Term Paper, Vol. 3 (a.k.a. Big Post of Zouk songs, Vocals)

Part 1 can be found here
Part 2 can be found here

Never stop making love to the camera.

Why should Gloria Swanson have all the fun? Everyone is ready for a close-up, Mr. Demille!

At any rate, auteurs are overrated. Creative effort are complete without the use of a muse. Inspiration is key, see, not something worth any amount of hurry. In the absence of a model a painting becomes mere scenery; sans Mona Lisa, Leonardo is nothing more than a ten-fingered brush holding utensil. Even Coltrane had a cousin, daughter, wife, and bass player to shower with song. But most impressive is that the use of stand-ins, body doubles, and mannequins are of even of great use to elites. Jesus was not exempt from artistic representation; the white image of Christ, if one were so inclined to believe the a Killah Priest, might just be Cesare Borgia.

Such is the case with beats. The drums and the run provide the canvas; shapes are outlined outlines which performers then fill-in with their their words Alas, blurring of the line between electronic music and hip-hop serves two purposes. Enjoying instrumentals, for example, have become more common place. The likes of Clams Casino, Young Chop, and DJ Mustard have been on the forefront of just such a phenomenon. It seems as though beat-maker stylings are no longer limited to the imposing figures such as DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, DJ Premier, and Pete Rock. Regardless of the source, an issue still exist. While pleasant to hear on their own, beats are still just half a product; one member of a duet. Instrumentals deprive the audience fifty percent of the musical experience experience. No one, save for a producer, would stand for only acapella versions of a song. 

So why should these pages' readers be exposed to just this misfortune?

As the year quickly draws to a close, so does thi Noggle year-end series. Three parts have now been written; each receiving a special focus in the process. In the first installment, a history lesson was provided. This was followed by an examination of the recent instrumental soundscape. Ergo, what follows is the only natural conclusion the author could determine under the assistance of his own faculties.The third portion is a selection of [somewhat] somewhat arbitrarily chosen Ghetto Zouk tracks with feature vocals (h/t Mais Kizomba).

The beat is undeniably of a slow zouk nature. Auto-tuned, too, vocals cannot be ignored. Yet what results is slightly more that a simple, modern kizomba. Released two weeks ago, "Eu Quero Fazer" features Deedjay Telio on the track and Edsong on vocals; though it bears mentioning that latter is a kizomba producer in his own right. Where the beat is concerned, the Tia Maria affiliated Telio immediately adjusts the lights in order to intimate setting. Close-quartered romance is create care of a bongo-centric beat. But he sounds of a drum kit can still be heard as the kick plays four to the floor. Two synths create a ghetto zouk feel while piano elaborates the melody. Eventually a third synth appears, but only in the midst of each of the song's three choruses. Meanwhile, Edsong sings two offsettings. While he first verse is sung in a dramatic zouk-love/kizomba fashion, the second is not. Instead Edsong switches to a rapping before the Chorus-Bridge-Chorus concludes the song.


Angolan zouk singer Master Jake takes a different approach on "Não Quero Mais." With a faster pace, the song devoid of a production credit song; alas, a very good premise for vocalist to perform  is provvided all the while. In the first part of a two-tiered introduction, four-bars instrumental introduce an ambient synth: the harmonic base. Meanwhile, keys entertain melodic possibilities. But it is during the second section that the audience is urged to actively listen. From inception, the infectious kick/hi-hat rhythm rolls-on, at which point electric guitar appears; the first of two traditional instruments. Even if the bass maintains a four-to-the-floor appearance during the track's two verses, it opens up the groove during the chorus. Additionally, the hook portion features a resurgent synth effort and faint xylophone. Kizomba vocal stylings are maintained by the Zonemuzic artist throughout this very good zouk, which would only stand to benefit from shortening the four final chorus loops.


Lil Kiss is ambitious. A pop vocalist by trade, the Angolan artist has lent her likeness and talents to a variety of stylings. Kizomba, afro-house, and pop tracks are all found withinin the Lil Kiss cannon. Still, the ghetto-zouk song, "Abadibadjodjo," falls somewhere in between. Immediately inclined towards electornics, three synths them appear - one assigned to rhythm, melody and harmony - during the first part of a two-tiered introduction. The tempo moves at a quicker pace that the ordinary, but it does not become clear right away. Bongos are the only percussion warming up before digital drums take charge. The foundational  rhythm is made up by contemporary favorites: claps and hi-hat. Meanwhile, the sluggish bass and sultry R&B vocals provide an enjoyable malaise; some counterbalance, if nothing else, to a track the author estimates rest in the middle to upper 90s BPM range. Undeniable, in the end is the artist's determined crossover effort. Each chorus may be sung in portuguese, but the verses are all sung in English.



The final two selections are not intended to be read as scraping the bottom of the barrel. Rather, the renremainingts explored merely rest  below the immediate surface. Quality survives unscathed all the while.

First is Oseaias Gime. The song is titled "Te Amo," and even with absentee production credits, it merits a munition of accolades. A traditional zouk arrangement - gentle, romantic, and danceable like disco - is combined with more modern ghetto zouk techniques and an R&B singing. The beat may be created, typically enough, with snare and hi-hat but rapidly made plush A bongo plays triplets as shaker as to the big and busy sound. Only keyboards are heard at first, uet synth is soon to play alongside electric guitar. With the tempo on the slower end, bass has the same sensual effect as vocals runs; free from a significant auto-tune touch-up in addition to serving as ad-libs and back-up singers. A good effort not to be overlooked.


The final song bears the strongest to hip-hop. All of the percussion featured is digital; the somewhat quick beat is made up of hi-hat, snare and synth. But much like Oseias Gime's song above, Cleu combines the best of traditional zouk and kizomba with modern tastes and minimal auto-tune assistance. Synth may control the harmony, but an guitar commandeers the melody; neither is overshadowed by the respective counterpart. A second and third synth is only heard during the intro, bridge, and outro. The vocals are strongly influenced by R&B and provides additional ad-libbing and backing duties. Much like Lile Kiss - and once again, bearing a resemblance to "Te Amo" - English is freely dispersed throughout the lyrics sheet. In contrast to "Abadibadjodjo," however, all of the verses are in Portuguese while the chorus is in English.


Music, like film, is often mistaken to be an auteur for of expression. Certainly, the audience is exposed to a specific vision and intent but whose is it? Writers, actors, grips, make-up, costume-design and the like are all involved in the making of a motion picture. Rarely is the director the finished result's sole proprietor.

At times the vocals may be superior to the production, and vice versa. The true glory, though, is in the combination there of.

- John Noggle