Magma - ''Live/Hhaï (Köhntark)'' {France} [1975] @ 192 (Zeuhl)

This is probably their most accessible work, as it is their most 'fusion sounding work' with extremely strong soloing from violinist Didier Lockwood, but it in no way compromises their vision.

The music of this album is actually atypical for what many remember the band: martial, relentless rhythm stomps, operatic howling, bombastic horn races. Here, they expose more fully than on any previous release their jazz-rock backgrounds, and subtle, masterful musicality. The first disc is mainly comprised of one of their great long works, Kohntarkosz. Beginning with the cry, "Hamatai!", the band launches an epic with many movements, colors, and moods. Perhaps most surprising is their ease with flowing, impressionistic soundscapes. Vander has stated that when artists in the mid-70s (such as Mike Oldfield) began to borrow his ideas, he was forced to come with a new type of music. Kohntarkosz was the fruit if his new labors, and the version on this album is definitive. Great melodic, eclectic prog, with hints of fusion as well.

Track listing:

Zünd 1 (40:09)
1. Köhntark (Part One) (15:45)
2. Könntark (Part Two) (16:14)
3. Ëmëhntëht-Rê (Announcement) (8:10)

Zünd 2 (46:02)
1. Hhaï (9:20)
2. Kobah (6:36)
3. Lïhns (4:55)
4. Da Zeuhl Wortz Mekanïk (6:14)
5. Mëkanïk Zaïn (18:57)

Magma - Mekanik Zain:

Link in comment. Enjoy!

10 comments:

  1. Hi from Italy. I think the Baris Manco link is broken winrar can't extract files :-(

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  2. Great post, thank you very much.
    Greetings from Mexico.

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  3. hot shit! an essential album, strangely hard to track down! any plans to post MDK?

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  4. hello Ed..just want to make sure..link working 100/100 ok..just now a friend downloaded the zip file..he said it is working..try to open any other zip archive..i think this may solve the problem

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  5. Thanks a lot! I love Didier Lockwood!
    Freaky Z

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  6. Ed said...

    Hi from Italy. I think the Baris Manco link is broken winrar can't extract files :-(

    Sometimes that happens, it seems to be because when the servers get really full (over 9000 MB in use) the high traffic seems to corrupt the file somehow. Usually re-downloading the zip when the servers are less busy will correct this problem

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  7. Well, what else to say about Magma and his crazy and brilliant leader, mr. Vander? As creator of Zeuhl music, everyone interested on real progressive music, on its
    real meaning have to listen and to pay a looottt fo attention to its work: complex, deep, and fascinating music. Keep listening!
    And hail to this blog!

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  8. Can you reupload this please? I can't find this album anywhere, and this link is dead. The only other version of this I can find is a 1cd version which lacks some of the tracks and takes away from the experience. Thanks a lot!

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