Soleil Zeuhl New Releases

From Alain

After nearly 2 years of silence, the label is back with 3 new items that will be available soon from your fav vendors (well, very few nowadays...). 
For those attending the RIO fest next week, they will be available at the SZ table. 
French & Euro customers can buy them now on line (CDandLP & Discogs right now / Amazon in a couple of weeks or so / Priceminister in a few days). 

4 titles were intially planned, the new UNIT WAIL album ("Egarés") being delayed to (early ?) 2019. 

Due to (very) low dematerialized sales for our previous prods (notably Corima "Amaterasu", Unit Wail "Beyond space edges" + couple of others), the decision to sell digital or not isn't that clear at the moment. Looow motivation so far...

And overall, thank you to everyone for the long-lasting support since..... 1998 ! 

VAK – Budo (SZ 55)
This is VAk’s second CD but their real first album as the 1st CD was a compilation of early works (2 Eps) recorded over a long time period and not initially intended for physical release. We have now a very mature band and a slightly different line-up : Aurelie Sainte-Croix (vocals), Vladimir Mejstelman (drums and compos), Joël Crouzet (bass and guitar) and Alexandre Michaan (keys & compos). With also guests on sax, flute & guitars. The album features 3 long tracks (2 clockin’ over 20 minutes). The music is strongly rooted into Zeuhl sounds, the closest comparison could possibly be Eskaton because of the beautiful wordless singing of Aurelie. Strong rhythm section and great keys works by Alex. Udi Koomran did the mastering. This is certainly one of the best albums of the zeuhl genre since long! 

SCHERZOO – 04 (SM 53)
As the titles says, this is Scherzoo 4th album. As “usual”, the line-up around F. Thollot has changed and the music has taken a new direction. Featuring Antony Pontet (electric piano, organ), Grégoire Plancher (electric piano, mellotron), Clement Curaudeau (drums) and Francois Thollot (bass & all compos). Not much zeuhl in this new all-instrumental album but a strong 70’s Soft Machine influence due the prominence of distorted organ. A great modern take on Canterbury style.

SHUB NIGGURATH – Introduction (SZ 56 / vinyl)
Limited edition of 500 hand-numbered copies. Nice packaging : a white vinyl housed into a printed outer transparent plastic sleeve. The cover design is a variation chosen by Franck Fromy on the original 80s tape cover. All tracks previously issued on CD in 2009 (SZ 22).
This Shub Niggurath album features the bands very first recordings, it is an absolute killer! Of all the second-generation French Zeuhl albums perhaps this recording best recreates the savage intensity of Magma’s early period instrumental moments. The two extended pieces, “Yog Sothoth” & “Barback”, by the bands two composers Jean Luc Herve and Frank Fromy, come from out of left field to musically blow the cobwebs out. The album closer, “In Memoriam”, is fittingly titled and works to perfection as a final musical footnote to the album. You will not find more powerful music made by anyone, anywhere than on INTRODUCTION. In fact, it may well be one of the top 5 French albums to have come out of the second wave of the French Zeuhl movement. Archie Patterson – Eurock.