1970: Focus' Focus (instrumental) / Magma's Kobaia

Inspired by the Focus vs Magma competition poll, I thought it might be interesting to compare music more specifically, and a good place to start I thought was at the beginning -- "Focus (instrumental)" off Focus Plays Focus and "Kobaïa" off Magma (aka Kobaïa).

So, of these two, I think, strong tracks that kicked off both Focus and Magma's debut albums, which track do you prefer? If you haven't heard both, please check them out before voting or posting.





A secondary idea I had was to compare two fun tracks by Magma and Focus from each band's second album in 1971 ("Hocus Pocus" vs. "'Iss' Lanseï Doïa") and maybe I will do that too. I think I will even if it's badly conceived.

Both of these bands have been very important to my musical journey, though it's "Kobaia" over Focus "instrumental" surely for me, and Magma's debut far over Focus' debut. I will be interested to read your thoughts.

a contrast between fellatio and masturbation...  both will get you off.. but one with much greater pleasure.

Focus

Focus. I can't get enough Jan Akkerman.                  Also, Magma is annoying.

Magma by far.

Focus.

Magma, but this is very close.

I would generally pick Focus over Magma, but in this particular case, Magma gets the nod.

^ Strangely, De Futura is one track from Magma that never fully clicked with me. While Kobaia is my favourite Magma studio album, if I were to choose one Magma piece, it would be Theusz Hamtaahk.

^^ Focus was at their best with their second, third and fourth albums for me, whereas Magma's debut remains my favourite album by the band. I do like Focus debut, though. I do find some interesting similarities between "Kobaia" and the Focus instrumental (we are all pattern seeking animals) beyond both being the first tracks off the debut albums released in the same year and both tracks being of about the same length. Say at 6:46 in the Focus instrumental, it reminds me of parts of the Kobaia track -- both have notes as one will notice haha, but amazingly it goes even farther than that.

While I like both considerably in their own ways, I think there's more interesting contrast, adventurousness and uniqueness to the Magma track. It's driving, and then screechy parts, but when it got to 6:05 and beyond is when I first realised that this is going to be something special to me.

On the topic of annoying: What I like about Magma generally, including the track I posted is the contrast. I can find parts of Magma somewhat annoying and at other times sublime, and I appreciate both. To me contrast in music is often very important, and I do like the unexpected (contrasts between the ugly and the beautiful, the consonant and the dissonant etc.). Sometimes just one musical moment of pleasure can open up whole new musical avenues.

I actually can't think of one band in PA with more than four albums whose music I have explored thoroughly enough to call it altogether annoying. Even one musical phrase or beautiful note can make listening worthwhile to me. I try to keep an open mind and open ears, and appreciate the unexpected, and when I have an opinion, I want it to be an informed one (I have delved more into music that I held in low-esteem to find something that I might like, and always succeeded when trying to make the effort, but then that was my goal).

Thanks you all for taking the time to comment, by the way.

Edited by Logan - October 17 2018 at 13:36

Focus is a wonderful track, nice melodies and dynamics and all, very pleasant, but there is a lot more of the same things going on in Kobaia, along with the occasional contrasting dissonance. For that, Magma gets my vote this time.