FÉLICITÉ THÖSZ

Magma's next release was 2012's Félicité Thösz ("In Praise of Thösz"). Félicité Thösz featured the first new material written after Magma's reunion, which Christian Vander wrote primarily in  2001 and 2002. Its placement in the Kobaïa mythos is not entirely clear, either.

This record is best thought of as the massive, 28-minute title track, plus the brief "Les Hommes Sont Venus". The tone of this album is markedly different from most of Magma's discography. Much of their output has been dark, militaristic, and imposing. Félicité Thösz is light, joyful, and hopeful; and its minimal instrumentation harkens back to Ẁurdah Ïtah. However, without the financial limitations of that album, Félicité Thösz is able to sound richer than Ẁurdah Ïtah.

"Ëkmah", the opening movement, is one of the album's darker passages. It's a fittingly dramatic introduction, though even by the standards of this release, it's a simple, spare piece of music. This somber tone stands in contrast to the hopeful warmth of "Ëlss", where piano and guitar provide a reassuring backing to luxurious vocal arrangements.

"Dzoï" features some tense guitar passages, and the slinking quality of the music is superb. The five-minute "Tëha" is the longest subsection of this album. It's uplifting and optimistic and full of multi-layered choral arrangements. Following this track is "Ẁaahrz", a gorgeous, four-minute piano solo.

"Dühl" starts to build the tension back up, and "Tsaï !" is the darkest bit of music on the album. This passage would have fit in seamlessly on Ëmëhntëhtt-Ré with its driving rhythm and out-of-this-world bass work.

Opening with otherworldly chants, "Öhst" is the clear climax of the album. Christian Vander takes lead vocals on this track over a simple piano ostinato backing. As the song progresses, bass and simple percussion gradually build. Vander's vocal style is distinctive, and it suits this musical passage perfectly. The percussion gradually becomes more complex, as do the backing vocals. The final 90 seconds is engrossing. For all the comparisons I've made to various religious rites, this bit feels the most like a genuine ritualistic celebration.

Félicité Thösz ends with "Les Hommes Sont Venus", a hypnotic piece of vocals and chimes that was first performed in the early 1990s.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2022/04/18/deep-dive-magma/