AKTÏW1

Zeuhl has long escaped the clutches of France where it still is the stronghold but Latin America hasn't exactly jumped on the bandwagon. RËLISP comes from Mexico City and features ex-Magma and ex-Weidorje keyboardist Patrick Gauthier. This band has cranked out its first EP in late 2023 and features three extremely strong tracks.

As expected AKTÏW1 is heavily inspired by the inventors of zeuhl themselves, Magma and given Gauthier's presence makes it even more so. "Arrakis" opens with a strong choir presence with a contrapuntal guitar line adding a bit of extremity to the classic sound. The track meanders into different territory with a frenetic guitar, bass and drum section that ventures into metal as far as the tempos go but ends in a wild Rock In Opposition free fall.

"Sündïa (Rest in Peace in Silence)" starts off a bit on the melancholic side with a moody viola but gives way to the classic female vocal led cyclical loop style of Magma but then adds some jazz with a feisty saxophone presence. The track remains cyclical and simply ratchets up the tension until it all breaks into freeform and picks up speed. Just when you think it gonna get even wilder it completely shifts gears and offers a soft Canterbury Scene electric piano excursion. It's then joined by a female vocalist and picks up steam

"Zenösyne" jumps back into zeuhl territory with a mellower Magma sound but slowly ratchets up the tension. This band has mastered the art of slow and seductive mood changes and then can revert back again at the drop of a pin. The band keeps the mellow female zeuhl parts but then adds layers of chaotic viola before erupting into one of those classic Magma outburts of a stentorian choir and hyperactive bass, key and drum attack. The viola adds a whole other layer of dissonance and the keys retain a bit of Canterbury flair.

This is an amazingly great album only kept from masterpiece status by the blatant borrowing of Magma influences. In fact if someone were to tell me this was a lost Magma artifact from the past i'd probably believe them. It's so authentic it's eerie yet it's not Magma. It's more like Magma in another parallel universe. Needless to say that this is a band to watch out for. If this is what they can achieve on their first release then i'm extremely anxious to see what's next. An amazingly fresh take on Magma that offers more than enough twists and turns to keep the hardened progger engaged!

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