ARCHAÏA

This album is often given the Zeuhl label, which I believe may be an exaggeration - yes, of course, they were influenced by Magma; and that unmistakable Zeuhl bass sound is very much present, but Archaia seems to be equally influenced by other French bands of the 70s such as Flamen Dialis and Fille Que Mousse. Often sounding like a hybrid of the coolest 70s styles - electronic avant-garde, Krautrock, Zeuhl and the real deal prog, this album, which is extremley rare; is a guaranteed killer. Those with a penchant for French music of the 70s or any of the genres mentioned above will dig this album. The bass is the foundation for all else - ghostly voices, screaming voices, authoritive voices, manipulated voices and electronic mayhem collide on its rolling waves. Guitars soar,bellow, fracture into fragments - peircing shrills stabbing into the heart of the wicked walls of instrumentation. Often, one is lulled in to the falsest sense of security but then, of course, a stabbing synth will riddle all who stand before with its shards of electronic noise, then ghostly voices, once again, will appear. It took me a bit to get into this album (the mark of true class?), once I did, however, it totally charmed me with its otherworldness. That is not to say this album is difficult avant- garde, far from it - just complex (the Zeuhl influence once more?). If its possible - go get this album, it does not dissapoint!