteen-minute songs. I have never heard of Fela and had no idea what to expect. But overall, I was into it! I definitely think "Zombie" was the strongest of the album, and each song lost a little bit of momentum for me. At first I thought it was all instrumental, and I was apprehensive about the idea of vocals coming in because I liked the instrumentals so much, but I think the vocals worked really well and didn't take away from the music. The sax solos go HARD. Not something I ever would have picked up on my own, but I'm happy to have listened to it.

Afropop king

Appreciate everything that's happening on this album, the story is killer; just kinda died outs towards the end. Zombie is a straight banger of a track. If you can find it somewhere Monkey Banana is solid. Would much rather listen to The Best of Black President 1/2 Had a blast and appreciate this was recommended. 3/5 stars

Fun and lively. ★★★

actually very alive.

Pretty chill and relaxing to listen to.

Very interesting jazz album. Every song is like 10+ minutes but it’s able to keep you hooked through out the whole album. Now it wasn’t anything too crazy but I did thoroughly enjoy this and think it does deserve a spot on this list. I wouldn’t say this was the best jazz project I’ve heard but it was still great with insane instrumental in your ears for an hour and just lifting my mood. This is right up my alley so I’m giving it a 7.7/10 3.8/5

3.5

É um disco muito importante e cheio de camadas musicais. Experiência interessante. QoA Vesper.

3.8/5 great sfrobeat rly enjoyed

Better than Coldplay

Enjoyable.

Fela Kutilta aiemmin tuttu oli lähinnä Water No Get Enemy, hyvää fuusiojazzia

Great fun one to listen to again

Genre: Afrobeat Unfortunately, this album got Fela Kuti’s mom killed… Nigeria was in a truly god awful place in the 1970s. Kuti’s scathing critique of the Nigerian military as zombies was an absolute smash hit in the country of Nigeria. So much so that the regime made their way to Fela Kuti’s commune and destroyed it, killing his mother while nearly beating him to death. It’s tough to engage with this record with knowledge of what transpired afterward. The music itself though is intoxicating jazz fusion. Funk, rock, jazz, African rhythms all blend to create a really magnificent listening experience. Tremendous playing at every turn. Simple but powerful lyrics. An absolute triumph. 5/5

African jazz

Amazing, punchy, funky, African jazz. I love it.

How do you rate a certified real-life folk hero, warts and all? The mythology surrounding Fela Kuti is stronger and stranger than even Bob Marley, the only other artist who could approach the revolutionary acts and art of Fela. We have to be cautious when judging art through the lens of the character of the person who made it. But in Fela's case, there is no separation. His art was a revolution project as much as his revolution was an art project. Even his clothes were an act of protest. He often appeared in either badass, skin-tight jumpsuits, which I would describe as African glam, or in only his underwear, a shirtless counterpoint to Africans who adopted Western dress; "Africa hot," he jeered sarcastically to these "gentlemen." Is it any surprise that every track he made sounds like sex and war? And so it is with "Zombie," the lyrics a direct satire of the individuality-suppressing ways that Nigerian soldiers, in Fela's view, lined up and did exactly as they were told. "Mister Follow Follow" continues the theme of viciously criticizing those who sacrifice their individuality to the will of others. The lyrics to these songs are clearly situated in Fela's time and place, but they apply to any historical context in which the listeners find themselves, the proto-authoritarian United States in 2025, for example. The price he paid for releasing these songs, the raiding and burning of his compound, the Kalakuta Republic, and the murder of his mother, strengthens my feeling that we can't separate the songs themselves from the context in which they were recorded. Fela's response to the invasion, documented in "Coffin for Head of State," drives his history into the truly legendary. I actually love Fela's music on its own terms. He is credited with inventing Afro-beat, and no label has ever so accurately and succinctly described a musical genre. I remember how I learned about Fela. In the very early 2000s, my friend Griffin introduced me to Antibalas, a band she accidentally stumbled upon while they were playing in a small club in Brooklyn. I was immediately in love with their first album, Liberation Afrobeat Vol. 1. A year or so later, I found myself stoned out of my gourd, sitting on the living room floor of some white Rastas I knew from work at a local organic bakery. Too baked to socialize and with no family dog in sight, I noticed a random reggae mag under their coffee table with an Antibalas article advertised on the cover. Throughout the article, one name was mentioned repeatedly as the progenitor and primary influence on the band's style: Fela Kuti. I kept that name in the back of my mind (can't imagine how I remember anything from that day) until I could learn more about him. When I finally heard his music, I was floored. I had never heard anything so raw and hypnotic. Twenty-five years later, and I still haven't. Personally, I think Zombie is A-tier Fela, not quite the best of his catalog, but still representative of his legendary status. Five stars.

it was good

doesnt get much better than this Fav song: Zombie

Fantastic swing!

Wine bar music you play softly in the background

Decent

Zombie oh Zombie!! Nigerian party music!! Pretty fun

not bad but a bit boring

A great listen. 70s Afrobeat masterclass. Even more emotional and impressive if you know the story of the album’s meaning and what happened after its release.

Superb

What an album. Short, to the point, all of the energy.

La combinación perfecta entre una música disfrutable y un contenido político fuerte. La relevancia histórica de este álbum yace en crítica política que hace Fela Kuti contra el gobierno y ejército nigeriano y las salvajes repercusiones que esto conlleva para Kuti. Lo interesante es que de no saber la historia detrás del álbum, o de no leer las letras que canta Kuti, uno podría asumir que es simplemente un álbum de afrobeat, enérgico, alegre, bien ejecutado y grabado. Por supuesto, el arte de tapa del álbum es bastante claro en sus intenciones, tampoco es que haya que leer demasiado entre líneas, es cuestión de prestar un poco de atención. El punto interesante a notar es que a diferencia de otras músicas de protesta, como por ejemplo muchas músicas de Bob Dylan, en lugar de acompañarse de un tono melancólico y deprimente, el afrobeat busca energizar la protesta con groove, con vientos, con muchas voces, y tampoco es agresivo como podría ser por ejemplo la música de Rage Against The Machine, renegando con alaridos y distorsión sobre el sistema. En fin, un álbum corto, significativo y excelente.

Trump and his goons are the zombie scourge of the earth. Donald, please don't kill my mom by throwing her out of a window.

Great discovery

Not for me but not made for me either. Vital and inspiring - I’m so grateful I now know of this family.

Meh idk

Cool, but not something I'd go back to very often.

Fela Kuti is a legend. The sounds are an eclectic mix but fun as all hell to listen to.

Fela Kuti has made his way onto many of my jazzy playlists. I ended up listening to this album all day, turns out it’s a great soundtrack for being lost in thought as you scurry through New York. I want to give this a 4 because I feel Fela Kuti was such a revolutionary man in both his politics and his sound, paving the way for afrobeats and so many future artists. You can hear it on Zombie, but the whole album as a package didn’t make me want to add the songs to my playlists. So. Gonna go listen to more of his other work today (the Los Angeles sessions!) Side note: so much good music has come out lately it’s been hard to be motivated to keep up with this. But doing my best 🫡

Love the history and story behind the album but the music just isn’t for me

Transformative, exciting, relevant almost 30 years later. One of the great listens of recorded music. Want to start a party? Put this record on. Want to get inspired to fight the power that corrupts your world? Put this record on.

4 out of 5. Short and sweet with some great beats.

Meh.

Finally a "world" record that I can confidently say is a banger. Favorite track: Zombie

Fun jazz record. Some slip ups, but a good change of pace

Its okay. Kinda generic music that would play in a restaurant.

This was such a cool discovery, and this guys biography was fascinating. I genuinely enjoyed the afrobeat type of music here and loved the change of pace!

The story of this album bumps it up a point.

This album is a crucial cornerstone of music history. It's not just an amazing album its a masterpiece.

Yes, yes, this is exactly why I started this project: to discover new music from artists I’d never heard before now. I LOVE the jazz riff on the opening track. The notes on Spotify mention the influence Kuti had on the Talking Heads, and I can hear it!! And man, in comes that horn again to close out the title track. …I think what this project has shown me is that I just love jazz…

Not my vibe

A furious, hypnotic masterpiece of Afrobeat. With relentless rhythms, sharp horns, and Fela’s biting political satire, 𝘡𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘪𝘦 turns funk into protest music. The title track alone — mocking Nigeria’s military as mindless “zombies” — is bold, dangerous, and unforgettable. Musically it’s rich and alive; politically it’s explosive. It’s the sound of rebellion you can dance to.

Not bad!

Afro jazz. Just fantastic, probably the best from Fela Kuti. Favorite track: all tracks in the album really

Really nice jams. The Wikipedia article was crazy. Never heard of this group before, it was pretty great.

Nothing smart to say, but definitelly felt the vibe and wished I was listening live to move some body over this.

Top drawer jazz

Toe tappin' Nigerian world beat this is why I joined this group good to hear music that I wasn't aware of good stuff

Solid

Wasn’t bad, not my style

Zombie

i think he could to just make more songs with less mintues but its cool

I enjoyed this. Probably not as much as Jorge Ben Jor, but still enough to give it a solid four.

OK

So my biggest gripe with this album is the songs have a lot of buildup. Sometimes it takes up to 4 minutes for the song to hit its stride. I always struggle with aggressively repetitive music, which typically only is a problem for electronic dance music. That being said once the songs got going, they were GOING. Super fun and kind spirited, this would be the type of jazz I’d put on to try and get a younger kid into jazz. This is much more fun and accessible as opposed to like a traditional sounding jazz band like Bill Evans Trio (which coincidentally was the album I got before this one, which also highlighted how much funkier and sillier this is than regular jazz. Definitely check this out if you struggle with most jazz artists, I think this is much more fun and accessible than most traditional jazz artists.

there’s like two tracks, and i like both of them

This is fine. Again, I don't feel genre-qualified to rate it above or below a . . .

There are very few songs over 6-8 minutes that I really like, so I was pretty skeptical starting off on a four song album with an average track length over 13 minutes. The first two tracks are tight, funky and fiery. They carry this to a 4 for me. There’s nothing wrong with the latter two tracks, but the horns in the first song blew my mind.

Okay, but not great. Don’t know the genre much.

3.5/5 - Enjoyed the listen, but this didn't grab me quite as much as the first Fela Kuti that came up on this list. Probably more my mood than anything. Still this is full of fun grooves, and I'm a fan of the sound.

Zombie 4.3 Mister Follow Follow 4 Score: 4.15

What is the substantial difference between this collection of distended grooves and those on the Eric Burdon album we listened to a few months ago? The Burdon record was a studio indulgence, a project; this sounds like the document of something that was happening, whether the tape was rolling or not. There is a world and a culture that exists beyond the LP, and though it may be exhausting on record, it is also sweaty, alive, and unavoidable wherever it is actually happening. 3 I shouldn’t have read anything about this album. It is very difficult not to build in credit for Kuti’s courage in the making of a political and moral statement here - given what ‘Zombie’ would cost him personally. I don’t want to give in to that temptation. There are different forms of courage everywhere in music making. In the Jazz albums we have encountered so far there is often obvious musical bravery and a spirit of bold endeavour. I give these Jazzers no extra credit for any of that. Context is always important and useful but ultimately I try to keep the stakes no higher than here is some music, what do I think of it. Jazzers usually get 2/5 or so. To give extra marks even for risking life and limb in making your album would unfairly disadvantage those artists who are unlikely to have their family thrown out of a window regardless of the content of their record. So where does that leave Zombie? It is certainly not as dull as an album with this much musical repetition ought to be. The grooves are delicious and the unpolished horn sound has an especially nice edge to it. The simple episodic structures also make this much more digestible over long track lengths than most jazz tracks of similar length. So it is dance music but also much less boring as pure listening material than dance music. Still it feels rather slight somehow. These 4 tracks aren’t quite enough to build a sense of narrative shape over 50 minutes. Obviously the album has musical and lyrical identity but from my scant knowledge of him and his work I suspect that most of what Fela Kuti produced had that built in. 2.5/5

I wasn’t sure why Mr. Follow Follow was named as such until 7 minutes and 18 seconds into the song Fela says Mr. Follow Follow

Huge fan of this. Zombie—I was grooving hard when the lyrics started around 5:25, and the groove grew even larger. I love the persistent background guitar riff and the electronics that start around 9:20. The ending jazzy/military trumpet solo is the perfect way to put the funk to bed—sexy big band finish. Mr. Follow Follow— heavy bass opening + brass, very cool. Horns line the track. Lyrics start around 7:18, call and response with a group (very fitting for the name). I like the bounce on this one. Observation Is No Crime— from the jump, the energy and sound on this track is really cool. A mix of bongo drums and horns brings together old and new and I think it all blends in a timeless way. Mistake— I am really enjoying how this album gets more political as it goes. What a great song to end on. BIG fan.

Attention span dropped after two songs but it was cool. Took a jazz class in college and this took me back

This album is not for me. Generally easy to listen to, but I don't really have the itch to re-listen to this again. It was good background music, but I would rather listen to other things in the background. There weren't many memorable moments on there for me. The last track would be cool to hear live. 2.5/5

4.2/5 Really good album and really good instrumentals. Even though the songs were long it was very easy to listen to each of them

3.6 Dude is just clowning the troops over some funk guitar. I’m with it

4.1/5 Tecca style review today fuck it. Pre-listen thoughts: Omg a 4 song 54 minute album, now we’re talking. No better time for Spinning this album a 2 hour midnight drive home from the Denver airport. Lets rip her! Song breakdown: 1. Zombie: low key sounds like the George Lopez theme at the beginning. Vocals at 5 min got me hyped as I thought this was purely gonna be an instrumental album. Song got more intense as it progressed. An absolute bop. Cruising through the mountains rn just blasting this shit. 2. Mr. Follow Follow: a bit of a slower start but I’m vibing with it. A whopping 7 min buildup to vocals. Thank god i was getting a little bored. Not as hype as first song but still enjoyed. 3. Observation is No Crime: Funky af. The repetitive “tell me tell me “ got kinda annoying. 4. Mistake: 14 minutes of true beauty. Final thoughts: This album definitely got me out of my music comfort zone in a good way. Without this site I never would’ve ever listened to something like this. I surprisingly enjoyed this way more than I thought I would as I didn’t think I’d end up listening to the whole thing. Not something id spin in the car on a daily basis but would make really good background music. Highly would recommend for a night drive when you want to be deep in your thoughts. It’s now 1 am and I’m wide awake. Good shit Fela Kuti.

I only got one full listen so far, but what a great album.

Even if Fela hadn’t been Ada’s jolly jumper soundtrack from approx. 0 to 2, I would fucking love it. But I showed her how to dance to it (badly), I showed her how to play her plastic drum to it (not terrible), and she loved it too. So this is an easy sentimental 5 for me, and a reminder to bring it back to our speakers and see if she’ll take a break from Taylor Swift and jazz out to Afrobeat.

Zombie and Mr follow follow are two of my fav tracks. Didn't know the other two so well. Fela is heroic in his effort and work and left huge impact on so many artists and the african diaspora. rip.

Listened to this while doing some chores around the house and I was grooving along. Never heard of this but it was great!

On immediate repeat.

I loved this! No surprise here, this is very much my jam and I did jam out. Will listen again. The cover is a bit of a puzzle, just not sure what's going on and it suffers from less than stellar quality, it's a 2/5.

Good stuff

Fine. The amount of songs Fela has on movie soundtracks is wild.

Really enjoyed this one. Have not ventured much into the Afro-Beat genre, I do know how much of an impact he had on a lot of other music. Highlights: "Zombie" and "Observation is no Crime"

Zombie was fun and full of vibe, but I preferred the jazziness of Mr Follow Follow. In total the album was to short for me to make a n affirmative decision. I see I gave the live album a 4 star rating, but I am not sure this warrants that. I enjoyed it but not that much. 3 stars

Another good Fela album. This guy is great for funky and soulful jazz.

Zombie — студийный альбом нигерийского афробит музыканта Фелы Кути. Он был выпущен в Нигерии на лейбле Coconut Records в 1976 году, а в Великобритании — на лейбле Creole Records в 1977 году. В альбоме содержалась критика в адрес правительства Нигерии; считается, что это привело к убийству матери Кути Фунмилайо Рэнсом-Кути и разрушению его коммуны военными. Интересная предыстория. Алексей Валерьевич бы заценил! Поехали. 1. Zombie - имейджин зарейджбейтить правительство афробит песней. Я с ходу могу сказать, что это не мой жанр, но мне нравится голос исполнителя. 2. Mr. Follow Follow - инструментал хорошо зашёл бы в каком-нибудь кафе или ресторане. 3. Observation No Crime - особенно джазово, трубы много. Приятно покачаться. 4. Mistake - Live at the Berlin Jazz Festival - 1978 - приятное дополнение! джаз особенно хорошо слушается вживую. Каждый трек на 12-14 минут... Хоть их и всего четыре, времени ушло предостаточно. Если оценивать объективно, то хорошо, наверное? В треках есть развитие, они не монотонные на протяжении всего выделенного времени. Но субъективно это не моё. В отзывах кто-то прекрасно отметил: "Это та музыка, под которую, если бы ее исполняла живая группа, я бы с удовольствием танцевал в течение 5-10 минут... прежде чем потихоньку потерять энтузиазм, покачиваясь по привычке, слегка притупив зрение и втайне задаваясь вопросом, когда же это всё закончится." Это хорошая спокойная музыка на задний фон, успела некоторые дела сделать, пока слушала. Некоторые треки я бы добавила к себе, будь они покороче, а так не знаю, в какой плейлист их можно запихнуть. Но у альбома крутая история, заслуживает экранизации. И исполнитель сам по себе крутой. Двоечка! Но ставлю с уважением!

Not sure what I was expecting, or how to even describe it, but very much enjoyed it. Minimal lyrics, engaging beats

Never was politcal music so incredibly groovy. So glad to have explored this album. Was gonna give it five, but every song on this does the same trick in terms of structure.

Not for me.

What an honor! Ive always heard the name and seen his influence in other artists but I havent made my way to his music yet. Love the high energy and great fusion beats

eh

Wtf is this and why is it on this list

The album that brought down the Kalakuta Republic💪

(93/100)

4 songs 54 minutes ?!

Amazing artist, great sound and presence - but those songs do go on, especially when they get onto the solos

A decent short album, but I like Femi's works more.

Without Fela Kuti there wouldn't be Femi Kuti, but I feel like where Femi Kuti landed gracefully Fela Kuti is not able to stay afloat - the songs aren't as wonderful, they're too long, but they do have the magic style.

классно, но долго ахахха

simply the best

This is joyful music. I actually have no idea if it’s intended that way, but it’s not really headphone music to me. It’s about playing loud on big speakers if possible and dancing while you carry on with your day.

Fun music but always want lyrics

This is a genre I quite like overall. I thought the first and last tracks were strongest.

Fantastic music, and insane background. This was totally new to me and I really enjoyed it. But dang. What a life.

It’s ground breaking, but not for me

I really liked this one it's not usually the kind of music I listen to but this one was really good.

This hits hard.

I’m very aware of Feli and his influence but this may be the first time i actually sat down and consciously listened to an album. What a treat.

9/10 Just feels important. Even without reading the history and aftermath, you KNOW this funked some shizzle up and rattled some cages. Musically not in my normal wheelhouse, but it's funky and inventive and, unlike a lot of jazz (to mine ear, obvs), it has a point. Hoorah!

'Zombie' by Fela Kuti is a frentic jazz/Afrobeat album from continential Africa that pulls no punches in calling out the Nigerian government and military. This album resulted in his mother being murdered, himself severely beaten and his commune, the Kalakuta Republic, being burned to the ground by militia. Who knew music could create such a stir like this, but I guess when you refer to soldiers as "zombies" and call out their inhumanity within the confines of a military dictatorship (which Nigeria was under at the time), you're bound to endanger yourself, and that's what Fela Kuti did here. Musically, the album is essentially a straight jazz fusion record featuring just the two songs: 'Zombie' and 'Mr Follow Follow': and without any contextual knowledge, you'd be forgiven for thinking it's just another ordinary jazz record. But when you read into the context behind the album, the brutal fallout that followed its release makes for quite unbelievable reading. In this commune of his, Kuti married 27 women to mark the first anniversary of the attack on the Kalakuta Republic to apparently protect himself from claims he was kidnapping women. He also continued to be a thorn in the side of the Nigerian government in the 80s and 90s, with jail time and various other legal trouble a constant companion. Certainly one of those albums which probably wouldn't be that significant were it not for the story behind it. Best songs: Zombie

holy shit im cruising

Didn't expect to like it much, but it was a nice listen

i am truly in despair about not liking this more

Zombie: about soldiers / military? nice background music, no thoughts

African jazz

All very long songs. Not sure if they’re really my style. Might skip through them. Definitely not my style at all. Sure the songs are good if you’re into jazz or the instruments.

Out of the gate, the first track was really fun. Full of energy, danceable, vibrant, jazzy. I'm not into the genre enough for this to go into regular rotation for me, but I did have fun listening to it

I'm not a fan of songs that exceed ~5 minutes, so I had a scare when I saw this album is 4x12m, but it was really pleasant to listen to.

The build up of every single song takes way to long, it's just 4 minutes of the same, followed by another 4 minutes of the same...

This was some fine brassy jazz that had elements that reminded me a bit of a New Orleans brass band I used to listen to a bit called Rebirth Brass Band. A fine enough way to kill an hour, but ultimately not something I'm left feeling a lot about afterward. Each song jams in its own right, though I did find the synthesizer to be quite overpowering each time it made its entry. Also really enjoyed the funky guitar licks throughout Mr. Follow Follow. Solid, but not something I'll be back to quickly -- 3 / 5.

These are good tunes. Reminds me of seeing Cimafunk at Roo. Fela Kuti impresses again.

Cool upbeat jams with some nice horns and some pretty sick guitar parts. The Kutis sure do fire home some winners on this list

Fela Kuti actually rules. Zombie is a banger. Really enjoyed that. This Fela is pretty darn good!

Chill. Really good to music to put in the background. Great vibes with jazz and Caribbean sounds.

### **In-Depth Review: *Zombie* by Fela Kuti** Released in **1977**, *Zombie* is not just an album—it’s a **political weapon**, a **musical manifesto**, and arguably **Fela Kuti’s most incendiary work**. With his band **Africa 70**, Fela crafted a record that would shake the Nigerian military dictatorship and reverberate globally. The album originally featured just **two tracks**—“Zombie” and “Mr. Follow Follow”—but its impact was seismic. --- ### 🎶 **Musical Style and Production** Musically, *Zombie* is a **masterclass in Afrobeat**, a genre Fela pioneered by fusing **Yoruba rhythms**, **highlife**, **jazz**, and **funk**. The album’s **groove is hypnotic**, built on **Tony Allen’s polyrhythmic drumming**, which anchors the entire soundscape. The **basslines are deep and looping**, the **guitars interlock in circular riffs**, and the **horn section**—sharp, bold, and brassy—acts as both melody and weapon. The **production is analog and raw**, capturing the **live energy** of Fela’s performances. The tracks stretch beyond 12 minutes each, allowing the groove to evolve organically. This is **not music for passive listening**—it demands immersion. The **call-and-response vocals**, a staple of African musical tradition, are used here to **mobilize and provoke**, not just entertain. > “The low end is relentless, a wave that pushes through the chest and into the spine... the groove becomes a landscape, one you can walk through and discover new details each time.” --- ### 🖋️ **Lyrics and Themes** Lyrically, *Zombie* is **scathing satire**. The title track mocks Nigerian soldiers as **mindless automatons**, using the metaphor of a zombie to highlight their **blind obedience to authority**: > “Zombie no go go, unless you tell am to go / Zombie no go think, unless you tell am to think.” This was **not just artistic expression**—it was **direct confrontation**. Fela’s lyrics, delivered in **pidgin English**, were **accessible to the masses**, and their **subversive power** lay in their simplicity and repetition. The song became an **anti-military anthem**, galvanizing public dissent. The second track, **“Mr. Follow Follow”**, continues the theme of **blind conformity**, critiquing not just soldiers but **society’s willingness to obey without question**. --- ### 🔥 **Political Impact and Legacy** The **Nigerian government’s response** to *Zombie* was **brutal and immediate**. In retaliation, **over 1,000 soldiers raided Fela’s Kalakuta Republic**—a communal studio and residence—**beating residents**, **raping women**, and **burning the compound to the ground**. Fela’s **mother was thrown from a window** and later died from her injuries . Despite the **tragic aftermath**, *Zombie* became a **rallying cry** for resistance. It **galvanized a generation** of Nigerians and **inspired global activists and musicians**. The album’s **influence can be heard** in the works of **Talking Heads**, **Brian Eno**, **Sons of Kemet**, and even **Beyoncé**, who sampled Fela’s chants in her 2018 Coachella performance . > “Zombie proved how powerful Kuti’s word really was... the military junta’s actions only reinforced its critiques.” --- ### ✅ **Pros of *Zombie*** - **Musical Innovation**: A landmark in Afrobeat, with complex rhythms and layered instrumentation. - **Lyrical Courage**: Bold, satirical, and politically charged lyrics that challenged authoritarianism. - **Cultural Impact**: Sparked national conversation and became a symbol of resistance. - **Timeless Groove**: The music remains infectious and powerful decades later. - **Production Quality**: Analog warmth and live feel enhance the immersive experience. --- ### ❌ **Cons of *Zombie*** - **Length and Repetition**: The long, repetitive structures may not appeal to listeners used to concise song formats. - **Accessibility**: The heavy use of pidgin and cultural references may require context for full appreciation. - **Niche Appeal**: Afrobeat’s dense, groove-based style can be an acquired taste for some. --- ### 🧠 **Final Thoughts** *Zombie* is **more than an album**—it’s a **historical document**, a **political act**, and a **sonic revolution**. It captures Fela Kuti at the height of his powers: **musically inventive**, **lyrically fearless**, and **morally unyielding**. The album’s **pros far outweigh its cons**, especially when viewed in the context of its **cultural and political significance**. To listen to *Zombie* is to **witness music as resistance**, to feel the **pulse of a people demanding freedom**, and to understand why **Fela Kuti remains immortal** not just as a musician, but as a **revolutionary**. --- **Rating: 9.5/10** **Essential Listening For**: Afrobeat fans, political music historians, and anyone who believes in the power of art to challenge oppression.

There is some cool stuff in here but its kinda buried behind pretty repetitive parts. It just goes on and on for 10 minutes but then the vocals come in. And the male and backup female vocals are both so good. Maybe its the accent that ill never get closer than Africa but its so great. Also some cool variations on the main themes of each track. But again those sections are too few and far between for my tastes. Still good though. The highs are very high to be fair.

87/1089 another really interesting and impactful afrobeats album, i liked all 4 tracks, all felt very well paced considering their length. The instrumentals, vocals and intentions were all really well put together 4 stars

This album is classic PBS through and through! I really enjoyed listening to it and could easily have it playing on repeat in the background

Gotta get me some African drums...

Never heard this musician. I love the energy!!

Fela Kuti, the political rebel, polygamic badass who died of AIDS while denying it til death. This album is iconic.

Nice

Heck yeah, zam rock but Nigerian

4 songs 53 minutes… not my favorite.

absolute heater. gotta listen to more of this

feeling the kuti

On top of absolutely honking, this album has the best Wikipedia article I’ve ever read.

Unterirdisches gejammere ohne Struktur.

Loved this!! Did not know this artist before

Good background music!

World music. Enjoyable but forgettable as well. 2/5

Funky, African, Horns Drama with great Kick in first Song. A little toooo messy for me. And today I wasn't in the mood for songs this long.

Very cool!

This was great. Not a bad song on it. Reading up on it and the fallout he suffered after releasing this was crazy.

Starter lidt syret ud, men især anden halvdel af sangen Zombie får virkelig én i dansehumør.

I don't think I'm ever really going to be an afrobeat fan, and this album hasn't changed that. While the music isn't horrible in general it still just doesn't really interest me. I think it's down to the core elements of what makes something afrobeat that just doesn't interest me Standouts Mr. Follow Follow 2/5