ARCHAÏA

After Magma I was ready to leave the Zeuhl genre for dead. Soon after my displeasure with that genre, I gave RIO a second chance and liked it. So I decided to give Zeuhl a second chance as well. I had already tried magma and absolutly could not stand them, they were needlessly complex. Sometimes less is more and Archaia proves this point to a T. Yes they are complex but in a way that won't scare off the average listener or without being prententious like similar artists. These guys remind me of Lard Free with the heavy bass and experimental nature. They are fun and orginal, give them a shot!

A relaxed lysergic stream meandering through an ancietn rockface, Archaia belong to that magical category of bands that having released only one full length to limited acclaim before disbanding, became known and renowned thanks to the advent of the internet. This release doesn't share an awful lot in common with traditional Zeuhl, whilst the bass is the strongest link and some of the melodic themes are recognisable this is without a doubt a psychedelic release. This psychedelic component is very strong yet isn't easily definable as it is largely the sum of it's parts. The production definitely plays a large role though, it is reasonably lo-fi in that there isn't a lot of low end and there is a lot of fuzzed out guitar and in general it is very distant and sparse sounding - delicate would perhaps be an appropriate term (the percussion only approach turns out to be genius in this regard). There is also a palpable malaise which permeates the music, this turned out to be a stoner classic because it's a record that actually relates to the feeling of being stoned unlike any record I've encountered.

I strongly recommend this album, it is one of those weird unique little albums that fills a place in your musical life that nothing else really does, a tranquil other-worldly piece of music.

Archaia may have been Magma fans, but they certainly weren't Magma clones. At last we have a Zeuhl album without the bombast, where a drumless Magma meets a stringless Universe Zero. All drums have been sacked in favour of an altogether more creepy Zeuhl sound. Sinister, with elements that conjure up visions of Aleister Crowley or a black mass. Archaia have similarities to Heldon and Lard Free. This album is more laid back than those bands though.

There's quite a lot of droning mediaeval chants which makes it sound like it should have been used in that scene from 'Rosemary's Baby' where the baddies are lurking around that big black pram! The guitars are drenched in fuzz, the bass is claustrophobic and throbbing and the vocals are somewhat similar in style to Magma's Klaus Blasquiz. Unfortunately some of the early keyboards are a wee bit on the cheesy side though.

An album to be listened to with the lights off for the full effect. Get it in time for Halloween!

Archaia play a style of Zeuhl which combines chunky bass lines from Michel Munier (whose skills are on a par with Jannick Top's) with Heldon-influenced synthesiser interventions from Pierrick Lebras and Philippe Bersan. (Pierrick also plays a decent guitar.) Tending slightly towards the creepier, scarier end of Zeuhl, the album shows an impressive mastery of the form which isn't quite on a level where I'd recommend it to people new to the genre - it's not as good as Magma, and since it isn't very accessible I'd recommend listeners become conversant with other Zeuhl groups before trying it - but it's worth a listen for any fan of the form.

ARCHAIA was one of those bands that emerged from the lysergic ethers of the tripped out mid-70s, released one album and then returned to the other dimension from whence they came. The band was from Paris, France and the members were self-proclaimed fans of Magma and wanted to create a totally new style of zeuhl and on their one and only eponymous release, they managed to do just that. This is one of those very, very, very weird albums that is so tripped out that it even appears on the Nurse With Would list. Weird it is and that's why i love it soooooo much!

While categorized officially as zeuhl, this is no Magma clone in any way. This is a bizarre hybrid of psychedelic symphonic rock, progressive electronic and of course the Kobaian rhythmic charm that allows it to be catalogued in the zeuhl family. One of the strangest aspects of ARCHAIA is that there are no traditional rock drums involved at all however there is percussion in the form of chimes, bells, other metal things and tribal sounding drums used sparingly throughout the 38:44 long freakfest.

What we get here is Michel Munier's convincing Jannick Top inspired bass line that gives the album a rhythmic zeuhl skeletal form and sprinkled around these beefy rhythms are Heldon inspired spastic keyboard runs and electronic freak outs of Philippe Bersan who also delivers some seriously haunted vocals. Even though the lyrics are in French this actually sounds way more alien than Magma's fictitious language. While the symphonic keyboards, zeuhl bass and electronic trippiness are the major players in this wild world we are also treated to occasional psychedelic guitar runs that would feel right at home on any Steve Hillage recording only in addition to the echoey notes reverberating into multi-dimensional forms, there are healthy doses of bizarre glissando guitar slides as well as stringed freak outs as well.

While the rhythms march on, guitars and keyboards creep in and out of the picture and slowly build up higher intensity while strange angelic Tarzan type calls bellow from the brume of the misty mound of sonic pile ups. This is really an odyssey through odd world. As the album progresses from beginning to end we are treated to fluttering electronica, Arachnoid inspired spookiness, hypnotic musical motifs and off-kilter zeuhl rhythms that pulsate like squids in the turbulent seas while bursts of vocalizations surround the wake and guitar riffs zigzag about.

I would classify this much more as psychedelic space rock or more appropriately space zeuhl that takes the listener on a wild crazy ride through a private musical universe that remains a mere blip in the musical world of 1977. While the album has has the feel of a religious cult's prayer service complete with a chanted type of vocal style, fuzzed out freakiness, dark and chilling atmospheres and a feel of a bizarre world where even the Residents would feel at home, ARCHAIA managed to boil down a lot of ingredients into a cauldron of creative amalgamation which successfully creates the freakiest fusionfest i've ever heard. This is indeed the promised soundtrack for lysergic ghosts haunting alien soundscapes. One of my favorite albums actually. Recommended. 4.5 rounded UP!

ARCHAIA were a three piece band out of France who were influenced by MAGMA yet sound nothing like them. Yes there is a resemblance with the vocals(at times) but these guys put a unique spin on Zeuhl if that's what you want to call this. Two of the guys play synths which is what makes this different. We get spacey synths, almost theremin-like synths but also growly ones too. The guitar is often distorted or high pitched but again different and there are no drums but there is percussion. The bass is excellent too by the way. The music is dark and adventerous, it's what I would call innovative.

"Soleil Noir" opens with the sound of children along with strange sounds that slowly pulse and hover before this train-like rhythm arrives replacing both. Spacey synths join in and then vocals that remind me of AQUASERGE. Some raw guitar replaces the vocals but the vocals are back as they trade off. It ends like they began. "L'arche Des Mutations" reminds me of HARMONIA with those higher pitched sounds as the bass pulses. Vocal melodies before 1 1/2 minutes then these high pitched crazy synths take over along with lower ones that hum. The vocal melodies are back then spoken words before it kicks into gear with distorted guitar, vocals and synths. A calm then the guitar lights it up after 3 1/2 minutes as the bass pulses. Vocals are back as themes are repeated. It's really spacey before 5 minutes with synths then whispered words around 6 1/2 minutes. I like the guitar 8 minutes in as it starts to build, vocal melodies too. Spoken words turn to yelling. Intense.

"Sur Les Trances Du Vieux Roy" has these synths that hum as vocal melodies join in along with sounds that pulse and echo. Percussion joins in. It settles back. This is so cool. "La Roue" has deep bass sounds, percussion and growly synths. Laughter comes and goes in this very unique sounding piece. "Le Festin Du Lion Vert" is an uptempo track with both vocal melodies and vocals as sounds beat and pulse. A calm before 2 minutes with vocal melodies reminding me of MAGMA. There's a Navajo vibe that comes in as we get chanting and percussion to the end.

"Massa Confusa" has a haunting intro with intricate sounds and water splashing. Some spoken words here as well before we hear a scream 2 minutes in as the soundscape turns eerie. The water sounds are back. "Le Grand Secret" has spacey synths, bass, percussion, vocal sounds and guitar expressions. The spoken vocals before 1 1/2 minutes are brief as vocal melodies take over with bass, synths and percussion. Some brief spoken words are back at 2 1/2 minutes then the vocal melodies are back late. "Vol Du Phenix" features percussion, bass and high pitched guitar to start. This is almost catchy. It changes before 2 minutes as spacey synths and picked guitar take over. It sounds like cars driving by to end it.

I don't usually comment on bonus tracks but these three are from 1978 and were recorded live in Paris and they are fantastic. We do get actual drums on the final two tracks plus keys too. "Armaggedon" is very zeuhlish with the chanting and bass as it builds. It changes big time before 2 1/2 minutes with these haunting voices overwelming the previous soundscape until all you hear is the voices. So cool. "Robots Dans Le Formol" has a killer rhythm to it with vocal expressions and spoken words. It's intense a minute in with those powerful synths replacing the vocals. Keys join the rhythm 1 1/2 minutes in. The synths stop as the vocals return. Themes are repeated. "Chthonos" has a catchy beat of drums and bass with guitar expressions and synths.

This was an absolute pleasure and without question one of my favourites from 1977.