Zombie

More fun than I was expecting

This was a great protest album and just all around excellent jazz

Awesome album! Can I call this an album? It's not even really an EP. Awesome song? Yeah, lets go with that. Awesome Song!

had not heard about Fela Kuti nor the album before this, which is a more than just a shame, considering how significant he and his music is to nigeria and music in general. so i'm very happy to have broadened my horizon.

Fela always had that great African trance. Wild dude. Every time I listen to one of his albums it’s easy to get lost in everything that flows.

To paraphrase my earlier review for another Fela Kuti album on this list: Music far outside my musical comfort zone but I really liked it. The music has lots of energy and passion. Easy 4 stars.

Groovy stuff that has been hugely influential to bands like Talking Heads and their followers. It would have been great to see Fela and his band live, as this is the kind of music that makes even people who don’t dance want to move

Funky afrobeat is always appreciated, for some reason all Fela Kuti I've heard before, did not resonate like this one did. I will return!

This is afrobeat - jazz over African polyrhythms creating a jazzy but funky, hypnotic, jam band aesthetic which one could imagine as an amazing live experience, preferably outdoors. Others have touched on the protest nature of the music and the retribution and cost in brought to Kuti, and that context brought to the music takes it to even greater heights. Want to know where the Talking Heads "Remain In Light" came from? This is it.

I don't really get jazz that much. This, though, is pretty good. Maybe I just need a good rhythm to go with the jazz. I'm going to have to listen to more Afrobeat. Digging into the Wikipedia articles on this album and Fela Kuti was really interesting. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I don't think it was protest music you can dance to. Fela Kuti was an influence on The Talking Heads "Remain In Light", which I (re)discovered on this list last month. Well that makes sense why I like this, then.

Really enjoyable, dancey and fun, but political and heavy too.

Even though I don’t understand the language and can’t truly appreciate the political context, this is still a way better album than many of the other albums on the list. Totally enjoyed the listen.

So incredibly good. Just don’t want to stop listening.

Listened in the truck via YouTube music. There are only 4 tracks each over 12 minutes I believe. The music is repetitive and hypnotic. They rhythms don’t get old as they’re repeated and expanded upon. Whenever I’ve heard Fela’s music I’ve always enjoyed it. This just gives me the reminder I need to listen way more often especially since he has such a large catalog.

Love the album. Very upbeat vibe. The wiki was a very sad read though, knowing this album led to his mother's murder

Groovy jazz and funk feel! Would have been fun to hear live.

Liked it, different.

Funky!

Actually really enjoyed this - long Afrobeats passages that blend together and make for really great background listening

What is going on here? Of course I’m asking about the album cover, but I left that sentence fragment in the text box for awhile and it seemed like a funny idea for a complete review. Alas, the completionist/masochist in me forces me to write another unreadable review that will fittingly, never be read. Fela Kuti is… jazz? I don’t really know, but I’m excited to see how this turns out. One way or another, I think it’s going to be memorable. Zombie - ZOOOMBIE ZOMBIE EH EH EH. Man. I really don’t like that song. This song? Pretty good. A little lively and happy for me, but it has a great energy. Relentless funk bassline and huh? Vocals?! Oh well. Nobody’s perfect. Man. It actually goes real hard. Suspiciously hard. So much musical variety and a palpable energy that I initially found a little sugary, but now hits as the funk juggernaut that it is. Mr. Follow Follow - The follow up to the Police’s stalker opus from last week. I mean with a name like that, you’re destined for greatness in the world of sleuthing. It’s a thin line between stalking for good and evil. This is a smooth jazz song with those persistent funk lines underneath. Late vocals popping in again. Listen, it’s not my exact brand of jazz, but it is certainly broadening my horizons. Observation is No Crime - See? Every song is about stalking people. I simply watch, is it so wrong in this topsy turvy world to observe one’s paramour from the proverbial (and literal) bushes? This song isn’t as good. The late vocals that seem to be a trend here are not as engaging and the background vocals have shifted into annoyance territory. Not bad by any means, but this is a let down. Until the end at least. These are long songs so they go all over the world. The sweet jazz outro was an oasis. Mistake (Live) - Those Germans love their jazz. Now this is a good live performance. High quality audio featuring an enamoured crowd. It’s a big enough crowd that I’m not taken out of it by individuals yelling. It probably also helps that they’re not American, meaning they’re less obnoxious. I am so intrigued by the choice to start singing around the same distance into every song. I’m getting so many conflicting track listings for this thing. Things like that make my skin crawl. The RYM page has three songs that i didn’t listen to and none of the songs that i did. The Wikipedia states that THIS is the track listing, but tracks 3 and 4 are CD reissue bonus tracks. I suppose that when this was written, nerds with OCD weren’t the target demo. Whatever. I listened to Fela Kuti from around this era and I was very pleased. Complex and engaging music that challenges and welcomes all at the same time. This Fela Kuti Fella is a real Kutie. No? I like the Kuti of his jib? It just sounds like I’m coming on to the guy. Whatever. Thanks for the memories ol’ Fela. 3.5-4 HIGHLIGHTS: Zombie, Mr. Follow Follow

Some cool musicianship going on here. All of these cats can play. Some interesting rhythms as well. Not perfect but a solid release.

3.5, rounding up

I actually really enjoyed this album. Probably probably from, spending my college Years listening to '90s jam bands which would often employ afrobeats. But I really love not only the Fierce message of the song but also the fierce playing that goes along with it. 8.55 ★★★★

Nice vibe. Less repetitive than other afrobeat. 4 stars

4.5

Favorites: Zombie, The Follow Follow Just brilliant. Both sides are some of the most engaging and beautiful afrobeat you'll ever hear. This record and Expensive Shit alone establish Kuti as one of the best to ever do it.

Väldigt nära en femma

loved this vibe

There's so much emotion tied sup in music like this, joy and anger in equal measure. Also love the relentless, rhythmic drive it has. Anything with Tony Allen playing has me hooked within 30 seconds. Long live Fela!

A really enjoyable album with great instrumentation and great vocals the story behind the album is amazing too

Oh yeah, now we're talking. If you're ever at a party, and someone hands you the aux cord, go ahead and pop this on. You'll instantly become the coolest person at the party.

Fela Kuti and his band of rhythmic reanimators craft Afrobeat that makes you want to grab somebody and burn up the dancefloor then grab a molotov and burn down the powers that be.

His sound was so good

Imagine making a song so badass that the army throws your mom out of a window.

Amazing groove, and loved reading about the political context and reaction to this album.

Like it, pretty different

Album was really good. Jazz album with heavy afro funk. Was this pre-funk? Was this album an inspiration for funk? Really good album. Short album as far as songs, but the songs were long. The songs are instrumental heavy. I really enjoys the songs that featured singing the best. I wish it had more of that. Clearly there was a war story to it. I would like to know more about the meaning of the song or theme.

Fascinating story that I didn't know. Good music.

Wait, I've never heard of Fela Kuti and now I am so happy I have. Only four tracks but lord do they all feel like a separate concert that perfectly connects into each other. Fantastic album. I'm making every listen to this. (9/10. This rating still doesn't make any sense."

Love all the horns. Very groovy at times, then very jazzy scatting. A big middle finger to the gov't, I can get behind it. And the guy was a polygamist, sweet.

4/5

85% Best: Zombie Must-Hear? Sure

Really cool. A lot of fun.

Fandt på afrobeats genren. Det var rigtig hypnotiserende at lytte til. Meget politisk omkring afrikansk kultur

Excellent Afro-beat album by the undisputed master of it.

Mesmerizing. I’m not a 20th century Nigerian history buff so the government critique element went over my head, but I could see this being an extremely effective medium to channel a message to the listener. Especially if they were smoking some of that sweet 70s grass. To this white Canadian in 2025, this album presents a timeless, infectious, motivating listening experience and will go into my regular rotation.

4 estrelas Zombie quebrou tudo

Loved the world beats jams, and open style

Очень крутой качественный афробит, с политическим подтекстом.

Liked it. Crazy background in this one as well

This album has such a great groove to it, definitely political resentment driving the urgency. Crazy that these songs, or any music could cause political and military action. It's a 3.5 for me but bumping for relevance.

An interesting listen for an artist that I would not have chosen if it wasn’t on this list and music that is very different to what I usually listen to.There was enough about the album for me to think about going back to it if I didn’t have another album to listen to tomorrow

4.4/what a fun and enticing jazz album

Snacka om sväng. Jazz eller world music? Afrobeat tydligen. Kanon i vilket fall. Fyra!

I was unaware of Fela’s music but am happy to now know.

Very groovy, nice beat but I would listen to it on my free time

Okay now albums like this are why I signed up for this project! All 4 tracks have the same structure (long instrumental followed by short call and response) and I'm not sure if the lyrics pack the same punch as they did in the 70s, but the music still is a trip and the sax solos bang.

One nation under a groove

Funky and interesting!

Okayyyy i kinda like this man

Fela Kuti’s jazz is woozy and hypnotic. 53 minutes disappears in a flash, and you, the listener, are suddenly in a great mood. The inclusion of the live track at the end was a great choice, because the crowd absolutely enhances the experience. Absolutely belongs here

Short enough that it doesn't get repetitive. I love the message abt military. music with meaning!!

Strong sauce. I can see why Kuti is seen as a pillar of Afrobeat. A lot of presence in this album. That sound is often imitated but without the soul. 4.1

Rating: 4/5 | Favorite Track: Zombie --- This was my first time taking the time to listen to this album and honestly this was such a fun and enjoyable listen. As a big fan of the Eno-produced Talking Heads albums, it was great to finally dive into what is arguably that era's most important influence.

Kalakuta Republic 15 April 2025 Fela Kuti and Afrika 70 - Zombie: Released 1977: 4/5 stars I thought it would be fun to try the 1001 album challenge, which is based on the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. The book complies 1001 popular music recordings chosen by a panel of music critics and includes writing about each album. The book was originally published in 2005, though has been updated several times to include more recent recordings. While I don’t have a physical copy of the book (I may buy one,) there is a website: https://1001albumsgenerator.com/ that e-mails you a new album to listen to every day at 03:00 GMT. It creates a personal page for you, which you can leave reviews of albums and look back on them. My big fear in doing this challenge is it would select albums I’m already familiar with or albums I don’t like at all. To my surprise the first album is an album by a musician I have never heard of; Fela Kuta and Africa 70 - Zombie. Fela Kuta was a Nigerian musician and political activist. He is regarded as one of the principal innovators of Afrobeat a music genre from Nigerian that combines West African Music with American music styles such as Jazz and Funk. This album is exciting. Stylistically, there are so many twists and turns. The title track Zombie starts off with an almost ska-style upstroke guitar and rhythmic congas. Horns come in and rival some of the best jazz tracks I’ve heard. This sounds like a blend of American Jazz and African music, however at just slightly past 5 minutes into the track vocals come in. The lyrics describe the Nigerian military as zombies who don’t think for themselves, but follow whatever orders they’re given. The song has frequently been used as a protest song. The original LP is just slightly over 25 minutes and consists of lonely two tracks. The second track Follow Follow is of a similar style using an upbeat guitar, bass, simple percussion and trumpets. This time vocals come in at 7 minutes, again another critique of soldiers. On CD and digital releases there are two bonus tracks Observation is No Crime and Mistake live at the Berlin Jazz festival. Overall this album is a great introduction to Afrobeat, a genre I’m wholly unfamiliar with, but intrigued to hear more. This album defies some Western pop music formulas and introduces me to sounds I’ve not heard before. You can hear some of the inspiration music like this had on the Talking Head’s later discography. What’s more interesting than the album itself is the story behind it. While I don’t have time time to dive too deeply at the moment; the political history of Fela Kuti is fascinating. In 1970 he established the Kalakuta Republic a commune and recording studio he declared independent from Nigerian military rule. The commune was raided by soldiers in 1978. In the raid his mother was injured. His outspoken criticism of the Nigerian military made him a political target. That’s as far as I can go with my reading on Fela Kuti today, but look forward to learning more. I rate this album as 4/5 stars. It sounds great and it’s culturally important. On a personal note, it’s not something I would put on often, but if I saw this in a shop on LP or CD I would buy it in a heartbeat.

7.5/10

I mean, c’mon — it’s just vibes! A great album with massive historical significance, and one I can see myself returning to plenty.

Muito bom álbum,um perfeito início nq minha singela opinião com um álbum de Jazz,não poderia ter começado esse projeto de uma maneira melhor. Melhor Música: Mr Follow Follow Pior Música: Observation is no crime não me pegou tanto quanto as outras,mas é muito bom também Álbum muito bem construído,pra mim é uma nota 4 estrelas de 5.

Very cool! Kind of reminded me of this reggae album my dad used to play a lot and I loved when I was a kid (Six Boys from Skaville) and of a recent favourite WITCH (the Zambian rock group). Great vibes.

Different, but nice.

# Album Name: Zombie # Artist: Fela Kuta # Rating: # Comments: I listened to the original LP version consisting of two tracks. A grand total of 25 mins. A lovely length for such music. Honestly, wasnt bad. Pretty good, upbeat tempo with some good brass. Very listenable for 25 mins. If it was longer (like the extended CD version) then i think it would be too much. Id give this a very low 4. # Top Tunes: Errrrr there were only two on this LP. # Would I listen to it again? Doubtful

Favorite Track: Mr. Follow Follow

Good

really like the groove. 4/5

Finally something new. Very easy listen. ZOMBIE

Rad.

Trompetteeeeeeen

Fela's stuff rules, but he was so incredibly prolific that it's hard to keep it all straight. I prefer "Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsesnse" but this is great and set me off in the direction of a 55-video Fela playlist on YouTube.

Cool l'afrobeat

Loved the first 2 songs of the album. After that it's a bit less appealing. Great to see an album with some political context combined with feel-good vibes.

Pretty cool stuff

Gets a 4 for the title track alone, amazing song.

Very cool short album, nice saxophone, and jazzy, 3.5/5

Oh you know the hips were shaking and swaying!!

This was groovy!

Love Fela Kuti, “Zombie” was my favourite song of the album. You hit me with a saxophone and a strong drum beat, and I’m in.

afrobeats, ihi ihi ihi diye gidiyo

Dudeludeludeludeluuuuuuu

An intense, groovy workout, and yet 2 listens didn’t even take me an hour. I guess I know now how Minor Threat fans feel The bonus track “Observation is a Crime” is also good, though slower paced

Pre-listening songs: THIS IS ONLY TWO SONGS??? 😭😭😭😭😭 but it’s only 25 mins so it’ll be a very short listen. But it’s like flipping a coin to see which song I’m adding to my playlist. Anyways all I know about Fela Kuti is his work heavily inspired David Byrne/Talking Heads. Post/during listening thoughts: yeah you can 100% hear Remain in Light in these songs. Damn I listened to eight minutes of the first song before realizing eight minutes had gone by! Okay holy shit dude please read up on this album even if you didn’t like how it sounded musically. This is insane. This is the kind of entry I’m looking for on this list in terms of global context. 8.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: yes Fav tracks: Zombie Least fav tracks: n/a

A fantastic blend of African and African American sounds, bringing in some of the best of both worlds. It's a very infectuous record, before you even know the dramatic history. Kuti dared to criticize the Nigerian government it's "zombie" military, who he claimed followed orders without question. The popularity of this release would prompt the government to prove him right, as they would later storm his commune, tragically resulting in the death of his mother. It's speaks to the brutality of that regime, the power of music to make change, and to Kuti's popularity across Africa and the world. The story makes the music much more impactful and sad, but the music itself is fantastic.

I could stand to listen more. Could be a 5. I like this guy, second high rated album.

I really enjoyed the afro beats and the variety it brings musically. I love it when this list brings something up I'd have never found on my own and expands my musical world view Excellent listen, would recommend strongly!

The story behind this is SAD. This album is GOOD.

What a magnificent listen. I love Fela. He is a band leader like no other. The energy that he sends to the band is fabulous. This album is absolutely amazing. It might be a little less dinemic inside the tracks than London session (the other of his that I heard) but the progression that builds between this 4 long songs is incredible. It starts quite slowly with the viby Zombie, than transforms into the great Mr. Follow Follow, with its great drum and bass appearances. It really kicks on in my opinion in the second half with the brass arrangement on Observation is no crime. Than, surprisingly it moves to the live gam of Mistake. I was afraid it might disrupt the rithem of the track list but the live atmosphere only adds to the energy of the gam, that leads into a satisfying finish to the album. As always, Fela's presence on the record is amazing vocaly, and I adore his keyboard parts. They add a lot to the texture of the music in my opinion. Lovely, lovely record.

Objectively great, but I never have and probably never will get into jazz. So repetitive. More thankful to have been acquainted with this artist's influence and history. "Sacred monster", indeed, as Bill T. Jones put it.

definitely recommend reading the wikipedia page as you listen - whoa, what a harrowing story. not my usual type of music but very energetic and politically charged. i enjoyed my time with it.

this was a cool and enjoyable album. long songs but at least they were varied and interesting! favorites: zombie

An anti-militarization anthem, “Zombie” grabbed the African continent’s collective imagination with its lyrical urgency and relentless rhythm. Perhaps Fela’s most effective fusion of funk and politics, it confronted Nigeria’s increasingly corrupt, detached government head-on. REBELLION RARELY SOUNDS THIS FUNKY.

нормалек.

Big fan of when this list actually introduces me to new genres and good music instead of yet another boring British album.

Insistent funk, obviously a strong influence on Talking Heads, and has a heavy history. Really great.

Still going through it. The voices are distracting, but the political message is certainly historic and interesting to peak into an unknown piece of history I appreciated seeing. Music itself has good jazz, but again the vocals take something from me.

Very, very good.

Loved the beats!!

Very different listening experience but was surprised by how much I enjoyed it, great music to just have on

Overflowing with energy. Wonderful stuff

I'll probably never be the biggest jazz fan, but this was a pretty enjoyable listen. Fela Kuti was so instrumental in bringing African jazz into the mainstream, and you can hear why with this album. Each piece is composed incredibly well. The musicians are top notch, it's really a joy to listen to. A cool listen for sure.

still funky as hell.

Based Afrobeat 🇳🇬

Awesome rock jazz pshyc belnd

Love the sound of this one. It's like a movie soundtrack.

Bright, wild jazz. Occasional vocals. Good for background and atmosphere. Happy feel.

Excellent album.

Pretty trance like

That was fun. A style I wouldn't usually listen to and presumably a really good example

More fun than I expected!!

A groovy afrobeat sound that features delightfully funky horn and woodwind interplay. If I have only one reservation, it is that the album's tracks begin to drag because each track on average is nearly 13 minutes in length. It is clear that Kuti loved American Jazz. I added the title track to my collection, the cheeky improvised "Taps" tagged onto the outro of the track in particular brought a smile to my face. That very rare protest album that makes sure to entertain first before making any political criticism.

I enjoyed the variety of instruments. (Do I hear english horn in Mr. Follow Follow?) Nice beats and riffs. Has a minimalist feel.

yes

This is African music inspired by funk, a genre that is itself inspired by African music. A weird musical spiral or just cool? Why not both?

This album is a great example of why I wanted to do the 1001-days exercise; the opportunity to hear something that I've previously experienced previously. An artist that I've never heard before, in a genre that is adjacent to other music I like, with catchy hooks, delivering a message. Really enjoyed this album and it will have it playing again in the future.

Enjoyed it a lot. 4/5.

Good inclusion - I enjoyed the music, there's an interesting history around it, it's an underrepresented genre, and I wouldn't have encountered it outside this list.

Not too many people can make an anti-war album so good the military retaliates against you. Fewer still can do that with an album that sounds this good musically.

The sounds that emanate from Zombie are Kuti & Co. giving a great big jazz-infused middle finger to the Nigerian government, and enjoying themselves whilst doing so. Aside from its politically-charged excellence, it is a straight-piped global translation from Afrobeat groove to the listener’s ears, enabling a ‘get up and dance’ attitude even in the harshest of post-colonial West African political landscapes. Art and musicality through hardship, a concise yet effective punch of jazz to rouse spirits. There’s no better medium.

I really enjoyed this - fun upbeat music, a party for the ears. Reading the wiki and learning the backstory made the record feel sadder though.

Not my favourite of the Fela albums but what a legend.

A true and prolific artist.

haven't spent much time with this area, has a good beat

Honestly pretty good jazz album

When I was younger, I spent a lot of time at a hookah bar in Ohio. The owner played nothing but Fela Kuti, so FK hits a very specific vibe for me. I can’t imagine how incredible this would have been to see live. These songs are each an odyssey, ten minutes of crazy drums and horns, introduce Fela and his back up singers, and rinse and repeat all day long.

I love long songs. I love everything about this. Favourite songs: first and third. Overall around 8/10

Really enjoyed this, and one of the few on this list that was actually too short! There were bonus tracks, but I typically only listen to the original releases.

Even if you avoid political music you should listen to this one. Passionate and powerful.

That was weird but cool

Funky Afrobeat with sprawling jams. High energy, good recording, and despite the nearly indecipherable lyrics enjoyable to listen to because the passion of Kuti expresses what needs to be conveyed.

Like the other Fela Kuti, this one surprised me by how much I enjoyed it. It's very funky and fun and I'd listen to it again.

What a fantastic album. Such a great listen, thoroughly enjoyed.

This was really good

Jag gillade verkligen detta, att höra historian bakom det gjorde det ännu bättre. Rätt kort(25 min) men jag är oftast inte så stort fan av sådan här musik så tror det hjälpte mig förstå verket.

the horns are crazy

Loved how fun and jazzy this little album was

First time of listening to this album and I am impressed.

As ever, energetic vibrant & so danceable, would have loved to have watched them all live in a sweaty smokey club.

3.5

When I was in grad school I saw the musical Fela. I wish I listened to some of the music beforehand (or since). The sound is intoxicating. Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5

Enjoyed listening to this album while wondering why there are not more like this on this list. Thr afro-world beat was a nice change from the pop that is a mainstay of this list.

Better than his last album even. Very fun genre good plate-loading music

「Zombie」很有趣，前面的簧樂不用說，後面人聲的部分很吸睛。這張專輯裡特別注意到簧樂的部分，很突出。

Surprisingly excellent!

Long tracks, feels like Latin jazz mixed with second line. Great solos!

Afrobeat. Entretenido. Venga, un 4.

Fun, groovy, interesting world jazz music

I like that the challenge suggested this and Machito one after another, a great couple of records to clean the house

Great, not listened before, liked it very much.

Fascinating history behind this incendiary album. Powerful music.

Really liked this. Great focus music.

Couldn’t help but get into this with the beats and rhythms, doesn’t feel like almost an hour at all. Really enjoyed this one!

I really liked this album!

long time favorite I love Nigeria

Super fun. Reminded me of something that a Martin Scorsese soundtrack would introduce me to.

Loved, 🧟‍♀️

Groovy

I'm not a fan of Jazz, but I like Afrobeat. Not sure if the politics of this album is partly responsible for its inclusion in this list, but I'm not complaining. Liked it.

Zombie by Fela Kuti is a funky, politically charged Afrobeat classic. It's a groovy protest song with a biting critique of the Nigerian military regime.

About halfway through Zombie I was ready to declare this a 5-star album. It is easily one of the best jazz fusion songs I've ever heard. But, just like football, a game lasts four quarters. And in this case, it cost Fela Kuti the game. While I was completely in love with Zombie, it was discouraging that the rest of the album essentially followed the same formula: James Brown-esque funk guitar riff, add a thumping baseline and rhymic drums, and then some horns that would make Dizzy Gilespie's hair raise; about halfway through the song, come in with a repetitive African chorus. It's good. Don't get me wrong. But it felt too much "rinse and repeat" to make it a 5-star for me. Plus, each song just seemed like an inferior version of the previous one and went on for far too long. I don't know if the songs actually got worse or if it was just the result of me growing tired of the formula. Still, a must listen for jazz fans and an album worthy of this list. By the way, don't forget to read his unhinged bio on Wikipedia.

Afrobeat protest jazz, yes please!

Christ: 4 songs, 53 minutes Groovy tho Overall good background music, but I wouldn't particularly listen to it for its lyrics lol Apparently Fela's ideas found their way into acts like the Talking Heads, which is cool. A Nigerian musician, producer, multi-instrumentalist and bandleader, he did a lot and was massive in the 70's. Did a lot of political writing in his lyrics, both about the USA and his home country. He was apparently incredibly popular with Nigeria's poor. After he returned home after touring the US, he took on the name "Anikulapo", meaning "he who carries death in his pouch", which is metal as fuck. Since his lyrics reflected ideals that were against Nigeria's "military junta", they tried to silence him, starting from when he arrived back to Nigeria all the way till his death. They hounded him, jailed him, harrassed him, and nearly killed him in an attempt to silence him. 1,000 Nigerian soldiers attacked his compound in 1977 (the second government-sanctioned attack), where Fela suffered a fractured skull and other broken bones. His mother was thrown from an upstairs window, a fall that would later kill her. The soldiers set fire to the compound and prevented firefighters from helping. His recording studio, all his master tapes, and musical instruments were destroyed. He started his own political party, the "Movement of the People", and at the turn of the decade he renamed his band from Afrika 70 to Egypt 80 (Very creative). He prospered while Nigeria was under civilian rule, but after military rule returned he was sentenced to ten years imprisonment, starting 1984, on charges of currency smuggling. He was freed in 1985 with help from Amnesty International. Fela was also known to be just extemely sexist. So far from progressive when it came to relationships with women or any form of patriarchy. I'm not sure how, as his mother was one of Nigeria's early feminists. He died in 1997 due to complications with AIDS, his death being described as: the silencing of a musical and sociopolitical voice on par with Bob Marley. Credit to "John Dougan, Rovi" for information

First 2 are peak. Last song is amazing. third one, well..... Observation is no crime is the only one I didn't really like. As these songs are long, this doesn't really affect the others, but I feel like this brings down this one. Everything until the 7 minute mark for me just felt slow and boring, due to how long it went of for. Everything after the 7 minute mark is peak tho, just the first half the song I feel just brings this album down As 3.5 of the 4 songs in this album are fucking AMAZING, I would give it 9/10. but i cant, so 4 stars :D Not perfect

Felt the rhythm in my bones

A solid album. Great instrumentals, but not particularly ear catching. The lengthy tracks make it hard to pick a fave, as overall I liked bits and pieces from each one. I'll go with 'Observation No Crime' though.

I like how it flows. The rhythms, the horns, the groove. Lovely stuff. I imagine it was brilliant to watch live.

Lively, inspirational, beautiful. So many elements to Fela’s music and this record is no different. Each track has its own mood and really capture the attention of the listener. Such a festive and beautiful harmony.

great jazz. my roommate's dad actually recommended the title song to me a few weeks ago and it was great. 8/10

Some good jazz with lyrics. Spacious. Not much to say about it besides that. Standouts: Zombie and Mistake.

Love it. Zombie is a great track 4/5

A great mix of political criticism and good music.

Gets a bit tiring after a while, no?

Funky, experimental jazz

JAZZZZZZZ!!!!

Very cool listen. The story behind this album is super interesting, too.

Pretty fun

- Not familiar with Afro beat, but this is slick as hell. I feel like I just fell into a heist movie. - A mixture of jazz, funky, soul, and West African influences? Sign me up. - The first track (the titular "Zombie") goes hard--it is 5 star level music. The rest of the songs do not quite live up to the infectious nature of that song, but I appreciate the overall groove of this album. - Do yourself a favor and look up Kuti's activism, including the history of this album. Wow.

Na een eerdere plaat nog meer Afrikaans vrolijk getoeter, met koeienbel nog wel. Niet eerder werden zombies zo blij bezongen, denk je dan. Tot je leest dat het allemaal razend kritisch op de lokale politiek is bedoeld. Dat haalde ik er met mijn Westerse oren niet uit.

Ik word wel vrolijk van dit getoeter. Het tweede nummer geeft me zelfs een beetje een Efteling gevoel. En natuurlijk, het is echt niet heel gelikt. Maar je vergeeft het heel makkelijk. De zang in nummer 3 zit me wat in de weg, maar het breekt wel even en ik lees dat ze nogal een boodschap hadden. Al met al een bovengemiddeld luisterplezier en iets wat ik zonder de 1001 nooit luister. 3.5 ster.

We hebben eerder een album van Fela Kuti gehad en toen was ik positief verrast. Ik kan nu niet meer zeggen dat ik verrast ben, maar ik vind het nog steeds lekker vrolijke muziek. Ondanks de blijkbaar nogal maatschappijkritische teksten die een stuk minder vrolijk zijn. De muziek is meer dan 50 jaar oud en toch klinkt het niet gedateerd. Het kan aan het genre liggen natuurlijk. Of dat ik daarbij de kwaliteit van de opname minder opmerk. Maar toch vind ik dat altijd knap. Ik luister dit met redelijk veel plezier en zou er weinig moeite mee hebben het nog een keer op te zetten. Dan verdient het gewoon 4 sterren.

WOAHHHHHHHHH Title track is INSANE. Love the buildup with the flowy jazz and then the rich singing. It's just so melodic. I really want to listen to his other stuff bc of that. Second track I thought was a little slower, but still really damn good. Learning about the history and aftermath of this album was also very interesting, made me want to learn more about Nigerian history.

This is how you do a 4 track album. Varied, interesting, catchy and fun

This was really good. The instrumentation was interesting and enjoyable. I could've gone for less singing, but it was still decent. 4.5/5

4☆/5 10.09.2024

Perfectly lovely

I wasn't expecting to like this, but I did. The story of what happened because of this album is crazy!

Zombie

A cheerful album - enjoyed it a lot

That was a fun find!

Rockin'. He's always good for vibes.

Wat een vent joh

I am scoring this as someone who is not really a fan of jazz. I am pleased I listened to this knowing the political context as that added another layer. For me, as someone who isn't a massive fan off jazz, I would have preferred the instrumental parts of the songs to be shorter to get to the lyrics sooner as once we were there, I loved this. I appreciate this is a me problem rather than a critique of the album. I am grateful for the learning that listening to and understanding the context of this album gave me.

I really liked this album, but doubt I will be coming back to it. It's really interesting, and very different, but just didn't hit me. But I am VERY certain it has an audience that loves it. That's why it will be getting a four.

Jazzy ambient music

Was groovy. Nice to chill to. But I couldn't tell you how a single song went except for the elephant sounds.

Excellent

Här finns backstory så det räcker och blir över. Har tidigare haft ett album av en av Fela Kutis söner, Femi Kuti, och då lärde jag mig en del om Femi, hans far Fela, och Felas mor Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. Detta album skrevs som en kritik mot Nigerianska regeringen och dess armé, hur soldaterna beter sig som zombies som endast följer order. Efter albumet släppts gick armén in i byn där de bodde, misshandlade Fela och kastade Funmilayo ned för ett fönster mot sin död. Mörkt, men ack vad kraftfullt kontexten gör albumet. Musiken då? Skitbra! Albumet består bara av två låtar på knappt 13 minuter vardera, och båda inleds med ca. 6 minuters instrumentellt intro innan Fela tar ton. Tänker såklart inte beskriva afrobeat som att det "svänger", men ni fattar. Spännande för egen del är också att jag för några veckor sedan såg Seun Kuti, Fela Kutis yngste son, uppträda med bandet Egypt 80, Felas gamla band som Seun nu leder. Att ha allt detta i bakhuvudet gjorde den upplevelsen klart starkare! Bästa låt: Båda jämna, men Mr. Follow Follow snäppet vassare.

This was a lot of fun.

So good. Soooooo good. Sitting in my chair supposed to be working. Just bopping and rocking. Reading the lyrics just provides extra impact. Four stars.

Cool jazzy vibes. Never really listened to Afrobeat before.

Loved it - Fela Kuti is one cool cat. No idea if he is the father of Afrobeat, but given how much I love other modern artists in that genre, I doff my cap to him if so. Fully expect another generic 70s white dude album tomorrow though :)

Not really my genre, but it was super interesting with a strong fuck the establishment vibe, which I dig. 3.7 stars

Each song being ten minutes and over initially felt daunting but overall the album kept you entertained and was definitely worth listening to. With only four songs none were really highlighted above the rest, all songs had similar vibes but still unique in the fact that the album didn’t feel ‘one note’. At points I was reminded of Damon Albarn in his ‘solo more experimental music’, though this connection doesn’t reflect the whole album or even whole songs. The Nigerian jazz genre is definitely something now I’ll start to look into and explore, this album being a good gateway into that world of music.

Jazzy, conscious and cool. It's interesting to hear an album that you can tell was written from a place of anger, but still sounds so catchy.

Good upbeat jazzy album. I like that this is a protest album too. Enjoyable listen.

from the first moments with that guitar rhythm and the percussion coming in bit by bit i could tell this was special. whole album was extremely groovy with some cool tongue-in-cheek vocal chants. great album.

I love Fela. Unique music with roots in american genres I love (funk and soul). High energy, charasmatic and interesting. All that said, I don't think this is his best work, but its still good. I would say 3/5 but bumping a point because of the political implications of this album. "The album criticised the Nigerian government; and it is thought to have resulted in the murder of Kuti's mother Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and the destruction of his commune by the military." One of my favorite albums ever is "Live!" performed with Ginger Baker.

3 stars for the album, 1 for being a literal revolutionary (read his bio). I like Fela’s unique but accessible sound (mostly zombie) but am really excited to read Sean’s review. He is the biggest kuti guy I know

Fun grooves and solos of a little repetitive. Fun break from the US/UK shuffle of the list. Closer to a 3.5 for me, rounding up for variety.

Nice sax melodies. Percussion is interesting and complementary. Overall very chill and vibey.

Infectious grooves. Wasn't not expecting to like this, but I was wrong. African jazz is just somehow more pure sounding.

This was a really cool discovery. The album blends Afrobeat, jazz, funk, and soul, driven by complex polyrhythms and repetitive structures that give it a hypnotic feel, pulling you right into the groove. Even though it has a strong rhythm, the vibe is chill and laid-back. Lyrically, the album serves as a powerful political statement, challenging the Nigerian government. Sadly, it led to a violent backlash, where the military raided Fela’s compound, severely injuring his mother and arresting many of his followers.

Trumpet jazzy funk. Track 1 (Zombie), oosh, starts off really strong intro. Loving the jazzy funk, with African tribal chorus. Funkalicious and energetic. Where has this been all my life?! Track 2 not as strong. Slower, more subtle... nice relaxed vibe. Same with track 3. Probably good background stuff for cool coffee house vibes. Track 4 is a live track.

Please read the wiki entry on this album - even if just the first section. Sometimes the right album hits on the right day - this is one. Righteously political and fantastic music yet without a lot of vocals (a plus; no knock on Fela); gave it 2 spins today while working and on the 2nd I got to kick back and just enjoy it all. I think I really like African jazz and this is a keeper. 8/10 4 stars.

I like me some Afrobeat and I like this. Sorry to read about the consequences that resulted from the government not accepting the criticism.

Vibrant, great horns, groovy

4.5

Not the kind of thing I usually listen to, but I really liked this.

Love the horns, funk, and fun!

I normally find jazz boring, but this held my attention so it must be pretty good.

Jazzy with lots of horns, loved!

Good jazzy vibes, I enjoyed this one.

Favorite Track: Zombie

Albumi #35, 01.09.2024 Viihdyttävää nigerialaista afrobeatia itseasiassa vuodelta 1976 (levy julkaistiin Euroopassa vuotta myöhemmin, kuin Nigeriassa). Levy on kantaaottava silloista Nigerian sotilashallitusta kohtaan ja nimi Zombie viittaa kovaotteisesti hallitusta palvelleisiin sotilaisiin. Levyn julkaisun jälkimainingeissa Kalakutan tasavallaksi kutsuttu Fela Kutin kotileiri jyrättiin matalaksi valtavassa sotilaiden ratsiassa. Loistavia biisejä nämä, mainioita muusikoita ja hyvää meininkiä vakavasta aiheesta huolimatta. Ostan varmuudella cd:n hyllyyni, mikäli tulee vastaan.

I remember watching a documentary on Fela Kuti a few years back and was fascinated by his life, struggles and activism. While the music he and Afrika 70 made was incredible without this knowledge, it definitely didn’t hurt to have some backstory. For me Fela’s music makes for inspired background listening but I find myself stopping what I’m doing and admiring whatever groove the band gets stuck on, it’s hypnotizing. Glad to revisit this one.

I'm not a connoisseur by any means, but anytime an African jazz or afrobeat song has filtered its way to me, there's like a 90% chance I really enjoy it. And I enjoyed this album. I'm always going on about how I wish more pop music had horns, and again this album made me have that thought. The songs were quite long, but I was vibing to the instrumentals. The singing, well, I didn't understand much of what was said, so I can't really comment on the lyrical comment. I would have been happy with just all instrumental. Also, after this album ended, Spotify began playing similar music from other artists, and I have to say that I liked some of them even better. So is Fela the best in this genre? Was he the first? Or was he the most important because of his political activism? Either way, glad to have listened to this today and been reminded about this cool genre.

Imagine creating such an anti-government/military album that you get yourself severely beaten and your mother killed as a result, all while pioneering the Afrobeat genre into popularity. Reading the background of this album and immediate aftermath was eye-opening to say the least. Fela Kuti was one of a kind, standing in the face of corruption from the Nigerian government and military complex, sharing his views via a music genre in which he largely created. Just goes to show you how powerful music can be as a weapon, commanding everyone's attention whether they want to hear the message or not.

Energetic african jazz. I wanted more, it was too short. Stand-out: Zombie

Solid afrobeat (of the better kind)

All about the energy. The rhythms pull you in, and the beats are so infectious you can’t help but move. The horns are loud and proud, giving it a funky vibe that reminds me of something James Brown might have done, but with a sharper edge. It’s bold, it’s powerful, and it’s got a rebellious streak that makes it stand out.

Really enjoyed this despite it not being what I’m really into and the songs being pretty long.

Odd album art but good tunes.

Ascoltare Fela Kuti é sempre un'esperienza religiosa, sciamanica. Questo disco é inoltre carico di istanze sociali e politiche. Profondo, intenso, pieno di trasporto, da vivere più che da ascoltare.

very good

Of the four Fela records I've heard, this one is pretty easily my favorite. I can occasionally struggle with the Afrobeat repetition as well if I'm not in the mood for it, but both of these songs feature more than enough moving melodic parts to "offset" it. The passion in his voice is quite striking as well; I can see this one growing on me if my appreciation for the genre grows a bit. 4/5

This is a cool vibe throughout.

Pretty lively and fun. Nothing beats a good horn section

Great album. One i have.

Pochi di questi generi sono tra i miei preferiti ma questo album è riuscito a essere appassionante e ad avere un grande messaggio. Chapeau

Really fun sound. Really sad to hear what happened after this album was released.

This is the kind of album I'd love to make if I had a modicum of talent

So fun and so full of life. This album is a treasure!

3.8 - Yeah I enjoyed a lot of this but I think I wanted more and less of the same. Tracks were too long and could have been more concise.

Really good, would only like it to be a little more diverse across the runtime. 4.2/5

Very nice!

It's a good album, and I learned something about Kuti in the process. I never knew his political leanings and fight for non-military rule in Nigeria. Music-wise, some really great afro-beat. 4/5!

try not to shake yo ass

It's albums like this one that I was hoping to find through this site A very enjoyable album and an even more interesting wiki to go with it! A good find! 4 ⭐️

Zombie is a studio album by Fela Kuti, originally released in 1976. I just recently got another Fela album from this list, the one with Ginger Baker. That album was all live tracks, so I was interested in how they would fair in a studio setting. I think this record in particular represents their live act well. There are 4 tracks on here: clocking in at over 10 mins each. The band is exquisite. They commonly go into these funky and soulful jams not unlike The MGs. Fela’s lyrics are more on the political side here. They mostly deal with the military and how they are built to “shut up and take commands”. It wasn’t surprising to hear that Fela’s commune was raided by military before this album was recorded. The live track at the end was a surprise. Can’t go wrong with Fela live. The band is tight and energetic. I’d love to travel back in time to visit a gig.

This is going to become a regular for summer bbqs in the garden. Fantastic.

Yeah this is excellent. Truly great listen.

Afrobeat. I liked this better than Live! There's so much energy and passion, infectious. Should listen to more of them. 4/5

Honestly was gonna give it a 3 cause it didn’t hit too hard for me, but I feel the insane lyricism and influence give it that deserved 4.

I’m just not an instrumental guy. On that note. This album sounds like the Superfly soundtrack if it had a sequel. Funky jazz? Is that what a person would call it? This album is short. Just enough for me to listen all the way through , which must be a record for how long I’ve listened to music with no words. Decent Choice cut: Mr. Follow Follow

-yes!! yes!! finally a jazz / jazz-adjacent album! The guitar is splendid -Apparently the guy who made this had his mom killed because of the social commentary?? The Nigerian Hail To The Thief -Favorite is Zombie

4.0

This shit’s cool as hell

Just a fun, groovy album. Pretty sure I enjoyed previous album(s) by Fela Kuti also! 4.5

Every instrument pulsates with so much life

Finally, a jazz (or ‘afro beat American jazz’ or something) album that I actually enjoyed! I think the backing rhythms and intensity really drive the songs and add the excitement (and temper the jazzy trumpets), compared to some of the slower ploddy ‘jazz classics’ we get on this list in which the backing bands are key but not the major player in the mix. After my hearty approval of Songhoy Blues, it appears west coast African tunes are the unexpected way to go for me!

Wow, I should have listened to this years ago. 1970s in west Africa was a crazy time and zombie sums it up. Amazing track and I might put it on most mornings. Didn't realise political repercussions of the record. More afrobeats for me please.

This album left me wanting more. I loved the rhythms, the brass/sax and the rhythms - since there were often more than one at a time.

This album rocks; the context behind it all is suoer crazy too

Very good! Not what I was expecting but pleasantly surprised by the whole thing.

✊🏿 🖕🏿🐖 🧨🕺🏿🎉

Funky! I guess it was ok. It was fun to listen to though. I guess it’s cool.

Really liked! Loved having nice long tracks that have enough length to develop as you listen. Also can't ignore the backstory of the artist and album

Incredibly interesting reading about Fela Kuti’s story. Really loved the album and I’m glad to have discovered it here!

Now **this** is some damn good shit. I'm not sure what I expected out of it besides political commentary and criticisms I wouldn't 100% understand (and maybe I still should, though it's maybe a little too late for that), but this funk/jazz Afrobeat thing it's got going on it just amazing. I hardly even mind the fact it's made up of two tracks each nearly 13-minute; they're just that enjoyable to listen to. I don't even have a proper closer for this little paragraph excpept to repeat myself: this is **damn** good shit.

Groovy as hell world music. Great but not much to say on it.

Since this is obviously Fela Kuti’s most well-known and revered album, it makes sense that it was my gateway to his music. All I know is that you don’t necessarily have to be a zombie to be a soldier, but it seems to be the way it works out for most people. Whereas Shakespeare once wrote, “the tongues of mocking wenches are as keen as is the razor's edge invisible,” in this case, it’s the tongue (and saxophone) of a different kind of bard that cut and thus infuriated an entire army.

Fela made the first booty shaking diss track and it was directed towards the military industrial complex we have no choice but to stan

Sick

BEL-LIS-SI-MO. un concentrato di jazz e funk, ma soprattutto: rivendicazione sociale!!! il sito dice che questo album è praticamente un dito medio al governo nigeriano e che potrebbe essere la causa per la quale la madre di Fela Kuti è stata assassinata. non mi sono annoiata manco per un secondo, e i cojones che ci vogliono a fare un tale album di denuncia vanno premiati.

Non mi ero soffermato sui testi, grave errore

Pochi di questi generi sono tra i miei preferiti ma questo album è riuscito a essere appassionante e ad avere un grande messaggio. Chapeau

A very fun and groovy album. This is probably my favorite album from Africa so far from this list. Some sections could be trimmed a little, but overall a very enjoyable album.

New to me, interesting, and cool. Repetitive, yes, but I was feeling it.

Never heard of this artist before, very cool fusion of soul and jazz. Not my normal musical choice - not much on this list is - but I enjoyed it.

Ég var mjög hrifinn af þessari plötu. Ég mun pottþétt setja hana aftur á og hlusta oft og mörgum sinnum á hana. Ég myndi gefa henni fjórar og hálfa stjörnu ef ég gæti af því að mér finnst ég þurfa nokkrar hlustanir í viðbót til að komast upp í 5 en þetta var barasta mjög gott stöff.

When I started the record immediately thought “I’m not in the mood for this kind of record” but then I was.

So rhythmically pleasing. Overall a really enjoyable album. His bio was a good read as well

Brand new genre to me in afrobeats. Very groovy and an enjoyable listen

Fela Kuti at one of his peaks

Liked this quite a bit better than the other Fela Kuti album I got, which I did still enjoy. This was one great and I found the music to be more engaging. Overall a really solid album.

I’ve always admired that Fela Kuti spoke truth to the political situation in his native Nigeria, regardless of the personal cost. By expertly combining African and American musical styles, be compelled people to listen and made a difference.

You know how Drake and Kendrick are creating diss tracks? Now imagine if you wrote one about a whole government and they came and burned down ur house. What a bad ass

Would have never known about this group or this album but so enjoyed their entire vibe and this record.

Rage Against the Nigerian Machine's version of "fuck you I won't do what you tell me". Great listen, very funky blend of jazzy afrobeat sounds that I never would have been exposed to without this generator. on top of that, background story to this on the wikipedia page is a trip (Being attacked by soldiers in retribution, them murdering his mother by throwing her out a window , him taking 27 wives and rotating them, etc)

Infectious, dramatic and challenging. Another first time listen, and the first of many more

Enjoyed the horns, culture of the album.

One of the great things about the 1001 albums list is just how much great jazz is on here that I would have never heard about otherwise.

Je connaissais Fela Kuti notamment grâce à Expensive Shit. Zombie est une agréable découverte, un album dans lequel on se glisse facilement, peut-être parce qu'il sonne vraiment très actuel. Mélange de musiques jazz, soul, funk, nigérianes : il est l'incarnation de l'afrobeat. L'écoute gagne en intensité une fois qu'on connaît le message véhiculé et la répression qui en a suivi. L'énergie qui se dégage de l'album est paradoxalement joyeusement contestataire. C'est entraînant, rythmé, dansant, au final assez éloigné de l'image qu'on pourrait se faire fait d'un chant de révolte... et pourtant les paroles sont sans équivoque ! J'ai définitivement mieux saisi l'aura particulière qui enveloppe Fela Kuti grâce à Zombie.