Zap Mama Ancestry in Progress TRACK BY TRACK (Luaka Bop/V2) Intro I wanted to point out that Ancestry in Progress is an imaginary journey. Organic, but futuristic: that's the idea behind this record. Sweet Melody "Sweet Melody" is a simple love song. It was inspired by a Bilal performance on my birthday. The idea of traveling is very strong in this song but linked with a search for someone or something. Vivre "Vivre" is about New York, about the attractive power of the big city, and about the disappointments. The idea behind the song is that happiness is not hidden in big dreams, but in small things. It features a Congolese rapper named Fredy Massamba, from the group Fresque. Bandy Bandy, feat. Erykah Badu "Bandy Bandy" is about how to escape from the outside world by looking deep inside yourself and feeling each part of your body move. When you stretch your limits you will breathe easier and you will be able to free yourself in the beauty of nature. Yelling Away, feat. Common and Talib Kweli The message behind "Yelling Away" is to remind eachother that we are all part of the elements of Earth: Wind, Water, and Fire. These elements create life. Show Me the Way, feat. Bahamadia and Lady Alma It is one of the few songs written in Belgium. It is about an evening out: three friends going out to different pubs and discos, but having the most fun when they're together in the car. Follow Me It is an intermezzo with only voices, a song filled with vocal fantasies. For the rhythm, I thought of cartoon figures - my inspiration comes from all sides. Miss Q'N "Miss Q'N" is a song about how we are all looking for happiness. We have an impression that we need to travel around the whole world to make our dreams come true, the dreams we see on television. But the way to happiness is here. The way to happiness is being at peace with yourself. Yaku A song about bachelors: people who don't feel the need to commit themselves to someone else and are very happy on their own. However, now and then they feel the need for a family life or children. Ça Varie Varie It is about the power of dreams. If everything goes wrong, the only thing you can do is keep dreaming and hoping for a better time. Alright A song about one of the lesser periods of my life, when the illusion of endless love and faith was destroyed for me. I thought of quitting music - but in the end, I survived... Cache Cache This song is about the choices you make in your life. In some choices, you win -- in some, you don't. There may be danger but your energy is fueled by adrenaline. It is important to make the good choice because life can end so fast. LeÇon nº 5 A reference to those records you could use in earlier days to learn French. I invite listeners to try with me some vocal tricks. Wadidyusay? feat. Scratch A very difficult, very pure song, featuring only voices and beat box, it's a piece of LeÇon nº 5. It is a vocal battle, where you should be serious, but don't take it too seriously. The meaning behind the song is while living in New York, I learned that you can live in the same city, speak the same language, but still not understand each other. Whereas, some people can live in separate cities, speak different languages, and perfectly comprehend one another. It is all about having an open mind. Zap Bebes Zap Bebes is about the time period when everyone in Zap Mama was pregnant. At the beginning, of the song, you hear baby sounds, and we sampled them, because the babies were crying in the right key. This song is my daughter's favorite.