Zouk
| Zouk | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Early 1980s, French Antilles (esp. Guadeloupe and Martinique) |
| Typical instruments | |
| Derivative forms | Zouk-love |
| Regional scenes | |
| |
Zouk is a musical movement pioneered by the French Antillean band Kassav' in the early 1980s. It was originally characterized by a fast tempo (120–145 bpm), a percussion-driven rhythm, and a loud horn section. Musicians from Martinique and Guadeloupe eventually added MIDI instrumentation to their compas style, which developed into a genre called zouk-love. Zouk-love is effectively the French Lesser Antilles' compas, and it gradually became indistinguishable from compas.
Zouk béton
The original fast carnival style of zouk, best represented by the band Kassav', became known as "zouk béton", "zouk chiré", or "zouk hard". Zouk béton is considered a synthesis of various French Antillean dance music styles of the 20th century, including kadans, konpa, and biguine.