LIVE/HHAÏ (KÖHNTARK)

France sure sprouted its share of weird bands in the seventies. Magma is the most widely recognized of those. Their music started from a willful form of jazz rock that gradually mutated into a dense sound, heavy on jazz signature drums, entrancing distorted bass, and intense vocal performances in a self-invented language.

Well, the sound - or should I say the universe - that was evoked by it was so unique and out-worldly that this kind of music became known as a genre of its own, with Magma (and a few followers) as its sole representative. Zeuhl was born.

This Magma Live/Hhaï from 1975 was the first album I heard from them and I was sold on the spot. I was already receptive towards 70's jazz-rock but this pretty much blew me away. The album contains a solid performance of Köhntarkösz (a 30 minute piece from the preceding studio album). The set list is completed by a number of very attractive shorter tracks from earlier albums and the 20 minute monolith called Mëkanïk Zaïn, which only appears on this album (as far as I know). With its heavy distorted bass guitar it kind of foreshadows Da Futura from the ensuing Üdü Wüdü. My issue doesn't contain the track from their defining album MDK nor the E-Re track, which is fine, the way to enjoy that piece is in one sitting, not by a 7 minute excerpt from it.

If you like this type of music you sure own this album already. If you don't but are curious about this magnificent band, Live/Hhaï might be your place to start. 4.5 stars