Don't you know that the song composed by Magma "La Dawotsin" inspired Mike Oldfield for Tubular Bells.

Edited by Jaz - March 23 2015 at 12:45

Thanks for the reply, Tom. It's too bad a Babelfish can't help us out!

Yes, I really enjoy the variety and musicianship of the Kobaia album. There's soft pretty passages, some fast and exciting, some scary, some weird and funny off-kilter parts that remind me of Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come and Frank Zappa. I liked disc one best of the 2, but overall it's a fun album.

I'm thinking of going chronological order with their discography when I do get any more albums. Though I'm a little hesitant about MDK. I don't know about those piercing vocals I heard clips of (they kind of scare me away), and I read that the album is repetitious.

^ I don't think there is a Kobaian to English translator - and Babelfish is NOT de Hundin
I'm still obsessing over E-Re - such a wonderful album.
Poeghost, absorb that phenomenal debut album, lots of variety there and great musicianship to enjoy. Liking Magma is rarely an instant love, they to take some getting used to, but when you actually 'get it', it's easier from there.
I find that with their long concept pieces, they usually have a hard-hitting intro, some meandering themes, then after a while, before you know it - BANG !! They are locked into a fast-paced, energetic and mesmerising groove that is intense as all hell, and it goes on and on. At this point, nothing else around you seems to exist, only the music and vocals. Then afterwards, they wind it down with more varied themes and reprises.
Can see why snooker champ Steve Davis is soooo into them.

It is very difficult to distinguish a spark in the middle of a lava flow.

geekfreak wrote: help me hellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllp me, I`ve never listened to Magma. so where to start please...

Edited by Stereolab - March 10 2015 at 23:17

I've been giving Magma a try lately. Only listened to Trilogy on Spotify and some clips on Amazon to get an idea. I have mixed feelings about them. I like some of what they do, but find the falsetto vocals to be too shrill and overpowering and the music can get repetative for too long. One time I listened to the live part of Trilogy and kind of liked it. Another time I didn't as much. I was thinking maybe their first album Kobaia might be more accessible for me? (I'm more into symphonic and eclectic prog) I do find the band interesting with the ideas behind what they are doing (creating a language) and have a cool logo. I like their first record album cover design too.

I'd like that book in English as well.
I must confess - a lot of the time the vocal arrangements overshadow the actual music, perhaps mixed more up-front. Now, these are up there with the most complex arrangements of choir that I know of, they fit the music perfectly, but at times, like MDK studio, and even K.A is guilty of this, the vocals are quite OTT. E-Re got the balance ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. And I love how they can jump from oppressive and sinister, to blissfully profound within a key-change.
I believe that band members can hold genuine, sensible conversations in Zeuhl language. Now that's something, Maestro Vander.

I'm not sure that it exist in english ... for the moment ... ?

I'm reading this book, very interresting

Edited by Jaz - March 08 2015 at 13:27

I agree about that last bit....especially when taking into consideration the music I normally see geek freak posting about (IQ, Pendragon, The Tangent). I'd say anything from K.A. to FT probably is the most accessible entry point to Magma's discography.