Shaka Zulu

Spotify only had 3 songs of the album. What I heard just reminded me of lion king.

africa!

very interesting.

Pretty impressive that they can do this a cappella. It's vibey.

Something a little different, a pretty cool with it. An interesting listen

Soulful and lots of pretty harmonies and I like the anti-apartheid history and Paul Simon link but an album is far too much for me

A beautiful summery hug. But as the album went on, I kept on hoping that one of those ‘Graceland’ guitars would kick in. Despite having seen LBM live, I think I forgot that it was all a capella. For a few tracks this album is heaven… but I couldn’t sustain the same level of interest for 36 mins. Highlights: The first song

I knew of this group from Graceland but never listened to a full album. It’s pleasant, but all relatively similar

Surprisingly not bad. Interesting and good addition to the bri’ish list.

Good addition to the list 3.5

Cómo un trabajo coral de música africana, debe ser fantástico. Las voces son claras y el ritmo típico. No puedo decir más.

Actually liked this a lot more than i thought i would. Musically different to what I normally listen to but overall enjoyed it

I vaguely remember this was a hot commodity when it came out, mainly because they were an integral part of Paul Simon's "Graceland" sound - it wasn't my thing but I gave it a try. In revisiting it I found it enjoyable and unique compared to the rock, reggae, alternative sounds I typically listen to. You gotta respect the harmonies and the depth of the vocals even if you can't understand much of what they say. It's impressive but I must say it's repetitive for an entire album, not a ton of variation over 46 minutes. I found myself skipping forward on some tracks as I feel like I'd already been there and done that. It would not make my Top 1001 for any reason. Likely impressive to see live but not something I'd throw on to listen to on my own or recommend to others. No hits, not overly influential but they did establish a sound & awareness of South African music worldwide.

Beautiful harmonies. Melodically much of the same. And after 36 minutes it is also enough.

not really a fan of accapella and it reminds me too much of graceland which i hate

This album was a follow-up to Paul Simon’s Graceland, and it really shines a light on Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s South African roots. They were a huge part of what gave Graceland its rich cultural feel, and here, they get to showcase that influence in its purest form. The album is entirely vocal, with intricate harmonies and call-and-response patterns that bring out a deep sense of spirituality and cultural pride. Paul Simon contributed to the production, keeping the focus on the purity of the vocals and harmony-driven arrangements.

African acapella. Interesting and I did enjoy it, but a full album was too much. Some instrumentation would’ve helped bump this up a little bit. Not even anything fancy, just a simple drumbeat, maybe a little guitar.

The band well known from Graceland.

Like listening to the lion king

Enjoyed this - I remember when they came into prominence with Graceland. Fun to hear more from this group.

This is a cool album but I don't know that I was in the right mood for this genre of music. This is an album I'll have to come back to later.

This was so far outside of what the music I typically listen to it made it difficult to rate/compare. Still found it a pleasant listen.

pretty boring, but i see what mandela was talking about. good music to fall asleep to

Terrific production and amazing performances. I admit that I struggle to appreciate a cappella music and as good as these songs are it does color my opinion. The group's sound is striking at first but I get lost before the first side ends.

I was blindsided when I heard the first song. Usually not a fan of accapela songs. Instruments are one half of a great song most of the time. I got used to it later on in the album. Turned out the album was pretty good. 3 stars for "Shaka Zulu".

Very relaxing but sounded the same throughout album

Relaxing

For people who like African folk music. The whole album can get a bit tiring.

Enjoyed!

I love a cappella, so this is starting nicely. Great harmonies and timing. Beautiful album. Yibo Labo is my favorite.

Lovely singing and harmonising but I did get bored by the third track.

Beautiful vocal harmonies. The group’s voices combine for a rich, warm sound. 30+ minutes of a cappella singing is a lot though and I wish there was some percussion or other instrumentation mixed in. The last minutes of the closing track have some foot-stomping and I’m curious why there aren’t a few more inclusions like that. I’m familiar with the group from Paul Simon’s “Graceland” and happy to know they had more success outside of their collaboration with him. If there’s another album of theirs with a full band, I’d love to hear it.

sie sind hald die vo graceland und ha eigentli scho immer gfunde vlt fändi es album vo ihne no geil. here we are. s isch tatsach huere schön, suuper warme sound hends zeme. joo ich bin sochli zwüsched nöd ganz wüsse wasi söll demit afange unds mega schön finde gad.

2-3

Neither good nor bad. Just ok world music album

I enjoyed this, very relaxing. Amazing that there are no instruments.

Pretty good, but it runs a little long at points.

Very cool set of songs. 3.5 stars.

solid vibes

Enjoyed this. Can’t say I wasn’t disappointed that they didn’t burst into Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes. Which I’m aware is a very white thing to say. Simpsons: Not directly, but there is a Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes joke.

Enjoyed this. But not a high scorer that I'll be coming back to in a hurry.

there were only a couple of the tracks available on spotify. Usually I'll track the full album down on YouTube but I figured 3 songs was good enough. This is calming, peaceful music that has a place. Just not something I need in large doses

Nice album

This feels like an suitable album to mildly appropriate.

Guess it's Afro-pop week. What pop should be--well-recorded, engaging, intriguing. When you don't know what the words mean, you focus on production and sonic engagement. Good. Entrancing.

From 1960s lone South African female singer to 1980s SA choral in succession. Really easy, comforting background music.

As spectacular and (now) iconic and magical as these gentlemen are, a cappella has a 20-minute expiration for me. After that, the magic fades and I'm ready for something else.

Not sure how to rate this. Any individual song was blissful (those harmonies are fire!), but they all sounded the same to my inexperienced ears.

Classic

3/5

Immediately recognizable from Paul Simon’s collab. Enjoyable. Not going to be a go to, but glad to have had the reason to listen.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo are legendary, and it was a real treat to see them included on this project! They may be one of the most well known African groups in the Western world, and certainly the most well known choral African group. Their fame and success gave rise to other groups like them being acknowledged and appreciated by western listeners. And it all started with this album, as it was the first of theirs to gain that level of international success. Their harmonies and vocalizations on this album are outstanding. I find this to be very approachable and easy to listen to as someone who does not understand the cultural significance of this type of music, let alone any of the lyrics. It is the type of album that can be enjoyed both in an active listening mode and in a more relaxed mode. This is a real treat to have on this project -- it was the West's initial window into unadulterated South African music, and it is fitting that this project would be a window into that music and this album for a whole new generation.

Beautiful voices Singing perfect harmonies My subwoofers cry. Nice to listen to. Will I listen again? Maybe as a way to relax. I can’t help but feel this album echoes colonialism. The gospel overtones undercut the beauty of the voices for me. The religioisity of it all as viewed through a Christian lens subtracts from the beauty of the sounds. If the content were otherwise, I could possibly shake the feeling. Overall, not quite my jam, but certainly we’ll done.

Very impressive, has this big time gospel thing of seeming very Professional that lessens the impact for me - I think maybe it's the sound of many restrained singers all with the microphone very close? Is it fair to lay the blame for why this doesn't register entirely on Paul Simon and the Disney Corporation? Yes it is. vampires: hated. (⌐■_■) music: failed to appreciate. ( -_-)

Graceland, without the bad parts (the Paul Simon parts).

Human instrument On full beautiful display Soothing old art form

Beautiful harmonies and a unique record!

Ja leuk

The singing and harmonies are other worldly. The flavour of something non western is delightful and I enjoyed the hour or two it took for a couple of run throughs. However, I did miss percussion and I found it a bit repetitive and one note after a while.

Good

Beautiful really. Unfortunately, these songs end up sounding all the same to me. Maybe it’s the language barrier.

This is impressive for an a capella record.

Had a good time listening to this. The melodies and voices just flow together so well. It was perfect background work music. Not sure how much I would actually listen it other than during a work day or on a solo car trip, but I would definitely use this to springboard into more South African music.

Really takes me back to those chorus days. A solid listen, and even with the language barrier I still enjoyed a few of the songs. Glad I listened to it, but probably won’t again.

It was just kind of the same throughout, but I'll be damned if that vocal choreography wasn't impressive

Coming to America vibes. I enjoyed it.

nice and short

Listened to the 30th anniversary re-recording because that was all I could I find to easily listen to. I knew about Ladysmith Black Mambazo before from Graceland/having hippie parents who listened to a lot of world music so this was about what I expected. Pretty, hypnotic, acapella African gospel music.

African choral music. It took me until the third song to realize, hey there are no instruments, just their voices. It's nice and all, reminds me of the beginning of The Circle of Life from The Lion King. It wouldn't surprise me if these were the people who did that one. It would take a very specific time and place for me to put this on again. Favorite track: Many of the songs sounded the same, but I'll go with Yibo Labo.

It’s OK

Musically, I don’t care for it, but culturally, I appreciate the record for introducing Western listeners to traditional Zulu music and South African culture during a time when the country was still under apartheid rule.

I just don't like acapella. Personal enjoyment: 2/5 Relevance to this list 3/5

Gear: Fostex TH610 Artwork: das passendere "Graceland"-Cover Mix: Bass, Percussions und Gitarren fast nicht wahrnehmbar gemischt - künstlerisch zweifelhafte Entscheidung 🤔 Musik: ich steh auf "Graceland" 👍 Wertung: 🌍🌍🌍/5

re-recorded bunch of a cappella african songs, good, but not very exciting

Wonderful vocal ensemble with beautiful harmonies - mesmerizing and hypnotic...

That was good, but not my style

Album 429 of 1001 Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Shaka Zulu Rating : 3.5 / 5 Great music but doesn't necessarily make it a great album. They're better in smaller doses.

Schon etwas ganz besonderes, kann man gut anhören, aber nicht zu viel auf einmal, weil es doch sehr ähnlich alles ist.

Lekker rustig man

Without a doubt, this is the most different album I've ever heard. Especially because I had never heard an album of just acapella songs before. It's not the kind of thing to listen to casually. It has to be felt and observed, every little thing. It definitely has its value! The voices are very well harmonized. They make whoever listens to them feel comfortable and welcomed.

très cool mais le fait de ne pas connaitre assez ce style me donne l'impression que c'était répétitif par contre la fin était géniale

This album was fine. I was expecting it to be a bit more out there. But obviously it's an important record in terms of turning the west on to African music a bit more. Good listen for sure.

Lacked Paul Simon

Really interesting but also pretty one-note throughout

I've heard of Ladysmith Black Mambazo (which will abbreviated as LBM for the remainder of this review), but only because Paul Simon's Graceland is one of my favorite albums of all time. It was interesting to get to hear LBM on their own, and this album featured some really great singing, but it was difficult to give direct attention to it since it was only acapella singing with a lot of that in a foreign language. This album was nice to listen to, and I'm happy for the experience to branch out, but this didn't exactly light the world on fire for me.

It starts fun and impressive, but in the end all songs sounded the same.

Beautiful but stale

It's amazing and perfect but also gets boring very quick.

A solid album

It's good. But all the tracks are pretty similar sounding. Prefer Graceland, I've got to say.

I can listen to it when other music is inserted between the songs. E.g. from the album Graceland by Paul Simon, that loosens it up a bit.

Cool short project, but nothing I need to revisit.

Música "soul" a cappella africana. Ni fu ni fa.

Yes, beautiful, and brings you peace of mind. But after enjoying Sonic youth and Tom Waits albums today of the list I must admit this one just is less for me.

Fine I’ll rewatch Mean Girls

Wasn’t that into this but I’m not racist so 3 stars

Nice voices. Got a bit repetitive after a while.

Chill 3 Aik. läpyskä 3

One of my favorite albums of all time is Paul Simon's Graceland. It uses this band and I have loved this sort of sound ever since. With that saiid, the one thing that that album has that this one does not is instrumentals and drum beats. I had a hard time with just the vocals after a while, it is not something I am keen on, despite the emotional aspects and purity of it. Nevertheless, a remarkable group and a genre that could use a bit more mainstream exposure (if for a bit more instrumental backing).

Sucker for world music and choir music. I loved their work on the "Graceland" album which is where I first heard of this group. I don't know if the songs themselves really hit too much but the vibe of this record I can have on really anytime. Except maybe if I was really depressed then I'd get annoyed/feel self conscious for some reason.

A departure of styles for me. I didn't dislike it but I can't see how to include this into a regular rotation. All I could think of is "The Lion King"

Album Nr. 47 Mal etwas anderes. Schöner Akapella-Sound. Leider mit der Zeit etwas langweilig.

I didn't know about the Graceland link until I read some reviews. It is really clear after it is pointed out. Soothing and smoking at the same time.

Soothing and soaring, beautiful harmonies.

p577. 1987. 3.5 stars. Extremely well done and pleasant to listen to, but not my thing at all. Glad I heard it once, but unlikely to listen to it again.

Perhaps best known for being produced by Paul Simon after they were featured on his 1986 album Graceland, the choral group Ladysmith Black Mambazo performed traditional Zulu folk music in the a cappella style. I won't lie, I think the performances in English detract a little bit from the music's cultural roots, but the performances themselves are nice. The choral style has a natural flow that gives song a soothing, peaceful quality to them. I found much of Shaka Zulu to be a generally pleasant listen throughout, though it is held back by the limitations of a cappella. I think that form of music tends to face challenges relating to space, as the lack of instrumentation ends up feeling somewhat empty. That said, I want to remain respectful of the music from other cultures so I won't judge it too harshly.

A nice listen, but it doesn't really hit me.

It is occasional music. Difficult to know what that occasion might be. One is set aside from ones travails while this is playing.

This is beautiful African music. But for me it gets a bit boring because its mostly acapella. Nothing bad with that, but I like African music that has rhythm, not having the fantastic african instruments that "breathe" rhythm (djembe,maracas) in any song is a sin.

High 3 but not quite a 4

Not bad but don't know how to classify this one

Mal ein Lied. Aber nicht ein ganzes Album

Very soothing!

I love Paul Simon’s “Graceland” album (it was one of the first CDs I ever purchased!). I had no idea this group existed as I assumed Paul Simon had just hired individual musicians to sing on the album. This is cool music, not something I would listen to regularly, but definitely skilled and fun.

Pretty good.

Like the majority of people I guess outside Africa I was introduced to Ladysmith by Paul Simon. I loved their contributions to his albums and it perked me interest in them. Peter Gabriels Real World Records also generated my interest in similar artists he championed. I was never motivated enough to buy their own music but always enjoyed listening to them as their popularity increased and they were heard more and more on radio and TV. It was good and a joy therefore to listen to this full album and also read about the group on the accompanying Wiki page. However, I don’t think that I could ever sit down on a dedicated listening session but I don’t think the music is produced for that purpose. They suit soundtracks on magnificent African dramas and make the watching memorable. They sing with joy and fun and their music should be reserved for such occasions.

Pretty

Ok ok ok but quite bland

This is exactly what you would expect a full length album of African a cappella to be. Yes it's beautiful, but once you've heard a song or two, you kind of get the gist of it.

Is it beautiful and captivating? Yes. Is it also very similar from start to finish? Yes.

Lion king core

african tribal a cappella music. these guys are crazy talented. an enjoyable listening experience.

Yeah, it was fine. I wouldn't likely listen to it again, but I get the appeal.

Unomathemba- 3.7/5 Hello My Baby- 4.3/5 Golgotha- 3.5/5 King of Kings- 3.2/5 The Earth Is Never Satisfied- 3/5 How Long?- 3.4/5 Ikhaya Lamaqhawe- 3.6/5 Yibo Labo- 2.8/5 Rain, Rain, Beautiful Rain- 3.1/5 Wawusho Kubani- 2.7/5 Total- 3.3/5

3 stars

This was really cool. Definitely not something I’d normally listen to, and maybe that is why it kinda ran together after a while. But still, I quite enjoyed it.

The music was beautiful, but I wish it wasn’t purely a capella. I love African instrumentation and I would have loved to have it show up every now and then to break up some of the monotony.

Nice. Soothing. I was already sleepy when listening to this and it was nice and relaxing. I'd give it a higher score but I don't think it's the sort of thing I'd listen to for my own enjoyment. But I'm glad I did it for this.

Was fine. Kinda background. Would listen again.

It takes special talent to make an almost entirely vocal-based album in a foreign language sound this relatable and beautiful. It's not something I'll probably ever revisit on my own for leisure, but it's an album I'm glad to have experienced. Favorite track: Wawusho Kubani

Lo que dice la Wikipedia es básicamente lo que sabía de este grupo más o menos. Interesante y que tal vez por el éxito de El rey león y su musical ahora todo nos suena parecido, pero ellos llegaron antes.

What can I say, I'm out of my depth on acappella stuff. I enjoyed this, but it's something I don't think I'll be returning to. Admittedly, there were some techniques (mainly the "lip smacking" ones) that I disliked, but I hate it when people do that in general anyway. Favorite track: "Golgotha"

Not really my thing but in the right mood I reckon it'd be bang on

Relaxing background music

30th year anniversary edition is on spotify

I was thoroughly impressed by "Shaka Zulu" by Ladysmith Black Mambazo, fantastic vocals talents offering a unique and powerful journey rooted in African culture. Discovering this album was a delight, even if I was already familiar with their contributions to iconic albums like Paul Simon's "Graceland" or the Lion King. Their harmonious voices and unique sound left a lasting impression, and I won't forget their name. However, I must admit that I won't be including this in my regular listening rotation. As much as I enjoyed it, 40 minutes of a cappella can be quite challenging for frequent listening.

Beautiful and soothing. Their voices dig deep into you to the point of feeling spiritual. My ear isn't accustomed to this style and I find it very repetitive. I do not feel equipped to make a proper judgement so I'll give the album a 3. I do not see myself listening to this very often.

Enjoyable listen

this is a breeze to listen to. Ambient singing if such a think were possible (possibly yes - Cocteau Twins).

Ei huono mutta kaipaan kyllä Paul Simonia tai jotain soitantaa taustalle. Haastavaa kuvitella tilanne jossa tää olis ideaalimusaa. Silti 3/5!

Hyvin miellyttävää, mutta en saanut isompia kiksejä.

beautiful voices and very peaceful, maybe a little too Godly

I feel like this is kinda missing something. I kinda feel that way with most purely a capella or choral music though, with some exceptions here and there. Not bad at all, but I'm unlikely to come back to it.

Beautiful work, didn’t need to understand it to feel it

Great harmonisation but after listening all the way through I'd had my fill.

It’s a career-defining sound, for sure, and with Paul Simon producing it on the back of Graceland, it cements the group’s historical musical relevance. Does it hold up after 35yrs? Sorta?

Super cool album. I’m definitely going to go add this to my rotation.

I have a hard time listening to full albums of acapella music. To me they kind of have a ceiling of my possible enjoyment. I think this is a good entry but wish that there was a bit more momentum to the tracks. I know that's not the point, but limited my overall enjoyment. 3.5/5

I was excited for this but it just kinda bounced off me.

It is what it is I guess? Some obviously good singing, but I'm not always going to be in the mood for something like this

This was a nice listen (I had to go to YouTube to get the whole record in a playlist), the vibes were great. Not normally a genre a listen to and probably not something I would revisit, but I definitely didn’t dislike it.

Une intro très sympathique qui va se prolonger puis s'éterniser jusqu'à la fin de l'album.

I kind of loved having this play in the background. Maybe because of how much I relate it to Paul Simon, but regardless - pretty great background music.

The unadorned human voice can be a beautiful thing, ably demonstrated on Shaka Zulu. However, I would probably enjoy a nibble here and there as opposed to the whole cake. A full album of this rather hushed, worthy music is a little too much. There's simply not enough in terms of variety to keep me rapt. I need a mote of grit in the oyster, if you can dig it. An interesting sideline that differs from much of what I listen to, but nothing more.

Album van de Zuid Afrikaanse a capella groep Ladysmith Black Mambaza, geproduceerd door Paul Simon. Bestaat deels uit nummers in het Engels en deels in het Zulu, Hoge productiewaarde en goede muziek, maar niet erg toegankelijk. leukste nummer: Unomathemba De groep werd in Zuid Afrika verboden om aan wedstrijden mee te doen omdat ze te veel wonnen.

Interesting

I don't want to get on Paul Simon's bad side. But then again, fuck him. He's got a Napoleon complex of sorts. That's neither here nor there, just worth mentioning.

3.4 - A pleasant novelty from this Kenyan a cappella group.

Production is great (really emphasising the voices and somehow making it feel like they're all around you when you listen, even not on headphones), and their voices are great, but on its own it's nowhere near as interesting as when Paul Simon brings it into Graceland. Glad I listened to it (and did so twice), but won't revisit. 3/5.

A showcase of incredible African a capella made by the people who worked with Paul Simon's Graceland. Incredibly creative and unique in the way they use their voices to create immersive sound effects. I'm bored and tired of most of the record, with quite a bit of repetition - there's only so much they could do - but there are lovely moments that manage to grab my attention. Even though I'm not a big fan, it's excellent in what it sought to accomplish. Favorites: Hello My Baby, Golgotha, How Long, Rain Rain Beautiful Rain

Seemingly every non-English album here is a novelty. African church choir a cappella, no exception to that rule, is not something I can do much of. My flatmates at uni would've played this to show off how cultured they are (and ignored that it's all about Jesus) while smoking fake weed they bought from the happy high herbs shop. Half an hour was the limit. Not actually bad, but pretty niche. 3/5.

Nice to listen, but nothing special.

I liked it a lot more than my prejudices led me to believe. I'm not a fan of a cappella music, but I must say that I found a certain form of hypnotism, calm and rest in it. I don't think I'll get back to it, nor that it's a major album in history of music, but it was a pleasant listen.

Enjoyable and easy to listen to, even if it doesn't really interest me particularly. 3.5

The production on this is great; it feels like you're being surrounded by voices all in harmony. I liked this but it's not something I'd listen to again. I LOVE their contribution to Graceland but on its own, it's a bit repetitive for me. Would rate 3.5 stars.

Fine if a bit bland. Ended a bad run so probably more relief than anything.

I'm going to put this in the category of "this isn't for me and I don't understand it," but that doesn't make it bad. I gave it a fair chance and listened to it front to back on a walk, but I can't see myself revisiting this. Keeping my score neutral...

This was a pleasant change up. Also made me curious why ODB referred to Shaka Zulu in enter the 36 chambers

smellnir afríkusöngvar. frekar róandi og gott. 3,5.

i have an overwhelming desire for some Heinz tomato soup.

Rating: 6/10

Listened to it three times without ever really listening to it. Enjoyable without being captivating.

I love the sound but it just gets very repetitive.

I enjoyed this album, but doubt I’ll listen again. They did a great job singing and all harmonizing, but there’s only so much you can do without instruments before it becomes repetitive. 3/5

The real heroes on that Paul Simon album.

afrikka pojat näyttää mitä on todellinen mustien musiikki.. ei ole R&B paska... heh ei ole.. Jasz.... Jaszkaan.. ei ole... Bluesko.. siinä vasta edistyksellinen genre... sekö mustien musiikkia... Ei ole..... ei ola.. ei ola... Ulkomaalaiset sanoo näin.. Ei ola....ei ola.. Missä musta vaaraa liikkuu.. Kyllä.. Kaikkialla... Ompi siis... World...heh siinö vasta sanaleikki.. Kuorolaulanta oli tässä hienoa arvostan. Objektiivisuus vetää kuitenkin... Kiva kuunnnella ja erilaista, mutta en voi kahta tähteä enempää antaa.... Tarinat oli rikkaita... rikkaus voi olla tavallistakin.. afrikkalaisessa.. kulttuurissa.. mutta harvoin afrikkapojat laittaa genredefining avantgarde lyriikoita.. Tässä sais lyriikoilla tehtyä vaikka ja mitä.. Kolme saavat.. Kun oli niitä enemmän kun kolme laulajaa...

Interesting history, unfortunately not my thing

beautiful voices, just not for me.

A pleasant journey into African folk music, can't say I've listened to the genre outside a lion based disney movie but it's for sure relaxing and I do like the use of clicks. Have saved a bunch for the world playlist but might come back to relax. Favourite tracks Unomathemba, Yibo Labo

I definitely remember them from the Paul Simon album, 'Graceland,' and it was such a huge record at the time. I know that Ladysmith Black Mambazo had a lot of success in the US and elsewhere following that album, and I did hear some of their music from this and other albums. It's beautiful stuff. Love the vocal harmonies and emotional content.

Beautiful

A pleasant listen with phenomenal harmonies.

5/10 cool and soothing but it felt so repetitive

6/10. Kinda nice, not something I'd normally listen to.

What I've read about this suggests that this group/album may not be the best of the genre, but they are the ones that popularized it. I wish I knew enough about it to suggest an alternative, so instead I guess I'll voice my disappointment that they couldn't find a better representative. Best track: Unomathemba

Great vocal work. Powerful

Smooth, sweet sounds. Given the name, I was expecting a female choir, but no they are all male. Very pleasant.

eh

Pretty good.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo's "Shaka Zulu" is a rare entry of "world music" in the exclusive 1001 club. It's presumably very unlikely the group would have appeared on the list if they hadn't become known to Western audiences through their involvement in Paul Simon's "Graceland", and Simon subsequently producing this album to high praise in the Western world (it reached no. 34 in the UK albums chart, becoming the group's only effort to go anywhere near such a place). Of course, it's great to hear it here, and I'd never listened to a full album by the group before, but it does once again make me wonder how much incredible music from non-Western countries and cultures must be missing from the list, simply because white male rockstars weren't involved. Anyhow, on to the actual content of "Shaka Zulu". It first appears far removed from any Western rock or pop albums so is a little challenging to adjust to, but it is blissful, peaceful and meditative. Most of the words are sung together in deep, rich harmonies, with a range of vocal percussion including tongue clicks, rolling "r"s and- most surprisingly- kissing. It's all impeccably performed with a great clean sound to let the performances shine: there's nothing I could fault and I don't know the first thing about isicathamiya or mbube to give any comparisons. There are moments of familiarity here and there: as well as many of the songs being performed in English, the harmonic structure is very easy on the ear and the implied chord progressions would not be out of place on "Graceland". At heart, "Hello My Baby" is a very direct, simple love song. "King of Kings" is a stirring plea to God for peace, where the emotion behind the stunning technique is most on display. "How Long" feels slightly more Western-influenced, even employing an unexpected walking bass blues scale. The inevitable drawback is that a solely a capella recording is unlikely to stay engaging for very long. Even at 35 minutes, the sound began to wash over me on each listen. The claps and stomps towards the end of "Wawusho Kubani?" feel like the dawn breaking, the world waking up after being wrapped up, hushed and enchanted, in a blanket of sound. "Shaka Zulu" has been a great introduction to this style of music: it's certainly a worthy addition to the list if not going to be on regular rotation.

The musicianship is absolutely fantastic for what this band and this music is. What it is however isn’t for me. That’s not to take away from the utter beautiful found within this albums songs…I was just bored at some points.

Such distinctive voices and such rich harmonies. It’s all very calming and feels good for the soul, like going for a nice walk in the African countryside. I do think I’d prefer it if the choir occasionally had musical accompaniment though, like on Graceland, to add a bit of colour. Still, for an entirely a cappella album to hold my attention is no mean feat.

did not expect acapella

Relaxing, and the first album I feel asleep to, which no other album has even come close when I try. Not much actually notable about each song though.

Fav songs: - Unomathemba

Relaxing listen, only really heard world music live before now

Don’t know enough to be entirely critical but I think this is considered a good album. Talented for sure!

Traditional African music has always interested me. While I was not at all expecting this album to be a cappella, I enjoyed it all the same. Favorite track: Wawusho Kubani?

pretty good international album!

C’est relax ça. La seule chose que j’aime moins, c’est l’influence américaine dans quelques chanson. J’aurais aimé que ce soit encore plus authentique.

I want to give this album a 2 but I really can't as it's not a bad album. It's just not for me. The singing beautifully comes togheter in harmony on this album and they're so talented. I'm glad that I listened to this album but it's not something I would listen to again.

Perfect, presumably. I don't know. An all-male gospel-leaning South African a capella group is a fairly esoteric thing. And yet it's universally accessible to anyone without intractable hostilities to "other sounds". Paul Simon increased their profile, of course, and well done to him. But don't stop at Graceland. The intricacies of their sonorities, grunts, supernal harmonies, and (apparanetly) danceable rhythms (don't try it in public, do try it at home) pack unearthly pleasures. Earthly ones, too.

I enjoyed listening to this album. Although the sound is full with all the variety of vocal sounds that fill the soundstage, a full album of acapella (choral?) music is too much for me. I'm glad I heard this album, but once is probably enough for me. 3 stars

Produit par Paul Simon! Pas mauvais, ancêtres des groupes a capela! Pas ma vibe mais pas pire!

Ladysmith Black Mambazo were the backing band on Paul Simon's Graceland, and this album sounds like it. ... Except for the fact, that all of the songs are a capella. It sounds nice enough, but just isn't my cup of tea. 2.5/5

Music from the black soul. I like it.

Yeah, I like this, it’s good… But do I like it half as much as if it were feat. Paul Simon? Pretty much.

I know I’ll be coming back to this one. A very soft 3.

A rerecording of a selection of the South African traditional folk acapella super group's past hits for an international audience. The harmonies and voices are beautiful and relaxing, and the captured beautifully by this recording. I'm less keen on the English language songs. Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Unomathemba Date listened: 06/07/22

I like the style of the music, it is really cool. Good easy listening. 3/5 I need to be in the right mood to listen to it

Beautiful vocal harmonies. Enjoyed the seemingly random (probably wouldn't seem random if I could understand the lyrics) interjections of laughter, exclamations, rolling r's, small shouts, etc. Wish there were more of that to break up some of the monotony. Interesting, esoteric, unique.

6/17/2022 - ALBUM #141 Today's Album: "Shaka Zulu" by Ladysmith Black Mambazo - Whereas the last album was very difficult to unpack, this one is quite easy. It's a collection of acapella tracks performed by a chorus of South Africans. Sonically, it stays pretty consistent throughout. The voices all are mixed very well to create a really nice ear-feel throughout the project and it begins to feel like you're in the center of this really soulful African campfire chant. All of the vocals sound super in tune and just overall solid throughout, with a really great vocal tone and inflection that the entire chorus is enacting. It definitely isn't the easiest thing to just throw on and enjoy from to bottom as the inflection in which the chorus sings each line does get a bit grating after being repeated over and over, but again, it does sound pretty pleasant throughout. The highlight Hello My Baby is mostly spoken in English so it makes it most accessible for sure, but I think the rest of the tracks have a level of quality pretty consistent to it, with the only difference being that they're not in English. Overall, this is a really interesting stop in this 1001 album journey, but it does just get to be a little bit much by the end of it. Give it a listen if you're super into South African a Capella and if you're not sure if that's your thing, give Hello My Baby a listen and see if you want to dive deeper. Highlights: Hello My Baby Score: 5.5/10 Very interesting South African a Capella songs.

African a capella group. Enjoyed this, though it was a bit samey. Out of 207 albums I believe this is the first African artist, which is inexcusable considering the human history of music.

I liked it, but to be honest it gets a little boring for an entire album, as opposed to being mixed into a Paul Simon album or something along those lines. 3 stars.

Interesting, not really my thing tho. Good background music

I'm going to Graceland

un album avec un bon fond, ca sonne graceland sans paul simon et les insturments. C'est très bon et relaxant. Je n'ai pas trouvé ca trop long mais ca prend le bon moment pour l'écouter. Cependant, il y a un peu de répétition. 3.5

Haunting...

Like the majority of other world music albums, nice to hear for the first time and learn about it, but nothing more

Africana a capella. Se hace aburrido

Good, but not for me

I listened to this album seven hours ago, and I'm STILL waiting for Paul Simon to start singing.

the kind of music I feel bad for not enjoying. but a pleasant departure from the normal fare on this list

The album was interesting. I did not understand what was being said most of the time but that is alright. I do not think I will listen to the album again but I did not skip any songs and did not feel the need to skip any songs.

very African, quite cool

I'm not a fan of acapella. I was really dreading listening to this 40-minute album in a language I don't speak and in a genre I don't care for. That being said, this is probably the best acapella album I've ever heard and I didn't hate it. Very chill, surprisingly doesn't get that repetitive and annoying. Made me feel something that isn't on the general list of emotions. Some bizzaro emotion like dorcelessness.

Just a beautiful, calm acapella. I've got nothing more to say besides that, tbh. I wish I know the best mood listen to this again, perhaps a nice vacation morning or something.

African tribal music pretty low-key background music

Bilo bi 4 da je lito ide mala s ovog albuma hehe

SO relaxing and cool. No clue what they're singing, but that's okay!

Mellow. It's like South African doo-wop. Not for me, but it's fine.

Interesting, though perhaps not my favourite of the bunch

The album listing says 1987, but it came out in 1970. Africa!

I found this album very hard to rate - it veered between strangely beautiful and strangely boring, and while I enjoyed listening I'm not sure how keen I'd be to repeat it. As I feel it could have sat anywhere in the 2-4 range I've gone middle of the road, but this is a 3 I'll definitely be listening to in the future to see if my feelings have changed.

Wow this album came out of nowhere. Not what I expected to hear at all. Not to say I didn't enjoy it. I started listening to it in the evening, and finished it this morning, and I have to say I enjoy it a lot more while looking out over some foggy countryside rather than the evening rat-race vibe.. I'm half expecting the sun to come out over the hills because of this album. While I enjoy it, I very much doubt I'll be putting it on again. It's one of those things I appreciate once, but won't feel the need to listen to again. I'm close to rating it a 4 as it is nice and bite-sized at only half an hour and it is just so very different from what I'm used to, but I'm gonna stick with a 3.

Good world music

It was cool, but not really my kinda thing

I only had a chance to listen to this once. Beautiful harmonies and they have achieved great success for an African choral group. I enjoyed listening to them in moderation.

No lo terminé de escuchar pero la música acapella no me entusiasma demasiado. Me gustó lo significativa que es la existencia de esta banda con respecto al apartheid.

Absolutely gorgeous soundscapes created by this choral group. A treat to listen to. The production is spot on and the sound is crisp and clear enough to appreciate the individual voices within the ensemble. Another listen reveals that though the MUSIC LBM make is undeniably beautiful, the SONGS lack individual character thus that I can not say when one ends and another begins, leaving the experience ultimately lacking. Bottom some fine moments and overall some beautiful music but no great or memorable songs. 3.5 🌟

"But you love Ladysmith Black Mambazo!" Indeed a weird band to love. Fine African music. Bit slow, and made sleepy.

It became background music too easily for me but i admire the musicianship

Nice background music

I enjoyed it, didn't realise these were the bank Paul Simon used for his Graceland album

Not my favorite but still enjoyable.

A little too much of all the same. I loved them on Graceland - Homeless and Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes are fantastic. But then this entire album is mostly more of the same. The one track that caught my ear as sounding different was "How Long?" which had a bit of doo wop going on which was fun. Nothing wrong with the album, it was enjoyable to listen to...it just lacked variety.

Ik vind Graceland van Paul Simon echt een fantastisch album, dus daarom viel dit ook goed. Al is een heel album van dit soort samenzang wel iets té rustgevend :-)

Eerst was ik razend enthousiast, maar dat zakte een beetje toen ik de plaat voor de tweede keer ging draaien. Toen was ik gematigd enthousiast :)

Love me some Lion King

Without reading about it, I could tell this was the group who accompanied Paul Simon on Graceland. Not understanding the language is both a pro and a con. On the pro side, you focus more on the rhythm, tone, and cadence. On the con side, I mean, what’s Unomathemba? It’s nonsense to me. Some tracks have English translation for the title but still - not that useful. Generally, I’m stitching together prior knowledge and outright stereotypical knowledge to get the feel for this.

Stunning harmonies, made the Acapella aspect much more tolerable

A bit backgroundy

Good for what it is

A but samey

No doubt these folks are talented but this is not my type of music.

The weird album indeed. Listened to it stoned, had a jungle book-like half-dream experience.

Very calm, easy listening. Gets a little repetitive after some time, but I can't fault it too much, because I enjoyed listening all the way through.

Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Golgotha Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Nice relaxing world music. Every song more or less sounded to the same, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. I like getting these world music albums on this list.

This is really beautiful, but not really the kind of thing I normally listen to.

Never heard of this, not bad at all!

Jaahas, mustaa gospelia synkimmästä afrikasta. Meininki on kuin Leijonakuninkaassa. Rentouttavaa musaa, mutta eipä tätä tule varmaan uudestaan kuunneltua.

Interesting and invigorating capella record from zulu band. For certain moments, but hard to beat on those specific moments....

Música "soul" a cappella africana.

Way better than I anticipated. Puts you in a meditative frame of mind. Great reverb in the recording. Great intro into worldwide music.

vocale africano.. in certi momenti ci sta

Timeless classic

gorgeous harmonies

Enjoyed them more with Paul Simon. Stand alone OK.

Post-colonial coffee shop world music at its best. A lovely peaceful way to start the day, but feels a bit cringey at points.

a capella cultural tunes

great

3.1

I know very little about this kind of music, I didn’t dislike it, but didn’t grab me either

neat. Classic blues progressions throughout, good rhythms and harmonies.

Sounded alright but kind of repetitive.

false

Not my bag at all. Not bad, just.. not me

I was expecting something much more interesting than this.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo, das südafrikanische Männer-Vokalensemble um Joseph Shabalala, hatte sich bereits seit den 1960er-Jahren in der Tradition des Mbube-Gesangs einen Namen gemacht, bevor Paul Simon die Gruppe für sein Album Graceland engagierte und damit ihren internationalen Durchbruch einleitete. Shaka Zulu, produziert von Simon und mit Roy Halee als Toningenieur abgemischt, erschien 1987 bei Warner Bros. Records und versammelt überarbeitete Versionen älterer Mambazo-Klassiker, deren ursprüngliche Studio-Herkunft nicht lückenlos dokumentiert ist, was die produktionstechnische Brücke zwischen südafrikanischer Tradition und westlichem Studio-Standard nur unterstreicht. Das Album zeigt die Gruppe auf dem Höhepunkt ihrer stimmlichen Präzision: Die mehrstimmigen Call-and-Response-Strukturen, getragen vom warmen Bass Shabalalas und den hellen Tenorlinien der übrigen Sänger, wirken trotz der internationalen Produktion erstaunlich unverstellt. Songs wie „Hello My Baby“ und „Unomathemba“ verbinden Zulu-Gesangstraditionen mit einer Klarheit, die westlichen Hörgewohnheiten entgegenkommt, ohne die rhythmische Eigenheit des Isicathamiya zu glätten. Auch „King Of Kings“ trägt jene gospelartige Sehnsucht, die dem Album seinen zugänglichen, fast andächtigen Grundton verleiht. Was Shaka Zulu von vielen „Weltmusik“-Crossover-Produkten der Ära unterscheidet, ist die Disziplin, mit der die Gruppe ihre eigene Stimme bewahrt, statt sich dem Produktionskonzept unterzuordnen – ein Balanceakt, der dem Album 1988 den Grammy für die beste traditionelle Folk-Aufnahme einbrachte. Ein Album, das beweist, dass kommerzieller Erfolg und kulturelle Integrität sich nicht ausschließen müssen.

Smooth, South African easy listening album that was very peaceful to listen in the morning. Not that special though.

Not my style. ★★

Maybe I just wasn't in the mood but I didn't enjoy this. Maybe too repetitive? Maybe just not my thing.

One of those albums I'm glad I've heard, but still left me cold. It's a comfortable listen, though.

While I can appreciate this as a great recording of African a cappella, I have to be honest and say I found it extremely boring to listen to for 40 minutes straight.

I found the story of the group far more interesting than the actual music. I can see why they were asked to collaborate so much -- their vocals seem like they'd add great texture to other music. Listening to them on their own just didn't do much for me for very long. I really disliked the 2nd song -- didn't care for the kissing sounds and it seemed to go on forever. In fact, the English-language tracks represented all the weakest spots.

A good album for focus

Meh not my thing. Fireside African songs.

pas vraiment pour moi

I liked it but not really something I'd seek to relisten

Really interesting harmonies. Very relaxing to have on. However, while I do respect the amazing arrangements and recording here, for me it is not an active listen.

A choir. Zulu harmonies, no instruments, a tradition being documented rather than an album being made. I finished it, which feels like the right data point — it held enough to keep going, even when it drifted into background noise. Parts of it were genuinely pleasant. Parts of it were grating, the way any unfamiliar ritual can be when you're not initiated into it. I don't think that's a flaw in the music so much as an honest account of the distance between me and it. Is this a defining album? A genre-shaping statement? I can't really say — I don't have the framework to judge it on its own terms. On the list's terms, I understand why it's here. As a listening experience for someone coming in cold: 2/5 — respectfully.

Expert voices, beautiful vocal harmonies, warm and soothing. Reminds me of the vocal parts in The Lion King soundtrack and musical, which I like very much. However, I felt that after one track, I had heard them all. So, as a whole album, it's not for me. Add some orchestra and percussion, and I think I would enjoy it much more. 2/5 below average

Just boring. Inoffensive but boring.

Love these on Graceland, so its sad to say that i cant get into a whole album of a capella with very little dynamism Faded nicely into the background of night time childcare though, so major credit for being in the right place at the right time

More like Nah-capella am I right? 2

also just ok

Beautiful voices, but too repetitive. In the end, not boring, but damn close.

They are good singers, so I feel I can't really give it a 1, but fucking hell was that boring to listen to. No distinguishable moments since it all blurred into one, not a single instrument used. Very generous 2

Shaka Zulu is an album that i just feel isn't really for me. I have nothing against a capella music, for instance, i really loved TV On The Radio's song Ambulance, but that was mainly because there wasn't really anything on that album that sounded like it. This was nothing but a capella music giving me intense deja vu with that Miriam Makeba album i did a long while back but even more egregious since at least that album had music, this one doesn't have any at all. I will admit that these guys are no doubt good singers but even at 36 minutes, this album felt like it was dragging on and on. I can see why others would like it but it is not my thing at all. Best Song: Rain, Rain, Beautiful Rain Worst Song: Yibo Labo

I respect them as artists in their own right. But it’s just not for me.