K.A. (Kohntarkosz Anteria) by Magma and the Kobaïan Saga

K.A. (Kohntarkosz Anteria) by Magma, 2004 album.

Magma is a French band founded in Paris in 1969 by drummer and composer Christian Vander after being struck by a "vision of humanity's spiritual and ecological future" and the death of jazz saxophonist John Coltrane.

Their sound was initially influenced by 20th-century classical composers such as Carl Orff and Igor Stravinsky, and they evolved into pioneers of the Zeuhl genre.

They sang most of their lyrics in an artificial language called Kobaïan, invented by Christian Vander, 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 real language with its own syntax, grammar, and dictionary.

Their albums have centered on the "Kobaïan Saga," beginning with their self-titled debut (later re-released as Kobaïa), which tells the story of a group of people fleeing a doomed Earth to settle on the planet Kobaïa. Subsequent albums have expanded this narrative by exploring spiritual and environmental themes.

Their genre, Zeuhl, is a complex fusion of jazz-rock, symphonic rock, and avant-garde music, featuring repetitive and intense rhythms, dramatic vocals, choral arrangements, and powerful bass lines.

The Kobaïan term "Zeuhl" means "celestial" and has become the term describing this specific style, influencing other bands even to this day.

The band has undergone numerous lineup changes, with Christian Vander remaining the only permanent member and the driving force behind the band. Notable former members include bassist Jannick Top and violinist Didier Lockwood.
In 1970, they released their first album, Kobaïa. In 1973, they released their greatest masterpiece, Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh. The band disbanded in 1984, after the release of the album Merci. They reunited in 1996, and have been active ever since. I'll see them soon, in March 2026, in concert with their original lineup in Rome; I'm already very excited.

K.A. (Köhntarkösz Anteria) is a triumphant return, twenty years after their golden age, and a masterpiece of the Zeuhl genre.

Featuring compositions largely written in the 1970s, but performed with modern technology, the sound is clear and powerful. This album has such power that it rivals the magnificent Mekanïk Destruktïw Kommandöh, with a complex, seamless, and intense fusion of jazz-rock, avant-garde, opera, and modern classical music.

The concept is essentially a prequel to the 1974 album Köhntarkösz, and the narrative explores the main character's spiritual quest through three lengthy suites lasting approximately 11, 16, and 21 minutes.

Parts I and II are melodic pieces with splendid phrasings for piano, guitar, and vocals, supported by Vander's as always extremely precise drumming and Philippe Bussonet's metronomic bass.

Part III begins with a long instrumental section that showcases the jazz side of Vander's music and then evolves into the signature Magma sound. This section features a "Hallelujah" refrain that approaches more "traditional" prog.

Christian Vander's drumming is superb, as always, precise and energetic, and the vocal performances are excellent, including the female backing vocals. In my opinion, along with Mëkanïk Dëstruktïẁ Kömmandöh, this is Magma's best album. A key album for the Zeuhl genre and for progressive rock in general, and the fact that it was released twenty years after their initial masterpieces makes it extraordinary. I can't remember many bands capable of doing this.

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

Tracklist

1. K.A I (11:12)
2. K.A II (15:53)
3. K.A III (21:43)
Duration 48:49

LineUp

- Christian Vander - vocals, drums, percussion
- Stella Vander - vocals, percussion
- Isabelle Feuillebois - vocals
- Himiko Paganotti - vocals
- Antoine Paganotti - vocals
- James Mac Gaw - guitar
- Emmanuel Borghi - piano, Fender Rhodes
- Frédéric d'Oelsnitz - Fender Rhodes
- Philippe Bussonnet - bass