Magma (Kobaïa) by Magma

Magma, (reissued under the name Kobaïa), Magma's first album, was released in 1970, here in a 2016 180g vinyl pressing.

 

This album, like all the band's others, is sung entirely in Kobaïan, an artificial language invented by Christian Vander, drummer and founder of the group, who conceived of Kobaïan as a kind of universal language, an imaginary extraterrestrial language spoken by the population of the fictional planet Kobaïa. Almost all of Vander's compositions are sung in this language, which, however, is not a series of meaningless sounds, but a true language with its own syntax, grammar, and dictionary.

 

This double-album debut, which earned them the reputation of being the "dark side" of  Gong, is a work that needs no introduction, its originality stunning from start to finish.

 

This is a concept album, narrating a journey to a new planet, Kobaïa, in an attempt to create a new, peaceful society, far from a ruined Earth.

 

A revolutionary, complex, and brilliant progressive rock work that blends classical music, jazz, and rock, without guitars, with a dense and intense sound. Christian Vander's drums and vocals are superb, along with his unmistakable "zeuhl" sound and his complex, tension-filled compositions.

The lack of guitars is compensated for by acoustic and electric piano, bass, and a brass section featuring clarinet, saxophone, and trumpet.

 

The album requires time and repeated listening to be fully appreciated. The structure is not always linear and can seem frustrating. There are moments of great beauty and quiet, and jazzy melodies, especially in the songs not written by Vander.

 

A sumptuous album, closer to Soft Machine than Gong in my opinion. An indispensable album.

Note: All links to the musicians' works are in the TAGS under the article title or on the "Artists" page.