― bob snoom, Friday, 16 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Alex in SF, Friday, 16 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Diego, Friday, 16 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― dleone, Friday, 16 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
Erm...are you sure you're listening to Magma?
― Joe, Friday, 16 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
― your null fame, Friday, 16 August 2002 00:00 (twenty-one years ago) link
Then there's also non-Zeuhl (i.e., don't be expecting Magma or near-Magma) albums by Zeuhl musicians--these are recommended:
Laurent Thibault's "Mais on ne Peut Pas..." (like a symph prog album)Stella Vander's "D'Epreuves D'amour" (moody, melancholic piano/vocal music)Pierre Michel Sivadier's "D'Amour Fou D'Amour" (ditto)Simon Goubert's "L'Encierro" (jazz)
― Joe (Joe), Sunday, 18 August 2002 04:01 (twenty-one years ago) link
― dleone (dleone), Sunday, 18 August 2002 04:45 (twenty-one years ago) link
― your null fame (yournullfame), Thursday, 21 August 2003 11:55 (twenty years ago) link
― dleone (dleone), Thursday, 21 August 2003 11:59 (twenty years ago) link
― GET TO THA' (PRICE) CHOPPA!!!!!!!! ROFFLE!!!!!!!! (ex machina), Friday, 7 May 2004 22:00 (nineteen years ago) link
― Joe (Joe), Friday, 7 May 2004 22:17 (nineteen years ago) link
― GET TO THA' (PRICE) CHOPPA!!!!!!!! ROFFLE!!!!!!!! (ex machina), Friday, 7 May 2004 22:23 (nineteen years ago) link
― Joe (Joe), Friday, 7 May 2004 22:28 (nineteen years ago) link
― jazz odysseus (jazz odysseus), Friday, 7 May 2004 22:59 (nineteen years ago) link
(PS - MAGMA ROXXXX SO MUCH)
― GET TO THA' (PRICE) CHOPPA!!!!!!!! ROFFLE!!!!!!!! (ex machina), Friday, 7 May 2004 23:10 (nineteen years ago) link
― jazz odysseus (jazz odysseus), Friday, 7 May 2004 23:15 (nineteen years ago) link
― jazz odysseus (jazz odysseus), Friday, 7 May 2004 23:17 (nineteen years ago) link
― Joe (Joe), Friday, 7 May 2004 23:25 (nineteen years ago) link
― GET TO THA' (PRICE) CHOPPA!!!!!!!! ROFFLE!!!!!!!! (ex machina), Friday, 7 May 2004 23:31 (nineteen years ago) link
For my money, the moments in Magma that remind me most of Ruins are on Wurdah Itah, and even then, you have to imagine them amplified by about 100x.
― dleone (dleone), Friday, 7 May 2004 23:38 (nineteen years ago) link
http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/presenters/freakzone/
[the show should be on listen again in a couple hours time]
also NEW Magma album released in Europe tomorrow:http://muzihk.free.fr/ka/html/english.htm
― DJ Martian (djmartian), Sunday, 7 November 2004 19:02 (nineteen years ago) link
― Joe (Joe), Monday, 8 November 2004 01:36 (nineteen years ago) link
― Joe (Joe), Monday, 8 November 2004 01:37 (nineteen years ago) link
Anyway, if you like 1001 Degrees Centigrade, you'll like this one.
― Lefty, Monday, 8 November 2004 04:27 (nineteen years ago) link
― (Jon L), Monday, 8 November 2004 05:49 (nineteen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 01:55 (eighteen years ago) link
― Joe (Joe), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 02:13 (eighteen years ago) link
― Joe (Joe), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 02:27 (eighteen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 02:32 (eighteen years ago) link
But, yes, overall it still seems a bit much to me as well...the next two tracks are each over 20 minutes!
― Joe (Joe), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 02:45 (eighteen years ago) link
― milton parker (Jon L), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 19:12 (eighteen years ago) link
― Rotatey Diskers With Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 19:18 (eighteen years ago) link
― milton parker (Jon L), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 19:24 (eighteen years ago) link
I got the DVD of it! In a car boot sale! For £5! Tried watching all of it in one sitting, but that was being wildly over-ambitious on my part. And stretched my schoolboy French well beyond the limit trying to follow the documentary that came with it.
― Tom D. (Dada), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 14:36 (seventeen years ago) link
More so given that said item is out of print now. Maybe I could trouble Steve Davis for a copy.
― myopic_void (myopic_void), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 15:10 (seventeen years ago) link
― Joe (Joe), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 17:50 (seventeen years ago) link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnNngMb4lvk
― Joe (Joe), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 17:53 (seventeen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 18:04 (seventeen years ago) link
― Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 18:44 (seventeen years ago) link
― myopic_void (myopic_void), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 19:32 (seventeen years ago) link
― milton parker (Jon L), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 19:35 (seventeen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 19:42 (seventeen years ago) link
― myopic_void (myopic_void), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 19:50 (seventeen years ago) link
― Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 20:14 (seventeen years ago) link
Two awesome's in the same post about Magma. Could've been more.
― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 21:17 (seventeen years ago) link
― Matt #2 (Matt #2), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 21:18 (seventeen years ago) link
― Dominique (dleone), Wednesday, 24 January 2007 22:43 (seventeen years ago) link
http://www.emusic.com/artist/Magma/11777412.html
I have Kohntarkosz, Attahk and Udu Wudu. What next among these?
― abanana, Wednesday, 15 August 2007 03:01 (sixteen years ago) link
those arent so hot
― Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Wednesday, 15 August 2007 06:52 (sixteen years ago) link
pretty much all of the other albums were added to emusic today
― abanana, Monday, 20 August 2007 23:08 (sixteen years ago) link
that's almost a reason to join emusic. i'll have to do the 150 free mp3s thing again soon.
― GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 02:13 (sixteen years ago) link
abanana - wurdah itah is the best record you don't list, but if you can stand another version of kohntarkosz, the BBC 1974 Londres is great (esp as its version of theusz hamtaahk is arguably definitive).
― Dominique, Tuesday, 21 August 2007 02:23 (sixteen years ago) link
Followed Dominique's suggestions from here over to AllMusic, read the reviews of the recs he suggests.
Saw he wrote those reviews.
lolz.
― BIG HOOS aka the steendriver, Friday, 19 October 2007 02:10 (sixteen years ago) link
Laurent Thibault - Mais on ne peut pas Rever tout le Temps
^^^^
D LEONE, is this good?
― chaki, Tuesday, 29 January 2008 00:03 (sixteen years ago) link
it's nice - nothing like Magma tho, more pastoral, symphonic prog. Most people talk about the song "Oree" because it has really pretty/wispy vocals from Amanda Parsons from National Health/Hatfield & the North, but my fave is "La Caravane de l'Oubli" which to me kind of sounds like a smoothed out Can -- or more accurately Popul Vuh trying to do Can.
― Dominique, Tuesday, 29 January 2008 01:24 (sixteen years ago) link
wow so i can't believe how much wurdah itah sounds like stravinsky's les noces
― Dominique, Sunday, 3 February 2008 18:25 (sixteen years ago) link
I like most of the Magma I've heard (which isn't a whole lot), but I am way way way more drawn to the dark foreboding equally ultra prog vibe of Univers Zero. It's so much more scary and less wacky.
Loaned some gear to Richard Pinhas trio last year and one of the dudes from Magma (not Zander) played my drums. He was great.
The Ruins (alone) set I saw a few months later was fucking insane though.
― Nate Carson, Monday, 4 February 2008 10:07 (sixteen years ago) link
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/160/4758680.jpg
― Herman G. Neuname, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 17:13 (sixteen years ago) link
Magma making another US tour
― jaxon, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 19:39 (sixteen years ago) link
Agreed. I had never heard Les Noces until recently, and was in awe...that piece kicks serious ass. I have the version on Naxos with "Oedipus Rex" (which I wasn't too fond of), which is pretty well-regarded.
― Joe, Wednesday, 12 March 2008 20:25 (sixteen years ago) link
Audio-only live footage of a completely new epic called Felicite Thosz:
pt 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hanyCuHAabg pt 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvJVz1QGCxo pt 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Kagy4FmX9M pt 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtfNNnDwBSM
see also some pro-footage of their recent Japan tour, tons of backstage, rehearsal, travel stuff:
pt 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEgYARe43UApt 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COnVPWfiSJspt 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KJduqWyFcgpt 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-dDWMj74B4
― Dominique, Tuesday, 14 July 2009 16:20 (fourteen years ago) link
blogspot bootlegs of Felicite Thosz out and about
though I'm getting as fatigued as anyone from the 'take a foreign song and add absurdist english subtitles' concept, I will make an exception for Kobaïan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWsFWdqLmNM
― Milton Parker, Thursday, 30 July 2009 18:02 (fourteen years ago) link
If I don't own any Magma but like what I've heard from a compilation of various tracks that a friend gave me, is the "Studio Zund" boxset worth spending £80 on? It seems to be OOP and on the verge of completely disappearing, so I've basically convinced myself it's a wholly sensible purchase... what say thee Magma heads?
― krakow, Friday, 4 September 2009 22:22 (fourteen years ago) link
starting out more modestly, say with udu wudu, is not at all a bad way to go. it might be pretty overwhelming to digest all at once
― kamerad, Friday, 4 September 2009 22:31 (fourteen years ago) link
Well, a wee bit more scouting located me one still for £50, so I've just ordered that! We'll see if it actually comes up. I do tend to be a bit of a 'in at the deep end' kind of guy.
― krakow, Friday, 4 September 2009 22:34 (fourteen years ago) link
Udu Wudu was my favourite of the stuff on my compilation though, btw.
― krakow, Friday, 4 September 2009 22:35 (fourteen years ago) link
Thinking of trying to get down to London to see them at the Barbican next month as well, but the travel expense from Glasgow is prohibitive.
well good luck. and be careful. that is one intense discography. don't forget to update here once it digests some
― kamerad, Friday, 4 September 2009 23:09 (fourteen years ago) link
Apparently the new album "Emehntet-Re" will be out in November, this is supposedly the last part of a trilogy, the first 2 parts being Kohntarkosz and Kohntarkosz Anteria.
― Matt #2, Saturday, 5 September 2009 08:31 (fourteen years ago) link
I've been thinking about heading to the Barbican show to see them for a few weeks, but only just checked trains today, assuming that they would be ridiculously expensive. Amazingly they're not and I just bought a return tran ticket Glasgow<->London for under £40!
I'm going to see Magma!
I'll need to kill time in London afterwards until my train leaves at 5am on the Wednesday morning, but that's for another thread perhaps...
― krakow, Thursday, 10 September 2009 13:33 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm going to see Magma, too! I just bought my ticket to the Barbican show. Chrome Hoof and Massiera, too, how could I resist?
― Evren Kader (Masonic Boom), Thursday, 10 September 2009 13:40 (fourteen years ago) link
Cool beans, hopefully a friendly face! I don't know if any Glasgow cohorts will be able to make the Prog Pilgrimage with me, unfortunately.
― krakow, Thursday, 10 September 2009 13:48 (fourteen years ago) link
i'm into magma but yeah, not going to London for this.
― amarillo fat (jim), Thursday, 10 September 2009 13:48 (fourteen years ago) link
"...and Massiera, too" !!!
he's going to play live?! sounds very interesting!
― Marco Damiani, Thursday, 10 September 2009 13:51 (fourteen years ago) link
Seems like it! I'm dead curious.
http://barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=9534
― Evren Kader (Masonic Boom), Thursday, 10 September 2009 13:58 (fourteen years ago) link
is Steve Davis promoting the Magma/Barbican show (he used to be the sponsor for all their london gigs)?
― Ward Fowler, Thursday, 10 September 2009 14:03 (fourteen years ago) link
Andy Votel, it says.
― Evren Kader (Masonic Boom), Thursday, 10 September 2009 14:07 (fourteen years ago) link
interesting!
― Ward Fowler, Thursday, 10 September 2009 14:12 (fourteen years ago) link
Didn't you promote a concert for them?
In the late Eighties, I thought it would be nice if they came over to London to do a gig, so I set up Interesting Promotions to promote it. Well, I paid the bill is what I really mean. I never realised that there were 14 of them in the band, which raised the overheads slightly. They did three nights at the Bloomsbury theatre; the last night was a sell-out. I'd done my nuts (spent too much money), too, so it was great. Then I went back to (whispers) playing snooker.
Would you ever do it again?
Interesting Promotions sits there on the loss sheet, so probably not. What would be good, though, is if you could get all of the Canterbury jazz rock bands together and create a festival. They do a similar thing in America called Prog Fest.
― fit and working again, Thursday, 10 September 2009 15:24 (fourteen years ago) link
"Andy Votel, it says"
Rather obviously, I would say.Let us know if its good! :)
― Marco Damiani, Thursday, 10 September 2009 16:32 (fourteen years ago) link
OK, now clearing some things up! Massiera came onstage to "collaborate" with Chrome Hoof. Which basically meant that CH played some Massiera tunes and he went WOORGGGH AAAHHH OOOOF over the top and occasionally banged a sample pad. It was, erm, interesting. The best thing about it was the two silver alien dancers pretending to capture him and drag him off to eat him.
Sorry, I'm still a bit dazed from Magma. Seriously. I didn't think anyone could really follow Chrome Hoof. Except the stage went all dark and Magma snuck on like spacemonks from planet prog and suddenly the lights went all red and then PHHWWWOOOOAARRRRRROOOOOUUUUUURRRRRAWAAAAWAWWAARRRGGGGGGHHHH amazingness holy shit what the FUCK is that. It's like space-jazz-opera almost Wagnerian in its scope. There's something very, very operatic about the way that they perform, especially the way that the three singers wander about the stage to take their solos.
And then some more ding ding ding whooosh BONG BONG BOOOOONNNGGG WOOOOOARRRGGGGGGHHH neow neow neow BOOOOOOOM.
80 piece drum kit (of course), bass, guitar, Rhodes, VIBRAPHONE (oh god, I loved the vibraphone) and 3 singers.
I'm not familiar enough with the catalogue to tell you what they played. But they did introduce the latter part of the set as being two new songs - one of which was AMAZING which started with a 10-minute sort of Philip Glass interplay Rhodes solo and then went all PHWOOAARRGGGHH towards the end. Then they said they were going to do the first song they ever wrote for their encore - title sounded like Kumbyah?
Really liked the records Andy Votel played between sets. Wish I had a set list. It was all amazing, but there was one that had those kind of big-beat 60s drums with swooshy synth noises that blew my mynd.
― ...and the wizard blew his horn (Masonic Boom), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 10:26 (fourteen years ago) link
Oh, we got a nice little potted history in the programme. I'll scan it if anyone's interested?
― ...and the wizard blew his horn (Masonic Boom), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 10:27 (fourteen years ago) link
sounds amazing. really, really wish I'd been able to go to this. hopefully they'll do some more gigs in the sticks and provinces.
― m the g, Wednesday, 7 October 2009 10:33 (fourteen years ago) link
― Nate Carson, Monday, February 4, 2008 2:07 AM (1 year ago)
i saw both of these on probably the same tours that you saw them. Ruins (alone) was fucking insane and awesome.
― Althus (sarahel), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 10:41 (fourteen years ago) link
I agree with Masonic Boom that the track they introduced as being off the new record out next month was a massive great big awesome behemoth. Kobaia was the encore track, which was a fantastic finish. I also recognised the first couple of tracks they played, but couldn't tell you what they were.
Are there any Magma forums or mailing lists where knowledgeable heads could give us the true low down?
Where were you sitting Masonic Boom? It surprisingly emptied out throughout the Magma set - what the hell were people up to? I snuck down and sat near the front though when space was cleared, so bonus!
― krakow, Wednesday, 7 October 2009 12:15 (fourteen years ago) link
I was sitting right in the middle of the main block of seats on the floor. Could not believe that the entire row in front of me cleared out! Wish I'd had the nerve to move down, but my row was full so could not have moved without drawing attention to myself.
I thought the early leavers were due to train times, but I was surprised when I looked at my phone at the end and saw it was only 11pm, I thought about 4 hours had gone by - I think the gravitational heaviness of the music slowed time for me - in the best possible way.
― ...and the wizard blew his horn (Masonic Boom), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 12:19 (fourteen years ago) link
Aye, bunch of lamers wussing out. I was thoroughly confused, as even with a few flagging periods, it was a bona-fide awesome experience, and how could you resist seeing what the hell else might still be to come!?
― krakow, Wednesday, 7 October 2009 12:25 (fourteen years ago) link
Photos from the Magma show @ Barbican on Tuesday 6th October 2009: http://krakow.zenfolio.com/magma1009
http://krakow.zenfolio.com/img/v2/p902588780-3.jpg
http://krakow.zenfolio.com/img/v7/p48122999-3.jpg
http://krakow.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p1035562987-3.jpg
― krakow, Wednesday, 14 October 2009 23:03 (fourteen years ago) link
jealousy
― original bgm, Wednesday, 14 October 2009 23:52 (fourteen years ago) link
<a href="http://www.seventhrecords.com/MAGMA/EMEHNTETT-RE/html/er_1.mp3">new record sample</a>
― Dominique, Wednesday, 21 October 2009 22:58 (fourteen years ago) link
ügh
― Dominique, Wednesday, 21 October 2009 22:59 (fourteen years ago) link
Got some Chrome Hoof photos from this show sorted now as well: http://krakow.zenfolio.com/chromehoof1009
http://krakow.zenfolio.com/img/v7/p739082944-3.jpg
― krakow, Tuesday, 27 October 2009 13:05 (fourteen years ago) link
just got new one, Emehntehtt Re, in the mail today -- best vocals of any magma studio release?
― Dominique, Wednesday, 4 November 2009 23:12 (fourteen years ago) link
Excellent, I'll have to start looking for it about the place. Definitely going to pick this one up after hearing the piece at the Barbican show.
― krakow, Thursday, 5 November 2009 12:34 (fourteen years ago) link
awesome! didn't realize this was coming out so soon.
any other impressions?
― original bgm, Thursday, 5 November 2009 16:49 (fourteen years ago) link
not as impressed by this as i was by KA.
― fit and working again, Thursday, 5 November 2009 18:10 (fourteen years ago) link
but i'm only on my second listen.
― fit and working again, Thursday, 5 November 2009 18:13 (fourteen years ago) link
I'm actually like this better than KA, though compositionally, it's some exhausting! I think the middle 30 mins of the CD is constant peaking ("Hhai" through "Zombies" to old Magma heads). Vander's drumming sounds a bit tighter to me than on KA, tho since I've been listening to the Retrospektiw tracks the last couple of weeks, everything else is going to pale in comparison. But I still think the singing, specifically the choral arrangements and production, are the best that I've heard on a Magma disc. Really precise arrangements, really beatiful blending-- haha, I feel like a choral director commenting on it, but it's just put together really well w/the band!
Also, the DVD is cool. Vander is a perfectionist, but often doesn't know *exactly* what he wants, so hats off to his poor bandmates doing their best to figure it out. I'm going to start saying things like "that take had more music in it" at rehearsals from now on.
― Dominique, Thursday, 5 November 2009 18:25 (fourteen years ago) link
*somewhat* exhausting, that is
v. excited to hear this.
personally, I'm usually OK with exhausting. probably even prefer koenjihyakkei to magma! (sacrilege?)
also love KA, btw. especially the hypnotic build of "KA II".
― original bgm, Thursday, 5 November 2009 20:26 (fourteen years ago) link
probably even prefer koenjihyakkei to magma! (sacrilege?)
I like some of their stuff better than some of Magma's, so you're not totally alone in your heresy.
― sarahel, Thursday, 5 November 2009 20:32 (fourteen years ago) link
good to know. :-D
obviously, they're each doing different things within the prog framework... I think I just prefer koneji's heaviosity.
― original bgm, Thursday, 5 November 2009 20:35 (fourteen years ago) link
De Futura is still "the jam" though.
― sarahel, Thursday, 5 November 2009 20:48 (fourteen years ago) link
as a bassist (and human with ears and a soul), I can only agree.
― original bgm, Thursday, 5 November 2009 22:13 (fourteen years ago) link
Coming around to this. There's just a lot more going on than on KA. Exhausting is the word.
― fit and working again, Wednesday, 11 November 2009 21:43 (fourteen years ago) link
Can't argue with Dominique's description above.
― fit and working again, Wednesday, 11 November 2009 21:44 (fourteen years ago) link
Picking this new one up tomorrow/today and have amazing reports from my very trustworthy (in terms of musical taste) friend. Excited.
― krakow, Thursday, 12 November 2009 00:19 (fourteen years ago) link
Jade chante magma!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52vhtwuGjOA
― MaresNest, Thursday, 12 November 2009 11:09 (fourteen years ago) link
wow. that's fantastic. I really must expose my daughter to more zeuhl.
― m the g, Thursday, 12 November 2009 11:21 (fourteen years ago) link
Looks like she understands the lyrics - real feeling there!
― Soukesian, Thursday, 12 November 2009 13:16 (fourteen years ago) link
Ha that Jade footage has been floating around for a couple of years now. I'd like to think that she's moved on to the likes of Mekanik Machinenow she's a bit older.
― The people of Ork are marching upon us (Matt #2), Thursday, 12 November 2009 16:27 (fourteen years ago) link
i like to think she'll form a baby eskaton cover band.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBaCum5V8Hc
― armed with swords and hash (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 12 November 2009 16:33 (fourteen years ago) link
hey dudes, i'm listening to "simples" - does anyone know if "klaus kombalad" is an excerpt of a longer song?
― audacity, hubris, overweening pride! (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 3 December 2009 12:44 (fourteen years ago) link
whoah, "muh," closing track on kobaia, is so so good
― kamerad, Monday, 14 December 2009 14:37 (fourteen years ago) link
finally listened to emehntehtt-re. first thoughts: FUCKIN' MASTERPIECE.
will have to listen to this many, many more times. was taken back by the parts that sound like new arrangements of "hhai" and "de futura" (or is it one of the similar songs bookending it on udu wudu? can't remember.) but they sound great in the context of this album.
really liked K.A but this new one is just massive, and on first listen, it pales.
now I'm listening to kobaia and reading the liner notes. (the ones from the recent box set.) not sure how much of this is due to translation, but vander has some seriously great quotes in here:
There we were, a few crazy people stuck in a studio rehearsing the same thing over and over, saying: We're going to change everything! We're going to change everything! We're going to change everything!!.. We never stopped!... I remember eating a sandwich sometimes but it sat on top of my drums, that sandwich... I ate it playing the drums..."
and my fave:
When Magma came into being in 69, I considered the people who came to our concerts as enemies (we used to play mainly in clubs.) They'd listen a bit, then chat whilst they had a drink and I knew that it was because of people like this that Coltrane died.
― original bgm, Wednesday, 16 December 2009 04:58 (fourteen years ago) link
k.a pales in comparison to emehntehtt-re, that is.
― original bgm, Wednesday, 16 December 2009 04:59 (fourteen years ago) link
and now that I'm re-reading the thread, I see that dominique already ID'ed the track I was iffy on ("zombies") and hit on some similar points. cosmic consciousness, man...
― original bgm, Wednesday, 16 December 2009 05:07 (fourteen years ago) link
the coltrane thing I quoted sounds like something herzog would say on a commentary track.
― original bgm, Wednesday, 16 December 2009 05:49 (fourteen years ago) link
yeah - it does sound like Herzog, doesn't it?
― sarahel, Wednesday, 16 December 2009 22:56 (fourteen years ago) link
Anyone else been following the absurd "ex Magma member outs Christian Vander as a N@zi" furore at the Kohntarkosz Magma blog? Here : http://kohntarkosz.blogspot.com/2009/11/some-words-about-recent-controversy.html
― The people of Ork are marching upon us (Matt #2), Thursday, 17 December 2009 00:23 (fourteen years ago) link
wow, had not heard about that. sounds like a lot of speculation and very little in the way of facts...
― original bgm, Thursday, 17 December 2009 01:38 (fourteen years ago) link
Crucial question: Does Christian Vander like or loathe Hogan's Heroes?
― sarahel, Friday, 18 December 2009 20:49 (fourteen years ago) link
FACT: christian vander is indifferent towards hogan's heroes.
― original bgm, Friday, 18 December 2009 23:02 (fourteen years ago) link
listening to live cover of Gamma Anteria ("allelujah" part of KA) by Eskaton....!
― Dominique, Friday, 18 December 2009 23:29 (fourteen years ago) link
FACT: christian vander feels that apple strudel has been misunderstood
sort of surprised it's taken this long for the internet to spark this off, and so many of the comments after that post are a case study in witch hunting and self-righteousness. it's sad to see people so ready to turn their backs on music which they've loved for decades. and yeah, the internet is dangerous, we all consider ourselves media-savvy and critical and then we read a blogpost summary of a private facebook chat and civility evaporates
that being said, it's hard to miss the Nazi content being explored throughout the music & packaging once you see it. and the framing of it can definitely be ambiguous. to me I thought it was clear that the framework was critical -- on the cover of the first album, the corrupt Swastika'd world is being vengefully -destroyed- by the Space Talon, and the story involves humans fleeing into space to leave a culture not worth saving. (but then, the original gatefold cartoon of the band...).
And, as a poster way down on that thread in response to those paling in horror after someone pointed out the phonetic match for the 'Zir Hhäi' chant: The 'Zir Hhai' phrase comes at the moment in the narrative of the Theusz trilogy when the people have turned towards the tyrant.) But the fact that the chant is maniacally intense & uplifting part of the record is too much for some people. Or the monologues in 'Zess' or 'Stoah', too close for comfortable listening. The other symbols in the packaging, critical references or stealth advocacy? Any multi-album science-fiction opera about despotic alien warlords systematically conquering the galaxy is going to be this complex.
The comments are worth reading in full if you love the band and I'm writing this much because I'd hate for this to turn into a brainless viral meme about their music passed around by people who haven't engaged with it. Even after I heard the rumors a decade ago, I decided that the music has far too much going on inside it for it to be written off, and the comments helped me figure out why -- Vander's reverence of Coltrane and gospel, the woman he married, the diversity of the musicians he consistently chooses to work with -- in practice his life is more nuanced than any personal issues he has, and as a result far far more ends up in the music than any kind of secret, personal advocacy of an ideology. Which explains exactly why so many social progressives have found their way to, and love this music. Liner notes of 'Köhntark', 'The music of Magma is like a mirror where everyone can see a reflection of who he is'.
― Milton Parker, Saturday, 19 December 2009 00:25 (fourteen years ago) link
very thoughtful take on this, milton. great stuff.
― original bgm, Saturday, 19 December 2009 18:54 (fourteen years ago) link
So eMusic has tons of Magma now, and I presently own only Live (1CD version) and MDK. They don't have the original recording of Wurdah Itah but they do have the live Trilogie Trianon version. Is the Trianon one a good way for me to hear this music?
― I DONT WANT HOUSE CHICKEN I WANT THIS PLACE CHICKEN! (Jon Lewis), Tuesday, 6 April 2010 18:19 (fourteen years ago) link
was listening to wurdah itah this morning and reading the liners. vander talks about a demo version that they recorded w/a slightly different/more stripped-down lineup. he says it was a much wilder performance then the one eventually released as his solo album and that those sessions were the ones featured in the Tristan et Iseult film.
anyone ever hear this demo? sounds cool.
― original bgm, Saturday, 24 April 2010 17:20 (thirteen years ago) link
Bits of it here :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePF056VfC5k
― Matt #2, Saturday, 24 April 2010 17:34 (thirteen years ago) link
ah, thanks. doesn't sound wildly different but the raw quality lends it a darker quality that seems to work in its favor.
but maybe I'm just projecting bc of the visuals.
dig those big bass drum htis and shrieking.
― original bgm, Saturday, 24 April 2010 17:43 (thirteen years ago) link
I would happily watch 2 hours of absurdly dressed actors galloping around to the sounds of Magma tbh
― Matt #2, Saturday, 24 April 2010 17:55 (thirteen years ago) link
Yes! Not so sure about the version of MDK on that box set though
― Matt #2, Saturday, 24 April 2010 17:56 (thirteen years ago) link
no doubt.
digging the image on the back of this sleeve:http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=1749064
(the second one down - don't think discogs allows hotlinking)
― original bgm, Saturday, 24 April 2010 18:54 (thirteen years ago) link
(re: Kohntarkosz) Reportedly, when Vander seemed to notice other bands copping his style (most notablhy Mike Oldfied, who Vander accuses of having literaly stolen music from him for Tubular Bells), he changed his style a bit.
... by stealing the electric piano intro on "Kohntarkosz (Part Two)" from "Partial Belated Overture" by the Incredible String Band perhaps? I'm sure he didn't btw, but it does sound like it!
― Tom A. (Tom B.) (Tom C.) (Tom D.), Tuesday, 7 September 2010 10:27 (thirteen years ago) link
... on the other had "Troller Tanz" is uncannily like the Residents, particularly the *Mole Trilogy period, expect for the bits that sound like John Williams' music for "Star Wars"
*uh hold on... unless I'm much mistaken, the Mole Trilogy is a series of concept albums documenting an apocalyptic clash between competing cultures (sometimes) sung in a made-up language...
― Tom A. (Tom B.) (Tom C.) (Tom D.), Monday, 13 September 2010 10:27 (thirteen years ago) link
saw magma in nyc last night. absolutely great. I have some minor quibbles - would have liked a more varied set (emehntehtt-re was played in its entirety), felt like the blues jam at the end of the "kobaia" clashed with the magma aesthetic, and no "de futura"!
but seriously, this is small-time stuff. I'm a grouch that always wants bands to play shorter sets and they left me wanting more after playing about two hours. they were AMAZING and finally seeing them live was pretty special to me. plus, the stark, colorful lighting and dark prog combo made me feel like I'd walked into suspiria. awesome.
and the new song they opened with was SO GOOD. kills me that it probably won't show up on a proper recording for a few years. here's the best clip I found online:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlWwZwL4pwM
doesn't really do the massive sound justice. :-/
― original bgm, Tuesday, 21 September 2010 16:21 (thirteen years ago) link
You can really hear strains of Magma in the new Foetus album.
― b-5-caps, Friday, 1 October 2010 00:19 (thirteen years ago) link
I saw jg thirwell at that show!
― Dominique, Friday, 1 October 2010 01:29 (thirteen years ago) link
they were kind of beyond belief. the entire two hours, I had to remind myself to keep breathing
― Milton Parker, Friday, 1 October 2010 03:03 (thirteen years ago) link
yep, pretty much.
― original bgm, Friday, 1 October 2010 14:16 (thirteen years ago) link
btw, here's the same tune from my little camera at the new york show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMxcGtnXmgA
― Dominique, Friday, 1 October 2010 17:51 (thirteen years ago) link
RIP Francois Cahen
― 30 minute synth solo (Matt #2), Wednesday, 13 July 2011 21:34 (twelve years ago) link
oh wow RIP, where did you hear?
"Ki Ïahl Ö Lïahk" is a great track!
― Dominique, Wednesday, 13 July 2011 21:38 (twelve years ago) link
:(
― geeta, Wednesday, 13 July 2011 21:47 (twelve years ago) link
r.i.p. :-(
― original bgm, Wednesday, 13 July 2011 23:01 (twelve years ago) link
there will be a seminar on Magma tomorrow night at MIT, with vintage live footage shown on a big screen
get in touch if you want to come with
― geeta, Sunday, 9 October 2011 22:45 (twelve years ago) link
Much as I love everything these guys are involved in, they really need a new graphic designer on board asap :
http://v2.seventhrecords.com/en/upload/041011_163041_PEEL_hAbNb2QK.jpg
― |III|||II|||I|I||| (Matt #2), Tuesday, 11 October 2011 21:10 (twelve years ago) link
good lord.
what is that, anyway? new album?
also, lol:http://us.fotolia.com/id/5774703
― original bgm, Tuesday, 11 October 2011 21:24 (twelve years ago) link
goddamnit
― Dominique, Tuesday, 11 October 2011 21:32 (twelve years ago) link
It's a new Christian Vander & friends record, a tribute to Coltrane as is probably obvious. There's supposedly a new Magma album being recorded too, but it'll be this new piece they've been doing called Felicite Thosz, which is pretty awful tbh so I'm not really bothered about it.
― |III|||II|||I|I||| (Matt #2), Tuesday, 11 October 2011 21:33 (twelve years ago) link
yeah, i wouldn't say awful, but from what I remember, not as driving as some of their other epics (maybe more similar to Offering than Magma?)
However, if new record has "Slag Tanz" on it, I'd buy it for that alone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elYKaEGlTCk
― Dominique, Tuesday, 11 October 2011 22:54 (twelve years ago) link
yea, was going to say exactly that. 'slag tanz' is incredible.
― original bgm, Wednesday, 12 October 2011 03:47 (twelve years ago) link
when this gets released, really think it's going to join the ranks of classic magma tracks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShPyiQEPGYM
― Dominique, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 15:48 (eleven years ago) link
and when did they start playing w/an orchestra???
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmJZxdt1hAs
― Dominique, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 15:53 (eleven years ago) link
agreed about the 1st track you posted. a serious highlight when I saw them last year. so heavy!
― original bgm, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 18:32 (eleven years ago) link
I still can't get past the first album (not to say it's incomprehensible or anything - I'm just fascinated with it to the point where I don't want to hear their later stuff yet)
― frogbs, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 18:33 (eleven years ago) link
oh man, you're in for a treat.
if you ever get the chance to see them live, jump on it. one of the best shows I've been to. the '75 live album is prob my favorite magma release too.
― original bgm, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 18:37 (eleven years ago) link
would love to regardless of how little I know of their music, but somehow I don't think Green Bay is on their list of U.S. cities to visit..
If you say they're good I'll d/l a few more discs off eMusic or something - I didn't like Autechre until you mentioned how brilliant you thought they were, then they suddenly clicked, so I'll take your word for it here
― frogbs, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 18:42 (eleven years ago) link
hah, nice.
definitely get live from 1975 (sometimes confusingly titled live kohntark or live hhai). the versions of 'hhai' and 'mekanik zain' on there are definite but the whole recording is fantastic.
I'm a big, big fan of their last studio release Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré too. essential.
if you're into the first lp, try 1001 degres centigrades. it's the closest in feel to that one though not as scattershot and already trending towards the hypnotic sound they would eventually land on and become obsessed with. unfortunately, not much else in their catalog sounds much like these early records aside from various rarities from that era.
obviously, these will not be on emusic, but the live dvds they released a few years ago are killer. check out this incredible version of 'de futura':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzlMw8jqv4k
if you use spotify, an impressive amount of their material is on there as well.
― original bgm, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 19:01 (eleven years ago) link
or, if you decide to go that another route, I imagine it would fun to just dig through release by release. fascinating catalog imo.
― original bgm, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 19:03 (eleven years ago) link
so that's how they ended up sounding, eh?
I'll probably wind up just going in order, partially b/c I'm OCD about this (it's been awesome to do that for Ae and there are a lot of artists where I *wish* I had gone that way), partially because I really want to see how they arrived at the sound everyone talks about. Kobaia sounds like a neat little jazz-rock oddity, in fact outside of some of the more "out there" vocal parts, it's fairly straight, but totally addictive
― frogbs, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 19:43 (eleven years ago) link
yeah, kobaia is a weird one but mostly in the context of the rest of their stuff. I like it a lot as well.
― original bgm, Wednesday, 16 May 2012 22:13 (eleven years ago) link
New album out May 30th!
http://www.seventhrecords.com/indexuk.html
― A++++++ would deal with again (Matt #2), Friday, 18 May 2012 20:00 (eleven years ago) link
:) (but wtf, no slag tanz)
― Dominique, Friday, 18 May 2012 20:08 (eleven years ago) link
yeah thats too bad. esp since it looks like it will only run just over half an hr :-/
― original bgm, Saturday, 19 May 2012 13:30 (eleven years ago) link
I got Udu Wudu on mp3 and it is great, very fresh for you alternative types! But there is something too ahistoric, un-seventies about owning it on mp3. I suspect it is worth the $30-40 the LP is going for on ebay...
― โตเกียวเหมียวเหมียว aka Bulgarian Tourist Chamber (Mount Cleaners), Saturday, 19 May 2012 14:48 (eleven years ago) link
Haven't seen mention of the remastered box set that came out like 3-4 years ago in the messages i've read on this thread, Sound seriously improved over the previous version of the cds.I'm assuming that edition is currently available individually.Was surprised that the end tone on MDK & Kohntarkhosz that I thought might be a glitch on the previous version was retained. i haven't heard the original vinyl so can't tell if it's on there too.
― Stevolende, Saturday, 19 May 2012 22:48 (eleven years ago) link
http://www.therocktologist.com/interview-with-christian-vander.html Fear not, Slag Tanz will be on disc eventually
I'm really digging the Univeria Zekt disc, but was this really meant to be a Magma album? Anyway that 11 minute piece at the end "Africa Anteria" is such a crazy earworm, I just can't get enough of these guys.
― frogbs, Wednesday, 8 August 2012 21:13 (eleven years ago) link
huh. the way he phrases it makes it sounds like "slag tanz" will BE the next album. could just be a second language thing but I am kind of salivating thinking of that track stretched out emehntett-re style.
― original bgm, Thursday, 9 August 2012 18:01 (eleven years ago) link
So, this new one... First listen and the piano on it is real pretty so far.
― original bgm, Friday, 7 September 2012 00:10 (eleven years ago) link
alright, I just heard MDK for the first time and, uh...yeah, that's got to be one of the most intense first listens to any album I can remember. like, if I was in an altered state of mind, I might have shed a tear or two
― frogbs, Saturday, 15 September 2012 04:13 (eleven years ago) link
reason #lostcount I love this band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRol2CJYwAM
longest and best version of "Slag Tanz" yet -- a track that has yet to be released, and has already evolved into a classic mini-epic. Magma pieces never remain static, even some of their most famous pieces from the 70s feature new twists when they play live. Inspiring.
― Dominique, Monday, 24 December 2012 23:17 (eleven years ago) link
thank you. love when this thread gets revived!
― fit and working again, Tuesday, 25 December 2012 04:40 (eleven years ago) link
finally heard Felicite Thosz this weekend on a road trip to LA. it's short. we played it twice.
― Milton Parker, Tuesday, 25 December 2012 04:53 (eleven years ago) link
yeah, I usually play it twice too
― original bgm, Wednesday, 26 December 2012 23:32 (eleven years ago) link
John Quijada, creator of a hyper-precise invented language, was inspired as a kid by Magma's created language-
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/12/24/121224fa_fact_foer
― bendy, Friday, 28 December 2012 22:11 (eleven years ago) link
yeah, and now certain Russians are very inspired by him...excellent piece.
― dow, Friday, 28 December 2012 22:20 (eleven years ago) link
I've been pretty obsessed with Wurdah Itah lately. What an incredible piece of work that is. One of those albums that I just immediately have to play again whenever I listen to it. I don't even have the words for it, everything after about 4 minutes in is just stunning. I can definitely see why so many people have a religious connection with this music.
― frogbs, Monday, 18 February 2013 16:04 (eleven years ago) link
Holy cow, Live/Hhai is just amazing. This is like the music that Zappa should've made had he not, y'know, been Frank Zappa. What are the other live albums to check out??
― frogbs, Friday, 20 December 2013 15:35 (ten years ago) link
What's Kobaian for goalkeeper?
― Eats like Elvis, shits like De Niro (Tom D.), Friday, 20 December 2013 15:47 (ten years ago) link
BBC 1974 is very well recorded, with a pretty brooding version of Kohntarkosz.Theater du Taur 1975 and Opera de Reims 1976 sound like they were recorded from the toilets, but capture the full crazed intensity they were cooking up back then.Bobino 1981 is best avoided if you're not into their funky fusion phase, a lot of it's good though but sounds a bit more like their subsequent band Offering.Theusz Hamtaahk Trilogie and the Mythes et Legendes DVDs feature the newer line-up, it's good but not as insane as they used to be.
― bleak strategies (Matt #2), Friday, 20 December 2013 16:49 (ten years ago) link
The Retrospektiw discs are great -- you just have to put up with some (actually pretty classic) 80s synths. However, the version of "Theusz Hamtaahk" on it is definitive, and I love the extended version of "Hhai".
― Dominique, Friday, 20 December 2013 17:53 (ten years ago) link
Oh yeah, those are on my list to get (Retrospektiw). Was wondering about the newer live albums since there seem to be a lot lately and I'll bet they're a lot better recorded than some of the earlier stuff. Are they all very different?
― frogbs, Friday, 20 December 2013 18:03 (ten years ago) link
The newer records by Magma are pretty much all good (live or not) if you like the band. Matt#2 has a point in that they aren't quite the same ball of fire they were in the 70s, but on the other hand, they add new wrinkles to all the pieces, and the performances/recordings are ace. I saw Magma in New York a few years ago, and it's probably the best concert I've ever seen.
― Dominique, Friday, 20 December 2013 18:16 (ten years ago) link
I may have been at the same show, and yeah, co-signed! one of the live sets I've ever caught.
― original bgm, Friday, 20 December 2013 18:28 (ten years ago) link
For me the Retrospektiw discs are the best of all. I love the synths, always felt they should've have gone farther down that road!
Aside from that, my favs are the AKT Live at BBC and also the newer 1979 live thing which is beyond killer with energy levels going straight through the roof. I also have a bootleg called live in Bremen featuring Jannick Top which gets played a hell of a lot. It's the most apocalyptic of all their stuff! They play KMX twice and both takes are staggering. Top especially sounds like some ferocious Lovecraftian monster or something. Worth tracking down!!!
Another really underrated one is the AKT Les voix de Magma which has Wurdah Itah and Zess extracts performed with choir and pianos and nothing else... maybe their most beautiful album of all. But I also am a huge fan of everything Vander did in the 80s!
― liam fennell, Friday, 20 December 2013 18:50 (ten years ago) link
xp - Well I can hardly imagine anything with the same amount of fire as the last track on Hhai. I was kind of stunned by how stupidly fast it was - were there 2 drummers or was that all Vander?
I have seen some recent videos and felt like all the newer (younger) guys did a really good job. Like King Crimson I think the constant swapping in and out of band members makes for a lot of interesting live recordings.
liam - thanks for the suggestions. I'll certainly check those out. That Bremen gig sounds amazing. Haven't heard any of Vander's work in the 80's yet or beyond...he kinda went silent for a while didn't he?
― frogbs, Friday, 20 December 2013 18:56 (ten years ago) link
if les voix is your bag definitely check out the very limited "live in tokyo" release... this one has them doing a reduction of the whole theusz hamtaahk trilogy in the same style as "les voix"
magma is a band where you can really get into the bootlegs... even though there are a lot of hoarders, there's still hundreds of hours of classic stuff out there- one needs well-seasoned ears, of course, but they tend to be on fire. sowiloi for instance was just an epic jam in '73, going on for like half an hour, and you can hear how k.a. literally turned into kohntarkosz from '73-'74. there's also the original version of "theusz hamtaahk" from dec '73 and jan '74 where they just kill it for eight minutes straight on the ending. there's also stuff like magma's first american concert, with the brecker brothers guesting on horns- shambolic but top is fabulous- the "great zombie" from '77, where the last half of emehntehtt-re was taken from- an amazing 38 minute kohntarkosz from beynes 1975- magma doing the most ear-curdling "otis" ever in a 1981 radio broadcast- the short-lived lineup with the late pierre moerlen on second drums- a '72 concert where they encore with "klaus kombalad"- some tremendously stoned takes on "om zanka" from '75 and '77- it's a major rabbit-hole.
offically some of the stuff on the "vandertop" cds (magma by another name) is worth hearing- stuff like "la musique des spheres" and a ten-minute version of "mekanik machine"... a lot of fans don't know of these
in the '80s vander transitioned magma into "offering" which was more of a jazzy thing, to some people's tastes but not as overtly apocalyptic. in '96 magma reformed and has been going strong ever since.
― rushomancy, Saturday, 21 December 2013 00:13 (ten years ago) link
from ProgressiveEars:
anyone know when "Slag Tanz" is coming to the studio?
Slag Tanz, now called Axium, is being mastered as I write. Should be out in a few months, unless Offering live is released sooner.
so...new Magma this year???
― frogbs, Thursday, 13 March 2014 20:23 (ten years ago) link
nice
― original bgm, Thursday, 13 March 2014 20:26 (ten years ago) link
Slag Tanz sung by child
― fit and working again, Thursday, 13 March 2014 21:36 (ten years ago) link
frogbs, who is that user? I forgot my progressiveears login, wondering what his source is. Trying to be a good obsessive Magma fan, but can't recall passwords in my old age
― Dominique, Thursday, 13 March 2014 22:30 (ten years ago) link
it was Dana5140, who writes for Sea of Tranquility. also posted this:
Originally Posted by Dana5140 I think the plan is to include a new version of MKD with Axium on the new CD.
that's a little disappointing. I love MDK as much as anyone but how many versions of it do we need?
― frogbs, Friday, 14 March 2014 13:28 (ten years ago) link
from "unclemeat":
They did re-record "Riah Sahiltaahk", and, along with a couple of new pieces and "Axium", this is (apparently) going to be the next CD. Also in the pipeline : the Offering DVD (and - possibly - a Vander solo DVD and a tribute to Michel Graillier, all filmed at le Triton).
― frogbs, Friday, 14 March 2014 13:30 (ten years ago) link
I see -- well, I guess it makes sense, because I don't know any other new Magma songs that are unreleased.
― Dominique, Friday, 14 March 2014 14:12 (ten years ago) link
just noticed a recent update to the magma discography at wikipedia:
2014: Rïah Sahïltaahk
― fit and working again, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:42 (nine years ago) link
http://www.rythmes-croises.org/traversesmag/modules/news/article.php?storyid=540
As previously announced, several album releases MAGMA (new and reissues) will be spread in the fall.Here is what would be the program:September 23 will see the official release of the new version of Riah Sahïltaahk on CD and LP; and November 4 will that Axiom (ie Slag Tanz) 'd.In between, Oct. 7, will be published in LP size the three volumes of the trilogy Ëmëhntett-Re, namely Könhtarkösz, Köhntarkösz Anteria and Ëmëhntett-Re. Incidentally, this is the first time that the last two albums cited benefit of vinyl media.
Here is what would be the program:September 23 will see the official release of the new version of Riah Sahïltaahk on CD and LP; and November 4 will that Axiom (ie Slag Tanz) 'd.
In between, Oct. 7, will be published in LP size the three volumes of the trilogy Ëmëhntett-Re, namely Könhtarkösz, Köhntarkösz Anteria and Ëmëhntett-Re. Incidentally, this is the first time that the last two albums cited benefit of vinyl media.
― fit and working again, Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:48 (nine years ago) link
that's very good news, I'll be picking up all of that for sure
I've been playing "Attahk" an awful lot lately. Such a cool, one-of-a-kind disc, and I'll be damned if it doesn't sound like Vander is trying to invent drum n' bass a decade and a half early. Curious to hear the new stuff. I haven't actually heard a recording of "Slag Tanz" yet.
― Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 19:52 (nine years ago) link
I think the 2 new releases are EPs rather than full albums? I still haven't heard Félicité Thösz, any opinions?
― めんどくさい (Matt #2), Tuesday, 12 August 2014 21:13 (nine years ago) link
Félicité Thösz is... ok. Less rocking than many of their other records. It has yet to click with me like the previous two (amazing) albums.
― fit and working again, Wednesday, 13 August 2014 01:03 (nine years ago) link
I actually like Felicite Thosz very much, have listened to it more than any other Magma record pretty much since it came out. I love the vocals, and think it's a cohesive piece (working better on record than the live versions I'd heard beforehand). Energy-wise, it's not as intense as some of their other records -- and in that way, is maybe more similar to Offering. But form-wise, and certainly music-wise (ie the kinds of melodies, harmonies and rhythms I associate w Magma), it's totally in line with Vander's past stuff. As an added bonus, the final track, which isn't part of the title suite, is one of my favorite things he's written since the 70s.
― Dominique, Wednesday, 13 August 2014 03:08 (nine years ago) link
Yeah that last track is lovely. I expect I'll come around to the album eventually, just need to spend more time absorbing it all.
― fit and working again, Wednesday, 13 August 2014 03:19 (nine years ago) link
I fucking love Félicité Thösz - it is very much like Wurdah Itah for me, composition and style wise. It does also have an Offering vibe but only because it's very clean sounding and the focus is on the singing - the more I listen to it, the more I think comparing it to Offering is a little misleading. It is actually pretty damn heavy for something so pretty. I have so much more time for it over the other recent albums.
The new ones are indeed almost certainly EPs but anything is possible. Slag Tanz is heavy as all get out - twisted guitar riffs, intensity and chanting. A cd of that is certain to be good. Riah Sahïltaahk on the EPOK 5 dvd is totally whatever, kind of uninspired, so that doesn't get me very excited... we already have a perfect version of it from 1971 is the way I feel.
At this point, I mostly just hope they get around to doing a definitive Zess someday...
Super belated response to the post above, I agree those VanderTop things are all terrific and actually all of them just got repressed on cd so they are now readily available after a few years of being hard to find. Essential, really.
― liam fennell, Wednesday, 13 August 2014 12:29 (nine years ago) link
yeah I'm not sure what a re-recorded "Riah Sahilttahk" would even be like, the original sounds great and it's a really tight composition, so I don't really know what can be done. but I'm glad they haven't forgotten about it
― Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Wednesday, 13 August 2014 12:45 (nine years ago) link
speaking of jannick top, anyone ever hear utopic sporadic orchestra? or his solo albums? seems like infernal machina and soleil d'ork are his 'zeuhl' releases?
and echoing the felicite thosz love, wurdah itah comparison is spot on.
― original bgm, Wednesday, 13 August 2014 17:03 (nine years ago) link
Pretty much. Infernal Machine is newer and kinda like Zeuhl nu-metal... kinda gross but still cool. He sounds the same and the compositions are good! Just the production is questionable with lots of crunchy guitars.
Soleil D'ork is super good - an essential Magma single called Mekanik Machine combined with lots of demos of all his compositions from that time period if I remember right. Things like De Futura with Top playing every single instrument. Sound is a little rough but not bootleg-rough and it all hangs together pretty well, really! A lot of synth work. It's all very futuristic and sci fi. In case anyone has missed this monstrous little thing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s0TwBJ8gf0
Utopic Sporadic Orchestra is like a Magma big band with most everyone from the Magma universe and is pretty cool. I think the one CD I have is live; a 20 minute version of De Futura and a 20 minute version of another song from Soleil D'ork. Overall it is not too different from the VanderTop live albums, just denser!
― liam fennell, Wednesday, 13 August 2014 18:41 (nine years ago) link
awesome, thank you. big fan of "makanik machine" so I might start with soleil
magma big band also sounds exciting!
lol "zeuhl nu-metal"
― original bgm, Wednesday, 13 August 2014 18:54 (nine years ago) link
I've been playing Attahk a lot lately, there isn't anything else quite like this is there? Almost feels like Vander's playing drum n' bass back in 1978.
― Maggie killed Quagmire (collest baby ever) (frogbs), Friday, 12 September 2014 13:04 (nine years ago) link
Slag Tanz out Jan 27, here's an excerpt:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ec1oFgi6hcU
― Dominique, Thursday, 20 November 2014 13:53 (nine years ago) link
oh wow
― J. Sam, Thursday, 20 November 2014 16:03 (nine years ago) link
http://www.cadoganhall.com/event/magma-150508/
Live in London May 2015! Other UK dates happening too I think.
― めんどくさかった (Matt #2), Thursday, 20 November 2014 16:35 (nine years ago) link
so, who's heard slag tanz?
can't imagine a magma fan wouldn't like it, I mean, the song IS pretty killer. but I do mean "song"... the whole album is about 20mins long! :-o
― original bgm, Thursday, 22 January 2015 02:41 (nine years ago) link
seeing you bump this thread and the Hosono thread at roughly the same time, I gotta ask: is it just me or is there a lot of overlap between the YMO and Magma fanbases? its not just ILX, it seems to be that way on last.fm, discogs, and RYM, even a lot of the music blogs I follow, am I crazy?
(and no, I haven't heard Slag Tanz, I'm just kinda surprised it's actually out!)
(also, can we use this bump to talk about the possible (or probable?) US tour dates!?)
― Abstinence Hawk (frogbs), Thursday, 22 January 2015 04:18 (nine years ago) link
don't really hear too many musical similarities there but those are two of all-time fave bands...
so, what's this about US tour dates??
― original bgm, Thursday, 22 January 2015 05:21 (nine years ago) link
Magma supposed to announce April US tour dates next week, but per their FB page:
The dates of april in north america will be definitely confirmed this week.North america April concerts: Dates and venues tbc next week.VancouverSeattlePortlandSan FranciscoLos AngelesChicagoBostonNew York City
― Dominique, Thursday, 22 January 2015 15:54 (nine years ago) link
anyone else gonna try for that Chicago date??
― Abstinence Hawk (frogbs), Thursday, 22 January 2015 16:10 (nine years ago) link
Maybe Kraftwerk are the glue between Magma and YMO - weird electro-pop on the one hand and crazy euro prog on the other.
From a prog message board :
Chicago is April 10, as I noted above, at Reggie's Music Stage in the south Loop. Show will be announced next week, and it will be held in the larger of the 2 ballrooms (Cactus is playing in the other at the same time. The mind reels!).
― めんどくさかった (Matt #2), Thursday, 22 January 2015 16:25 (nine years ago) link
Maybe Kraftwerk are the glue between Magma and YMO
hah, I like this theory
― original bgm, Thursday, 22 January 2015 17:58 (nine years ago) link
psyched for this tour, they're so great live!
― original bgm, Thursday, 22 January 2015 17:59 (nine years ago) link
Got mine today, starting listen #3 now. If you've heard the Epok V DVD version of this piece, I'd say the new version is pretty similar, if not *quite* as fiery. However, this also has the new middle section ("les silence des mondes"), and a new ending -- and obv things like vocal precision and general clarity is better here. IMO Slag Tanz is already a classic Magma piece, and if nothing else, this album (or EP, really) has me incredibly psyched about the future of this now-45 year old band.
― Dominique, Thursday, 22 January 2015 21:47 (nine years ago) link
magma are definitely in a very, very small circle of acts that can still crank out top-notch material this far down the line. and this aggressive too!! this one's a classic, for sure.
― original bgm, Friday, 23 January 2015 03:54 (nine years ago) link
I do wish there were more to the recording, but like with the last one, I just play it a few times in a row
― original bgm, Friday, 23 January 2015 03:56 (nine years ago) link
http://frenchculture.org/music/news/magma-tour-north-america#.VMgLpkSDM_g.facebook
― Wu-Tang Clannad (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 22:25 (nine years ago) link
yep, got my NY tix
― Dominique, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 22:26 (nine years ago) link
fuuuck i think i might have to go to the portland show
― languagelessness (mattresslessness), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 22:47 (nine years ago) link
slag tanz is excellent, i had no idea
― languagelessness (mattresslessness), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 22:49 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, it's really good!
― pelvic slang (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Wednesday, 28 January 2015 08:09 (nine years ago) link
While this isn't a "Classic or Dud?" thread, I'll just pretend it is...
Dud.
― You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Thursday, 5 February 2015 02:00 (nine years ago) link
I mean, I love and have time for a hell of a lot of progressive rock (and prog-related) bands and fully embrace the overblown, over-the-top, pompous, masturbatory, so-ridiculous-it's-actually-sublime nature of the genre... but these guys are too ridiculous even for me.
― You’re being too simplistic and you’re insulting my poor heart (Turrican), Thursday, 5 February 2015 02:15 (nine years ago) link
What else don't you like? Can we get a top 5?
― pelvic slang (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 5 February 2015 03:15 (nine years ago) link
serious prog question btw
― pelvic slang (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 5 February 2015 03:17 (nine years ago) link
seconding that request
― Abstinence Hawk (frogbs), Thursday, 5 February 2015 16:10 (nine years ago) link
I only did one close listen, and a few background spins, to Slag Tanz and so far think it is just okay as a mini-album. GREAT live piece, though. I might be overexposed to it in that context, having caught it in concert a few years ago and having looked at EPOK V quite a bit. It is not really opening up any new and exciting Magma sound universes for me, at least not in the way something like Felicite Thosz continues to do. The jury is still out, though. I can imagine my opinion changing after listening to it really loud sometime!
Slag Tanz is, however, probably Vander's shining studio-recorded moment as a drummer. He is really killing it and firing on all cylinders! Those kinds of people interested in prog for the athletic aspect should dig the hell out of the thing!
Incidentally, I don't find Magma ridiculous at all! Well, maybe a little, but not in any way that detracts. Mostly I detect seriousness, 100% commitment to the concept and a little bit of humor when they incorporate a bit of James Brown and Stax/Volt R&B into the sound. I guess the concept is certainly inherently and undeniably ridiculous but the strength and intensity of the actual compositions and performances easily transcends that. Even on Merci! I fucking love Merci!
Also, Dominique, how do ya feel about the vibes player?! Does he totally take the band to a whole new level or what on the EPOK V dvd? He so thoroughly steals the spotlight for the new pieces that I can't imagine how they'd be without him. A secret weapon: not only a strong musician but also simultaneously a keyboard player AND a drummer! A perfect foil for Vander. I can't help but wonder if his inclusion a few years back is what ultimately kicked off this new cycle of works?
― liam fennell, Thursday, 5 February 2015 18:47 (nine years ago) link
I like Benoit Alziary on vibes, and when I saw Magma play a few years back (so far the only time, until April), he was one of the highlights. Agree that mallet percussion seems a great fit in Magma, and also happens to tie them a little closer to what I always thought was the non-rock counterpart to zeuhl, minimalism a la Steve Reich.
― Dominique, Thursday, 5 February 2015 23:44 (nine years ago) link
The non-rock non-Les Noces counterpart, you mean
― a drug by the name of WORLD WITHOUT END (Jon Lewis), Friday, 6 February 2015 23:28 (nine years ago) link
Lengthy interview w Vander from the LA Record in advance of Magma's show Monday.
http://larecord.com/interviews/2015/04/04/magma-christian-vander-interview
― Dominique, Wednesday, 8 April 2015 22:58 (nine years ago) link
Show in Seattle was absolutely fantastic. If anyone is on the fence, just go.
― Deverly (Bangelo), Wednesday, 8 April 2015 23:39 (nine years ago) link
Yeah, the Vancouver gig was mind-blowing. Incl. a large chunk of MDK, Kohntarkosz, side 1 of 1001 Centigrades...just go if you get the chance.
― everything, Wednesday, 8 April 2015 23:53 (nine years ago) link
kicking myself for not getting tix before they sold out here :(
― vyvyan vanse (clouds), Thursday, 9 April 2015 04:51 (nine years ago) link
Just got home from their SF show - 1:45 of towering, pulsating, transporting music. Setlist as far as I could tell was Kohntarkosz, MDK, Slang Tenz, Zombies.So glad I got the chance to see them.
― totally unachievable goals and no incentive to compromise (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 9 April 2015 05:52 (nine years ago) link
SO GOOD
― Milton Parker, Thursday, 9 April 2015 17:13 (nine years ago) link
No merch table - guess you gotta earn one of those shirts
― totally unachievable goals and no incentive to compromise (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 9 April 2015 19:27 (nine years ago) link
A guy who used to work at Rhino's store back in the day said the manager there owned a Magma necklace and kept it on display; he'd let the employees try it on but then they'd be obligated to wear it for their whole shift. Wish I worked there, man, I'd be Magmaing hard all day every day.
― ^^^ NOT METAL (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 9 April 2015 19:30 (nine years ago) link
without a doubt
― totally unachievable goals and no incentive to compromise (Sparkle Motion), Thursday, 9 April 2015 19:31 (nine years ago) link
i should go as xian vander for halloween this yr -- i have the crazyface for it already.
― vyvyan vanse (clouds), Thursday, 9 April 2015 19:47 (nine years ago) link
its killing me that they're in Chicago tonight and I won't be able to go
― frogbs, Thursday, 9 April 2015 20:21 (nine years ago) link
I mean it's a 3 hour drive through a tornado watch so it wouldn't be easy but damnit damnit damnit
Cool interview, thanks! Very, uh, expansive, ha. I never had a black and white dream but I have a friend who always dreams in b&w. Recurring dreams are strange as hell and so is the notion of astral traveling or whatever it is he's talking about!! Jealous of everyone who is going to see them this time around!
― liam fennell, Friday, 10 April 2015 14:14 (nine years ago) link
froggie, the show's totally sold out anyway so you'd brave the storm for nothing. :(
chicago iss nikt de hundin right now ;_;
― vyvyan vanse (clouds), Friday, 10 April 2015 14:46 (nine years ago) link
Decided to give Merci a chance last week. I'm glad I did. It reminds me a lot of the album they did as Univeria Zekt in 1972. Side 2 and "Otis" are really great.
― frogbs, Monday, 13 July 2015 13:14 (eight years ago) link
oh man, if you love Vander's scat singing, Offering is the band for you!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6_o-fsArzU
― frogbs, Thursday, 1 October 2015 14:15 (eight years ago) link
Listening to "Concert 1975: Theatre Du Taur" and man, what a version of "Kohntarkosz." Sound quality is fucking great, too, raw but you feel like you're sitting about 50 feet from the stage. Can we get a Dick Pick's style series of Magma live recordings, please?!
― jimmy falloff (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Wednesday, 7 October 2015 12:39 (eight years ago) link
Vander's Ganders
― jimmy falloff (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 8 October 2015 18:14 (eight years ago) link
Top's Pops
― めんどくさかった (Matt #2), Thursday, 8 October 2015 18:29 (eight years ago) link
Blasquiz's Mass Kisses (had a bit of trouble with that one)
― めんどくさかった (Matt #2), Thursday, 8 October 2015 18:30 (eight years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar5sXdM9Jr8
been loving this album from Jacqueline Thibault, wife of Laurent Thibault
― chaki (kurt schwitterz), Thursday, 8 October 2015 18:51 (eight years ago) link
Stell's Belles
― Terry Micawber (Tom D.), Thursday, 8 October 2015 18:51 (eight years ago) link
That Thibault track is very cool.
― jimmy falloff (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 8 October 2015 19:01 (eight years ago) link
FYI they're about to issue a live box, feat remastered of Live/Hhai and the Retrospektiw discs, as well as newer sets. And I'll be getting it.
― Dominique, Thursday, 8 October 2015 19:32 (eight years ago) link
Cool! Hope it's not super-pricy.
― jimmy falloff (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Thursday, 8 October 2015 20:01 (eight years ago) link
it's out now. anyone got an opinion on how these compare to the originals? heard great things about the new version of "Hhai/Live" at least but I always thought the sound quality on the original was real good, as were the Retrospective discs - amusing that their live recordings sound better than the studio ones
― frogbs, Tuesday, 24 November 2015 03:10 (eight years ago) link
3 day residency at Cafe Oto in September:https://www.cafeoto.co.uk/events/magma-three-day-residency/
― Barnaby, Hardly, Thursday, 7 April 2016 07:34 (eight years ago) link
really bummed I had to miss the Chicago show...I happened to be moving that same day
heard they're really on fire this time around. hope a live disc comes out. I mean, what's one more
― frogbs, Thursday, 7 April 2016 13:06 (eight years ago) link
(xp) Jesus, they'll destroy the place!
― Terry Micawber (Tom D.), Thursday, 7 April 2016 13:11 (eight years ago) link
Hey, this is the thread that got me into Jacqueline Thibault aka Laurence Vanay. Two more Vanay albums being reissued on CD by Lion, all worth checking out. Folk-psych-jazz-rock does nothing to explain it but it's great stuff that's hard to pin down.
― Hamilton, Joe Frank & Two-Thirds of Asphyx (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 23 August 2016 01:05 (seven years ago) link
Also thanks chaki!
After 3 intense years traveling the planet, Magma will not be on the road in 2018, except for an exceptional event to be announced in March. Our program is recording a new studio album. Keep posted for some new adventures.
what could this be? Zess or something new?
― frogbs, Thursday, 22 February 2018 15:08 (six years ago) link
Oh wow, fingers crossed for studio Zess.
Also, unrelated but can we talk about how gorgeous/hypnotic "Eliphas Levi" from Merci is? Definitely a top 5 Magma track for me, and that includes the album-length epics.
― J. Sam, Thursday, 22 February 2018 17:55 (six years ago) link
Side 2 of Merci is so good. I feel like all the complaining about that album is due to "Call From the Dark" and "Do the Music", cuz the rest of it is great - "The Night We Died" is my pick for the most beautiful Magma tune ever
― frogbs, Thursday, 22 February 2018 19:52 (six years ago) link
Also unrelated but Magma alumnus Didier Lockwood died recently, he's the guy playing ridiculous jazz-rock violin on "Live-Hhai" - recorded when he was about 17, amazingly.
― めんどくさかった (Matt #2), Thursday, 22 February 2018 19:55 (six years ago) link
Steve from Wayside music (who is usually in the know on such matters) says it's Zess
I think the band has always said Zess would be their final recorded piece, which I guess is fine...they've been around 50 years now...but still a little sad
(that said, who knows, bands say shit like that all the time)
― frogbs, Friday, 16 March 2018 13:19 (six years ago) link
apparently coming out in 2019 for a big 50th anniversary blowout. guessing it'll be a wrap after that.
its kind of disappointing that the band has written so little new music in the last 4 decades though I must admit the concept of them "finishing" pieces decades later is pretty fucking cool. probably my favorite Magma moment was listening to Emehntehtt-Re for the first time and hearing them work "Hhai" in there
― frogbs, Saturday, 16 June 2018 21:10 (five years ago) link
Slag Tanz live videos are addictive.
― my dreams in the hell-pits (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 19 June 2018 09:53 (five years ago) link
London show next October:
http://islingtonassemblyhall.co.uk/events/magma-4th-oct-islington-assembly-hall-london-tickets/
― GG Allin: The Musical (Matt #2), Monday, 26 November 2018 17:03 (five years ago) link
Might try and get to that. Vander isn't going to carry on forever.
― Bimlo Horsewagon became Wheelbarrow Horseflesh (aldo), Monday, 26 November 2018 22:31 (five years ago) link
yea I can't see them going on too much past 2019 and by all indications they're going to pull out all the stops for Zess, I think this is it
― frogbs, Monday, 26 November 2018 23:14 (five years ago) link
It's in my manor I might go along, I saw them the last time they were in London though.
― Monica Kindle (Tom D.), Tuesday, 27 November 2018 01:25 (five years ago) link
pricing plane tickets rn
― DEATH PUPPET (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Tuesday, 27 November 2018 05:51 (five years ago) link
wtf
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBI1EL6G5vY
― Zeuhl Idol (Matt #2), Saturday, 5 January 2019 18:56 (five years ago) link
thank you for making my day
― errang (rushomancy), Saturday, 5 January 2019 19:23 (five years ago) link
fantastic... thank you!
― visiting, Saturday, 5 January 2019 20:13 (five years ago) link
holy shit just hook it to my veins
this studio version! https://xoxo-ex.bandcamp.com/album/the-last-seven-minutes
― (⊙_⊙?) (original bgm), Sunday, 6 January 2019 01:25 (five years ago) link
A thread on nerdy Japanese backroom musicians/producers telegraphing their obsessions via idol culture is overdue imho.
― MaresNest, Sunday, 6 January 2019 13:00 (five years ago) link
love that the cover for the single is a takeoff on Flaming Youth's "Ark" album
― blood, loud screaming and nudity (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Sunday, 6 January 2019 21:41 (five years ago) link
its like a fever dream
― frogbs, Monday, 7 January 2019 14:50 (five years ago) link
lol MaresNest listen to this
https://xoxo-ex.bandcamp.com/track/progressive-be-bop
― frogbs, Tuesday, 15 January 2019 15:14 (five years ago) link
Trailer for the forthcoming album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCF9-k_LnOg
― Zeuhl Idol (Matt #2), Wednesday, 1 May 2019 11:01 (four years ago) link
getting the feeling that this is gonna be insanely good
― frogbs, Wednesday, 1 May 2019 13:56 (four years ago) link
Who says Vander doesn't have a sense of humour?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Hc02vaxDow
― Boulez, vous couchez avec moi? (Tom D.), Monday, 26 August 2019 09:57 (four years ago) link
That film title, though (think 'me want da Benjamins')… Casual racism in the service of post-May 1968 anti-capitalism. Autres temps, autres mœurs, I guess.
― pomenitul, Monday, 26 August 2019 10:13 (four years ago) link
looks pretty fantastic actually
http://www.frenchfilms.org/review/moi-y-en-a-vouloir-des-sous-1973.html
― Milton Parker, Tuesday, 27 August 2019 00:09 (four years ago) link
we haven't discussed the new album much - I know it's an old piece but still, I think it's as good as K.A. or ER. the orchestra is a really nice touch.
― frogbs, Tuesday, 3 September 2019 15:55 (four years ago) link
Heads up, there's a fantastic audience recording from Toulouse '72 gone up on D1m3 for those that are interested.
― Maresn3st, Saturday, 28 March 2020 22:04 (four years ago) link
holy fucking shit, thank you, i haven't been on dime in ages and never would have seen this. this is amazing, a 15 minute dotz hundin?!? i know of the rare charente tape from the same month that opens with a killer version of "undia", a great tape by a really unusual skeletal lineup, so fantastic to have more, all hail the liberators
― Kate (rushomancy), Saturday, 28 March 2020 23:00 (four years ago) link
YALL THIS IS FUCKING AMAZING
i had no fucking idea dotz hundin was ever performed outside that one time
― Kate (rushomancy), Saturday, 28 March 2020 23:06 (four years ago) link
Seems there was a big upheaval in the ranks at the end of last year - long-serving bass genius Philippe Bussonnet has been replaced with Jannick Top's son (!) and the vibes player is gone too. Several new singers have swelled the ranks though, although of course it's all on hold for a while now along with everything else.
― i was joking about the cat soup thing (Matt #2), Saturday, 28 March 2020 23:41 (four years ago) link
Be aware this is two years out of date now and it's all changed again.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/631d4bfede7feaa1d54e6459f535fe75.png
― dominance and transmission (Matt #2), Saturday, 6 June 2020 16:32 (three years ago) link
Stella did some cute stuff pre-Magma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLE4AeCnpjw
― The Fields o' Fat Henry (Tom D.), Friday, 3 July 2020 14:50 (three years ago) link
https://i.imgur.com/6sx5dHL.jpg
― frogbs, Tuesday, 20 April 2021 03:48 (two years ago) link
Fair deal
― Shaidar Logoff (GOTT PUNCH II HAWKWINDZ), Wednesday, 28 April 2021 07:01 (two years ago) link
new stuff coming Oct 7? I thought Zess was supposed to be their final album? anyone have a clue what this is?
https://www.facebook.com/zeuhlwortzmekanik/posts/578689800285739
― frogbs, Friday, 17 June 2022 15:23 (one year ago) link
Preview track up from the oddly-titled new album Kãrtëhl. Sounds upbeat!
https://seventhrecordsmagma.bandcamp.com/album/k-rt-hl
― downton abbey 2049 (Matt #2), Saturday, 13 August 2022 23:15 (one year ago) link
Maybe cuz this (and at least one other track) are from the Attahk era? I wonder what the rest sounds like. Only listened to a minute of the preview track (cuz let’s face it, I’m buying this no matter what) and it’s nice
― frogbs, Sunday, 14 August 2022 00:14 (one year ago) link
Wow the preview track is great, reminds me of Félicité Thösz. Was hoping they would return to the more melodic, optimistic vibe of that one.
― J. Sam, Sunday, 14 August 2022 18:08 (one year ago) link
Bandcamp page is still up but the preview track and buying options seem to have disappeared
― Paul Ponzi, Tuesday, 16 August 2022 11:55 (one year ago) link
anyone got it yet? my copy is still on order but it looks like some people got theirs weeks ago
The Quietus reviewed it, they seem pretty high on it
https://thequietus.com/articles/32113-magma-krthl-review
if it's really somewhere between Attahk & FT I suspect I'm gonna like it very much
― frogbs, Wednesday, 28 September 2022 14:11 (one year ago) link
oh yeah it's nice. I actually hear echoes of a lot of Magma albums on this. the band itself sounds a bit like Offering, real jazzy and smooth. it's recorded really well too. this is how I wish they were recording Vander's drums from the start. lets see what else. one of the tracks opens with what sounds like the entire band making turkey noises. I love it. "Dehnde" is the track that sounds like what Magma would've done after Attahk. I also think this is the first Magma album you could probably play in mixed company. it just sounds really great. my only complaint is the vinyl itself which is a 2xLP when the album itself could easily fit on one. it's cool that the demos are there but you don't really need them. it's not like they were anywhere near complete at that stage. on the other hand I guess showing what these tracks evolved from 45 years ago is pretty cool. just not worth the extra LP. whatever. the music rules.
― frogbs, Monday, 17 October 2022 04:07 (one year ago) link
also got the lps over the weekend. agreed on the smooth, polished sound and this being a generally good thing. its pretty evocative music, something like a jazzy lost morricone score to an italian 70s police procedural. or something.
initially this feels like this might be the best since Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré but i gotta spend some more time with it.
― (⊙_⊙?) (original bgm), Monday, 17 October 2022 23:13 (one year ago) link
they sound like Setna now. who of course draw a lot from Magma. I mean this could've been on the album:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pjESCC_nkQ
just noticed that the new bassist is Jimmy Top, who I assume is the son of Jannick Top. or maybe the brother of Jimmy Pop??
― frogbs, Tuesday, 18 October 2022 19:00 (one year ago) link
I never thought that I would hear any music ever again that sounded like "Supertzar" off of Sabotage, like a mass offered up to the Elder Gods or some shit…but goddamned if that's not what Mekanik Destruktiw Kommndoh sounds like… one almost wonders if Tony heard Magma, much less this record…very very unlikely…
― veronica moser, Friday, 21 October 2022 19:09 (one year ago) link
new video?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmgJkEajQUo
― kurt schwitterz, Thursday, 13 April 2023 08:16 (one year ago) link
RIP Brian Godding
― sophie glanced up, looking concerned (Matt #2), Monday, 27 November 2023 12:56 (four months ago) link
listening to the best album of all time, merci
― ivy., Thursday, 4 January 2024 05:01 (three months ago) link
i mean all-time for "otis" alone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTERp_MTcis
― Kate (rushomancy), Thursday, 4 January 2024 05:54 (three months ago) link
I love the live versions of Otis. the studio cut is alright, a little subdued, which makes that high note Vander hits pretty jarring. imo Side 2 of Merci is incredible. in fact I think the whole album would be much better regarded if they'd just cut the first track.
― frogbs, Thursday, 4 January 2024 14:39 (three months ago) link
you don't even have to cut the first track... offering's arrangement of it is really good!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXXzXRI668M
― Kate (rushomancy), Thursday, 4 January 2024 15:13 (three months ago) link
I think Vander realised that trying to make Magma a commercial soul/funk band was Not Happening and took it in a jazzier direction with Offering, since the prog sci-fi album cycle approach was a little out of step with contemporary sensibilities by that point. Another thing that wasn't happening: replacing the best drummer in the world with a fucking LinnDrum.
― derek of the bailey (Matt #2), Thursday, 4 January 2024 15:28 (three months ago) link
Love Merci! "Eliphas Levi" is my favorite Magma song that isn't an album-length epic
― J. Sam, Friday, 5 January 2024 04:33 (three months ago) link
eliphas levi is amazing, my standard take on "merci" is that it's the one where they "sold out" with a concept album about death featuring an 11 minute piece about the 19th century magus who transed baphomet which incorporates mccoy tyner's piano solo from trane's version of "my favorite things"
which definitely puts it on my list of "greatest sellouts ever", alongside albert ayler's _new grass_
― Kate (rushomancy), Saturday, 6 January 2024 04:06 (three months ago) link
also, i went to listen to this song and i get to see stuff i wouldn't run across normally, like this epically bro-y video about baphomet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOgeejjr2VQ
― Kate (rushomancy), Saturday, 6 January 2024 04:09 (three months ago) link
I Will Return is one of my favorite Magma tunes, I love when they just go full showtune
its too bad they didn't release a whole lot between 78 and whenever Offering started, they were going in a real interesting direction. what bothers me about Merci is that it's just sort of orphaned out there
― frogbs, Saturday, 6 January 2024 04:13 (three months ago) link
I think Vander realised that trying to make Magma a commercial soul/funk band was Not Happening and took it in a jazzier direction with Offering, since the prog sci-fi album cycle approach was a little out of step with contemporary sensibilities by that point. Another thing that wasn't happening: replacing the best drummer in the world with a fucking LinnDrum.― derek of the bailey (Matt #2)
― derek of the bailey (Matt #2)
the thing is that magma never really sounded like "merci", if you listen to live concerts from the early '80s the group naturally evolves into the "offering" sound as vander tried to adjust to the realities of life in a post-blasquiz magma. "merci" is kind of an outlier. as for the linndrum, it sounds great... when prince uses it. christian vander isn't prince.
idk i lost a bunch of my playlists when my old hard drive crashed recently... mostly it was curated grateful dead mixes (though i kept the "tc era dark star" epic mix i spent a month working on in late '21, thankfully... best mix i did that nobody will ever hear) but there's some great unreleased magma stuff. at least for the attahk era stuff you can hear the bourges '79 official release and bobino '81. anyway there's a great early tape of offering from late '83 that shows off the direction they were going at the time.
― Kate (rushomancy), Saturday, 6 January 2024 04:41 (three months ago) link
I think Otis sounds like a certain side of Magma but yea that's what's frustrating about it, it lacks any context
― frogbs, Saturday, 6 January 2024 05:00 (three months ago) link
Just went through the track listings of the aforementioned Bourges '79 and Bobino '81, and yes there's basically an unreleased album there:
RetrovisionWho's My LoveYouÜrgon GorgoZaïn
which all, depending on how long they could be stretched out, adds up to around 40 minutes. Plus there's a couple of demo recordings from the era that were on the "Kãrtëhl" album from a year or two ago. Given that they've spent the last couple of decades excavating old pieces that never had a proper recording I wonder if there are any plans to tackle this stuff before Vander retires/dies?
― derek of the bailey (Matt #2), Saturday, 6 January 2024 20:45 (three months ago) link