CRÉATION DE L'UNIVERS

Xing Sa is an excellent new Zeuhl/fusion band from France, a side project of three members of Setna. The trio plays mostly instrumental music, with the occasional guest vocals by Yannick Duchene Sauvage. This album is, especially for Zeuhl, really smooth. At times I'm reminded of Guapo's album "Five Suns" but much lighter, with warmer production (a job well done by none other than Udi Koomran). All of the members of the band proper are really excellent musicians. The band is keyboard prominent, but A) that isn't a problem as the keyboardist is really superb and B) the drums and bass get plenty of room to shine as well. As mentioned in the band's bio, the keyboardist really channels Benoit Widemann's Moog abilities on occasion. He's got such a great sound, no matter what keys he's playing. The bassist has an excellent fuzzy sound (shouldn't come as a huge surprise as the genre's famous for its fuzzy bass fun). The drumming is jazzy and all over the place. The lack of guitar on the album isn't a bad thing, either. These three do a superb job by themselves (with a little help from their friends, of course). All of the track suites are really well played, I'm partial to the "Feu" tracks and the "Metal" tracks, though the album as a whole is really solid and even.

I would quickly recommend this album to anyone who's interested in either Zeuhl or fusion. As for the Zeuhl end, it's one of the most accessible entry points into the genre I've heard so far, which is a plus. The vocals on the album aren't as "goofy" as with some of the better known bands (really, the vocals are sparse and sort of otherworldly). This is a masterful album, and I think it deserves nothing less than a masterpiece rating of five stars. I can't find any flaws in the album, and I'm really hoping these three plan to release more albums with this band (as opposed to with Setna, whose album I haven't yet checked out).

Like Salty Jon says, there are no flaws on this album, in fact this is an incredible album filled with Fender Rhodes, organ, chunky bass and fantastic drumming. The three members are from the band SETNA and Wayside Music describes the music here as : "...think SETNA channeling ONE SHOT, but in a more proggy way". There is some guest sax and female vocals along with Chau Gongs which really add some atmosphere to the proceedings. Love the cover art and our own Udi Koomran mastered this gem in Tel Aviv.

"Feu" opens quietly with atmosphere as it slowly builds. It kicks in at part 2 with chunky bass, drums and keyboards. Great sound here as they seem to jam. A change before 4 minutes as the keyboards stop and so does the beat as the organ takes over. Part 3 features more organ as bass and drums help out. Again this is fantastic. It settles 2 minutes in with female vocal melodies. Cool section. "Terre" opens with waves of organ that washes in over and over. Amazing. Part 2 is where the beat comes in with male and female vocal melodies. Very Zeuhlish. Electric piano to the fore as the vocals stop. Keyboards are outstanding 6 minutes in. Part 3 features keys and atmosphere. The synths are a nice touch before 2 minutes. "Metal" opens with piano as male then female vocal melodies join in. It picks up before 2 minutes as drums and massive bass lines join in. Part 2 is keys in a melancholic soundscape and what sounds like string bass then mellotron, then it brightens some 3 minutes in with female vocal melodies.

"Eau" is keyboard led as bass joins in then drums. Melancholic keyboards also join in. So good. Sounds like mellotron again then organ before the tempo picks up. Female vocals 4 minutes in as it gets fuller with organ. Huge bass 7 minutes in. In fact this guy is just killing it with his bass before 6 1/2 minutes on. Part 2 has a good low end sound to it with keys as it slowly plays out. Mellotron after 2 minutes as it picks up. Now that is for sure mellotron. Synths join in then some nice bass with more mellotron. Freaking amazing. "Bois" opens with gentle keys with gongs in the background. It picks up before a minute. I'm thinking MAGMA here. Part 2 features sax, drums, piano and bass in a more energetic tempo. Organ before 1 1/2 minutes. It's a little avant sounding after 2 minutes until that energetic melody of earlier returns after 4 minutes. Part 3 opens with keys and gongs.Organ floats in.This slowly plays out the rest of the way.

It's just a pleasure to listen to some new Zeuhl especially when it's so well done. A must for Zeuhl fans.

Now there is album worth of listening. I was aware of SaltyJon's enthusiastic review, even I didn't realize that sinkadotentree made his own recently.

It's breathtaking. At first (before listening it), I wanted to say that I won't (probably) be as pleased as Jon, because I'm not that into Zeuhl (and connected genres). I always do that when I see too high rating (I feel nervous when listening something with high ratings, it's sometimes difficult for me to review it fairly).

This was before I heard Création de l'univers.

Now I can say that its graduation (not only within one song, but through entire album, 63 minutes of music) is remarkable. Also Fusion element is strong (it always worked well with Zeuhl genre, guess why). If it should resemble Creation of our Universe, then it's partially successful. It's certainly slow at times (I would almost say boring, sadly), yet thrilling at other occasions.

The big advantage is the atmosphere. It really shines. Chant singing, so usual in Magma releases is almost absent here. Not really featured here. Something which can (doesn't have to) be Mellotron and Hammond Organ are two of the most prominent keyboards. Extensions are done by saxophone, which is great for "duelling" with keyboards. Drumming is efficient and well played.

Some will find mellow harmony here. I do too, only to not so great extent.

4(+), great concept, great performance, slightly less great impression. But as rating suggests, still good.

Thank you Jon.

Zeuhl is still alive and kicking in some sectors of the new breed of France's experimental rock and jazz scenes. Bands line Neom and Setna keep on providing exciting progressive musical journeys from the Fatherland of zeuhl to the world: Xing Sa, an off-shoot of Setna, brings its own stance and vision to this 21st century zeuhl mission. Take Setna and bring away the vocalist, the saxophonist and one of the keyboardist and what you get is Xing Sa, whose repertoire is marked by Nicolas Goulay's compositions: "Création de'l Univers" is the result of this amazing musical adventure. The jazz-rock factor is more pronounced in Xing Sa than it was in Setna, which enables it to create more robust atmospheres and more vibrant interplaying: while the mother band put a special emphasis on atmospheric moods and subtle developments, the Xing Sa guys are heading for a more elaborated sort of jazz-prog sonorities in which the majestic vibe is more noticeable at face value ?but again, this does not mean that this band does not utilize subtle deliveries now and then. The thematic axis of the album's concept follows the sequence of fire, earth, metal, water and forest, in this way channeling the universe's creation from the individual elements toward Mother Nature. 'Feu 1' starts with cosmic cymbal and synth effects that develop eerie atmospheres gradually spreading an area for what will soon be the main body of 'Feu 2', a solid exercise on RTF-meet-Potemkine. The magical confluence of Moog and bass guitar is stated on the tight dynamics provided by Candé's dexterous drumming. This track easily comprises much of this album's ultimate greatness, but again, there's still more to be enjoyed along the way. With equal energy but a more somber attitude, the third delivery of 'Feu' settles in and brings a pertinent continuation of the current sonic incandescence. The 'Terre' sequence gets started with ethereal layers of chorale and synthesizer: not really disturbing, but definitely mysterious as if something distant threatened to make itself present and break some sort of order. The second 'Terre' is an exercise on jazz-fusion that is equally robust and warm: early Weather Report and 69-70 Soft machine are the most likely references here. The third 'Terre' deepens the warmth and shapes an introspective landscape, not devoid of tension due to the electric piano's dissonant nuances and the spacey textures on synth. 'Metal' continues on the same vein albeit enhancing the spacey factor: the rhythm duo's litany and the pompous melloton washes make Xing Sa lean closer to the Guapo we loved from the "Black Oni" and "Five Suns" efforts: authentic zeuhl for our modern times! 'Metal 2' bears a more grayish mood, languid as a winter night, bringing a majestic climax of semi-constrained gloom for a 5 minute span. On the other hand, the 'Eau' sequence begins on a most powerful note, delivered on a propelling swing that states a first 3 minutes of pure extroverted avant-prog. The final 30 seconds state a calm coda in order to pave the way for 'Eau 2', which in many ways retakes the warmth of 'Terre 2' with added spacey touches we had already heard on 'Metal 1'. 'Bois 1' starts the album's concluding passage as a serene prelude of majestic quietness to the catchy swing of 'Bois 2'. The presence of a guest saxophonist helps to feed and enforce the piece's current colorfulness, which in itself was mostly based on the synth washes. 'Bois 3' ends the album with a relaxed atmosphere that partially regenerates the metaphysical abstraction portrayed in 'Feu 1', only with a subtler delivery that reflects the retraction of a gradually waning magic. This sort of calculated dramatics is the best way to end such a terrific album: to my eras, Xing Sa's debut album is an undisputed member of the progressive Top 10 of any list at the end of the year.

Many years ago, reading "The first three minutes", a book about the birth of the Universe written by the Nobel prize winner Steven Weinberg, I start thinking that it would have been a great idea for a concept. I never wrote a single note of that, but I kept it in my mind for a long time. After about 30 years I have discovered that somebody else had a similar idea and has developed it very better than I could have ever made.

This album follows this line and I have to be honest, is my first Zeuhl other than Magma. What a surprise! Not only for the concept, but also for the mix of relax and pathos that's also a mix of jazz, Canterbury and maybe some Vangelis.

I won't go track by track. This is an astonishing album, less "difficult" than Magma, but not less intriguing. In particular "Terre" (Earth) all the three parts of it are really great,

Listening to this album I've been transported into a different realm. For me it's the best new discovery of 2010 thanks to PA and the reviewers who made me curious about this band.

I'm aware that this is not a great review, but I was wishing to tell somebody about this music so I couldn't wait to have totally uderstood it before writing. I'm sure that every new thing I will find into this will only increase my listening pleasure.

Of course 5 stars.

Xings Sa have delivered a truly impressive album with their Création De L'Univers debut. The band is a side project of the - equally obscure - French Zeuhl band Setna. Création De L'Univers is basically a progressive jazz-rock album but the steady hypnotizing rhythms and the occasional guest vocals give it just enough Zeuhl credibility to file it as such.

The album feels like a jazzy, more relaxed and spacious version of Guapo's Five Suns. Also Magma's 1001 Centigrades comes to mind. On occasion there are influences from Area (check the Arabian theme halfway in the opening track) and the first part of Metal isn't far removed from the tripping bleakness of Massive Attack's Mezzanine. A couple of tracks feature vocals that chant along with the music. They are quite subtle and certainly not as distressing as Magma's vocals might be to some.

In other words, the band offers a fresh and inspired melting pot of slightly dark avant jazz-rock, created by a trio of drums, bass and organ/mellotron, with the occasional help from guest vocals and sax. The band sounds very confident and keeps their improvisations very focused, never too long or indulging in unnecessary solos. It isn't as dense and dark as Guapo or Nebelnest, but on the plus side it means the music remains fairly accessible and might serve as a good introduction for this type of modern Zeuhl/Avant rock.

This is a spin-off from one of the best Zeuhl band to come out for years (if not decades? time will tell) Setna which is a sextet. However this side-project features half that band: bassist Blondel, drummer Candé and keyboardist Goulay, but also receives some help from saxman Wolff and some vocals/chants from Duchene. Recorded under much the same manner as Setna's Cycle 1 album and mastered by the always excellent Udi Koomran, it must be noted that the group did take the trouble or time to encode the different pieces so that you can read on your disc-player display the title track. Something rather basic that hardly anyone does.

As the title might hint you, we're dealing with a concept of the origins of our world, and it is divided in five elements, each divided into two or three sections, but it is not the usually- cited four elements, since air gives way to metal and wood. One might expect the Fire (Feu) movement to be incendiary, but it is rather tamed and subdued, even a tad ambient and cosmic. The following movement Terre is quite a bit more dense, compact and down-to- earth, featuring more electric piano and some typically Zeuhl-ish male vocals. The Metal- Water movements are definitely more energetic and feature a great tense crescendo with a mellotron (most likely a sampled synth) that is slightly reminiscent of Morte Macabre's sole album and some more shamanic chants. A tad later, we get some synth evoking a melancholic Vemod-ian cello, before slowly erupting red-hot lava, spewing from your speakers right into your living room (not advised to listen to this elsewhere, beit car or public transport) and flowing right into your brains. The closing Wood movement finally features the long-awaited-for woodwind instrument sax in a lengthy wild solo, increasing again the intensity of the album. Indeed, a definitively slow-starter, Création De L'Univers gradually increase the tension and the energy level, to come to a wild brooding climax and suddenly come to rest with itself at the very end.

While Creation is one of my top 10 releases of 2010, Xing sa doesn't nearly float my boat as the mothership Setna, because the musical possibilities are more restricted given the instruments used. I'm not exactly sure why the sole composer of both Setna and Xing Sa, Nicolas Goulay chose to record this at three, instead of using more colours and making another Setna album, because this musical concept might have magnified. But don't let this remark scare you away from a real excellent album that one of the most-striking Zeuhl release from the very early 10's, probably dethroned by the up-coming Cycles 2 release later this year (11). This could've been Setna's second oeuvre, but it ends up being their 1.5 releases, which is still much worth the investigation and investment.

A very good Zeuhl album full of music that kind of gracefully glides through your ears.

If there was ever an album for people who have had a hard time getting into Zeuhl, this would be the one for them. This album would be an easy one for any prog fan to take in as the keyboards are so accessible and yet a hardcore Zeuhl fan could likely enjoy this album as well, appreciate it at least.

The main focus is the smoothness of the keyboard and synth playing which is the first thing you hear on the album with a gentle hum. It will follow you throughout the rest of the record but will for the rest of the time be surrounded by other instruments such as guitar and sax and the overall blend of the music is just a great sound. A great texture, rather. And the Zeuhl vocals are never the least bit too rough, they sound much like normal vocals.

Another great part of this album is that the drummer has a great sense of time and he is a very good addition to this album's sound.

I say delve into this album whenever you can get your hands on it, definitely worth your time.

Though I loved this album from its initial release, I think it was due to its easy access--the songs are all simply constructed and the pace is overall quite slow and spacious--but as time ran on, repeated listens have found that I am bored by an untenable sameness and lack of dynamic breadth. The concept and cycle of titular construction are very cool, but the complexity of composition and musicianship demand too little of the listener--or at least, far less than the typical Zeuhl album demands of its usual listener. The only thing about "Création" has that is on the same level as its Zeuhl peers is excellent production, the rest just doesn't compare.