ATTAHK

Despite its abrasive cover, which still looks weird despite being now familiar, this album is very chill, intricate in its beauty but subtle.

'The Last Seven Minutes' start with throbbing jazz fusion, but quickly evolves into yoddling gospel by Vander and co, transforming the inhospitable of Kobaia into the welcoming sounds of a celestial landscape.

Then 'Spiritual' embraces this gospel and does it unapologetically. The song is not particularly difficult or challenging. But it is transcendental, transporting the listener along. Unlike most iconic prog acts, Magma is not necessarily about complexity, but about transcendence and, to the dismay of most fans but not me, they would embrace this ethereal and spiritual aspect more and more - with Merci, then Offering and then the XXI century iterations.

But it all started with this album, which, after the black American influenced 'Spiritual' gospel goes straight into eastern territory - according to them. To me, it sounds perfectly in line with both medieval and romantic/modern French classical tradition - from Machaut to Saint-Saens, to Debussy to Messiaen in 'Rinde' - a no drum track in which Vander simply sings in his improvised language. And it's absolutely hauntingly beautiful.

Again, Magma realizes to perfection what I most like about the prog world - it tries to find the sweet spot between rock, jazz and classical music. Rinde quickly proceeds to a throbbing bass build-up melody, which has you at the edge of your seat, repeating itself in a cycle - with a strange voice singing the main melody, like a folkflore song from an ancient tribe in Persia. Then it evolves, almost undetected, into a climax of heavenly praise.

Let's stop here a bit to discuss how incredible Guy Delacroix's bass is here. Everyone talks about Jannick Top's bass playing (which is exquisite) and his contribution (even though I am not particularly fond of his compositions, and in fact would rather Vander would have composed more instead).

The next song is also carried by the amazingly in the pocket bass lines. What an incredible funk fusion track. Miles would be proud I think. Vander's singing/speech performance here is one of his best. Whatever he is saying, it really captures what the song needs. The bass and fast drumming lead you through an incredible journey of vertigo, announcing a reckoning of the musical story. It then explodes in climactic disssonant disco, very reminiscent of what would come later in Merci. Beautiful. Dissonant disco funk is always a treat. And Vander does it best. The track ends with virtuoso druming and weird mechanical sounds.

It then transitions into another 'spiritual', less rhytmic track, Dondai, which is another gospel hymn. Just like in Merci, in which the disco funk goes into a flute and voice led, almost raga. The major led chords, accompanied by slow repetition and jam type bass, the choir and Vander interplaying beautifully tell me we're reaching a destination in the album. This could almost be called 'world music' as it sounds 'ethnic' - the whole album does - but it actually is 'out of this world music', in many different interpretations of this term.

The last track is a fast paced starter, with dramatic chord progression, that then goes into a funky groove with mysterious and emotionally charged melodies, almost reminding one of Styx or alternatively of George Duke or Minnie Riperton. Vander sings in an almost operatic way, at times reminding of MDK - a nice reminiscence. This track is a perfect closer to a perfect album.

Despite its strange, nasty cover, the music here is very beautiful in a delicate sort of way and like the best Magma albums, you always feel like you're moving, going somewhere, and in the end you truly arrive - MDK is like that, Merci is like that, and Attahk is also.

A masterpiece.

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