OCARINAH

The late 70s was in interesting if frustrating time for true fans of progressive rock after a decade when unthinkable amounts of albums were recorded and released but trends come and go and prog's popularity waned as the rise of simpler musical forms were usurping control of the marketplace. That by no means meant that prog just disappeared quietly for time memorial. Sure the big names like Yes, Genesis, PFM and even Gentle Giant were incrementally whittling down their prog complexities in favor of more radio friendly ventures but in their shadows were a whole slew of bands that missed the original party and wanted to get a piece of the action. Given the ever decreasing prospects of actually making a living from such music, many bands simply released an entire career's worth of ideas on a single album or two and then disappeared never to be heard from again.

Such is the case of the obscure French act OCARINAH which originated in the city of Oyonnax in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France not too far from the Swiss city of Geneva. This band existed for around seven years and went through various lineups ranging from a mere trio to a beefier quintet. During the band's multi-year run it's primary focus was playing live and organizing concerts but OCARINAH did manage to release one album on the band's private Calypsia label. The band's sole album PREMIÈRE VISION DE L'ÉTRANGE (First Vision of the Strange) was released in 1978 with only 1000 copies being pressed making it one of those rare collectibles sought after by seekers of vinyl rarities. By the time the album was recorded the band was the mere trio of Jean-Michel Valette (synthesizer, guitar), Marc Perdrix (bass) and Charles Bevand (drums). And strange the album was indeed.

Crafting a unique melancholic style of prog, OCARINAH didn't sound like any other act of the day with Valette citing many influences ranging from Magma, Zao, Art Zoyd, Soft Machine, Hatfield & the North and the Mahavishnu Orchestra as ground zero for primary inspiration. Given that diverse array of quality acts to follow, the band crafted a complex array of knotty jazz-fueled prog workouts that delivered a touch of zeuhl martial rhythms, healthy doses of avant-prog angularity and a strong connection to the Canterbury Scene that included keyboard workouts similar to classic Egg as well as more nerdy extravaganzas into abstract Soft Machine territory. The album is completely instrumental and features five tracks that offer extremely demanding musical gymnastics ranging from Keith Emerson synthesizer runs to over the top bass grooves. Included are intricately designed jazz-inspired drum workouts thus showcasing the dexterity and inventiveness of this highly talented power trio.

Valette admits the band's ambitions were to forget a new path in prog and from just one single exposure to PREMIÈRE VISION DE L'ÉTRANGE it becomes immediately clear that OCARINAH did indeed succeed in forging its own way in an era when many bands were already starting to copy the bigwigs of the early 70s while the super-stars themselves were either disbanding or selling out. In this sense OCARINAH can be placed in the same camp as other inventive French latecomers such as Shylock, Pataphonie or Potemkine. It's hard to believe but this album was basically recorded live in the studio with no overdubs or editing, a true rough draft yet sounds amazingly precise with crazy instrumental interplay zigzagging around like a flock of drunken birds making one hairpin turn after another. The complexity of the album is really too intense to soak in on a single spin and this one is definitely reserved from the difficult music section of the prog university.

Despite little attention being paid to the album the band still existed for a few more years until the early 1980s before officially disbanding. The band was modest in its goals and never was in it for the money or the fame and focused exclusively on the music and that is apparent in how mind blowing the musical complexities are on this one. In fact this is one of the craziest complex prog albums there is to be found especially in the watered down prog scene of the late 70s. OCARINAH is one of those underground cult acts that really did deliver something extraordinarily special that remains totally unique even some 45 years after its initial release. Sure the synthesizer tones are a little strange but the overall effect of this excellent album is one of true originality and the highest degree of musical dedication. OCARINAH deserves a medal. Maybe it'll take another 50 years for the world to catch up but eventually this will be a classic.

I'm sure there will be many positive reviews for this one eventually as it seems to be highly thought of by most reviewers who have rated this one. They were a trio from France who released this sole album in 1978. We get a drummer, bassist and synth/guitarist. All three had a hand in composing these five instrumentals. I must say that I've owned this one for at least 8 years and it's not a legit copy as it was released by Tachika Records back then. My only option at the time.

I have to pat myself on the back here because I really don't like the sound of the synths on this album yet I spun this one over and over and over again, many times. And the synths have the same tone throughout and it's very prominent. Relentless might be a better word I suppose. He does play some guitar too but yeah synths dominate here and the album comes off as being samey. Honestly I just don't like it and so I won't be doing a detailed review as I just can't bring myself to go through it one more time.

As far as the Zeuhl designation goes I have a hard time agreeing with it, but then I'm not sure where else you would put it. The bass while prominent at times isn't fuzzed out or in the Zeuhl style. No chanting of course either or Fender Rhodes. It comes off as a melancholic synth driven album that fails to capture my appreciation in any way. I'm glad I finally spent some time with it if only to know I'm not into it(haha). I tried.