Big City is the fourth album by Zita Swoon, the many-headed company around Antwerp songwriter Stef Kamil Carlens. This latest newborn from the band is an ode to the big city and yes, Big City does indeed sound like a walk in the sun through a lively city district. L'Opaque Paradis, a 'reggae chanson', is an ode to Paris. It is not surprising that the French capital is honored, because Zita Swoon's
… music has shifted further and further in the direction of French chansons over the years. L'Opaque Paradis is one of four songs sung in French. In addition to chansons, Carlens and his mates also seem to have listened a lot to African music. Your Range and Humble have an African flavor with their soulful vocals and extra percussion. A successful experiment. For fans of the 'old' Zita Swoon, there is still plenty of tasty food to be found, especially in the second part of the album. Big City got off to a hesitant start, but in the end it turned out to be a creditable album. (PdK)more
