ENNEADE

This is a sampler from the Musea Records label featuring mainly Zeuhl styled music. It was originally released back in 1987. At the time of the release these were all new tracks. A fairly up and down listen I must say with some excellent tracks mixed in with some poor to average songs.

Up first and appropriately so is MAGMA but why they chose the song "You" is beyond me. This is a commercial sounding track all the way and at least the live version i've heard is an improvement on this one. Next is a band called TROLL and a song called "Break Up Dance". Kind of bombastic really with some prominant synths part way through. Violin takes over for the synths then the synths return. It's an okay instrumental. XALPH follows with "Gya-Tei" and I was drawn to this right from the first listen. A laid back instrumental with melancholic synths. This just sounds so good. Bernard Paganotti follows with "Urantia" a song that features plenty of tempo changes and moods which surprised me. An interesting track. The great Yochk'o Seffer follows with "Freya" and the horns certainly stand out throughout. Violin 2 minutes in on this one. ESKATON follows with "La Lutte" and it's a dark and deep sounding piece as female vocal expressions will come and go. An electronic vibe to this as well.

Francois Cahen is next and he worked with Yochk'o Seffer for so many years in ZAO and before that MAGMA. I really enjoy this tasteful piece with Cahen's beautiful electric piano work standing out. SHUB NIGGURATH sounds exactly like they should(haha) with that dark and eerie mood being front and center. EIDER STELLAIRE treats us with "Millenaires" and they do not disappoint. As usual I enjoy the guitar in their music as we get that typical Zeuhl rhythm that drives the song. Sax before 2 minutes. Great track! MUSIQUE NOISE is new to me. Not a fan of the male vocals or the overall sound of this one. FARBEN is also new to me and it opens with piano before a full sound arrives. It's an okay instrumental. ALTAIS is next and the sound of wind blowing greets us before haunting female vocal melodies join the wind. Things get a little too intense vocally when the male vocals arrive. Not a fan of this really. UNIVERS ZERO ends this with "Toujours Plus A L'est" a fantastic sounding tune. By the way this song would lead off their "Crawling WInd" EP.

So not a bad way to be introduced to Zeuhl I suppose, a mixed bag for sure.