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Yochk'o Seffer - Neffesh Music: Ghilgoul CD (album) cover

NEFFESH MUSIC: GHILGOUL

Yochk'o Seffer

Zeuhl


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4 stars Yochk'o Seffer leans mostly towards jazz fusion, but actually it doesn't sound like jazz fusion, because it's avant-prog. The most similar artist with Yochk'o Seffer is maybe ZAO. They are even very similar, but I prefer Yochk'o Seffer, if I'd have to choose between them. There's much same elements, for example the vocals, though they're quite rare. Ghilgoul is maybe more mystic and smooth, but it's hard to say. Margand String Quartet is one of the things that makes Seffer's music so original. They play with a bit odd mood, like some for example psychedelic East-European choral folk music (see "Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares", though it sounds totally different). It's atmospheric and distant and dark, also very sharp. So is the piano. I could also think this as a version of PRESENT or UNIVERS ZERO, but more symphonic/atmospheric and folk. Though, after all this isn't chamber rock or folk, but "pure" zeuhl. And of course, every instrument sounds great. The music is great, but if I must say bad things, I'd say that for an album as long as this there should be more diversity on a larger scale. But within a song, there's no problems with that. My favourite tracks are Shebira and Dailn (where, also, I have to say, 1:10 -> reminds me of HENRY COW, like some other parts on this album with the structure or the overall "hidden dark chaotic" feeling). Compared to their album "Ima", the other one is more vivid/spastic and this is more mystical/atmospheric. Both have good and bad sides.

I recommend this album (and Ima, which I don't review separatedly) for every avant-prog, zeuhl and jazz fusion fan.

Report this review (#242440)
Posted Thursday, October 1, 2009 | Review Permalink
Mellotron Storm
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars Anyone who's into Zeuhl needs to get their hands on this album. Most feel that this is Seffer's best solo album. After he left ZAO he hooked up with future ZAO bassist Dominique Bertrand who he would play with on ZAO's last studio album in 1994. Also drummer Francois Laizeau would jump on board. He played with MAGMA, OFFERING and Bernard Paganotti's "Paga" album. The guy can flat out drum. In fact this album is worth getting for the rhythm section alone. Interesting that Seffer also brought the all-female string quartet for this recording.They played with Seffer on ZAO's "Osiris" album and he was obviously impressed with them. Seffer plays sax of course but also piano, and man he caught my attention with his keyboard work on this record.

"Dag" opens with sax and piano as drums and bass join in, then here we go before 1 1/2 minutes. Check out the drum work ! The soundscape after 2 minutes is incredible. The bass, drums and piano are intense while the sax plays over top. What a display ! After 4 minutes all I can say is "I'm not worthy". The violins come in slicing away as this Zeulish rhythm continues. "Sifra" opens with piano as violins join in before a minute. This continues until we get a complete change 5 minutes in as the sax and drums take over. Killer sound after 6 minutes as the bass and drums lay the groundwork and piano plays over top. Violins come back in ripping it up. "Dailn" is the only track not composed by Seffer as Dominque Bertrand did this one. It kicks into a rhythm quickly as bass and drums rumble with sax and piano playing over top. Violins then join in. Huge bass lines in this one. "Larme" features piano and those Zeuhlish vocal melodies we all know and love (Seffer sings them as he did on ZAO's second album). Sax joins in then drums. Violins come in later.

"Ghilgoul" is the almost 17 minute title track. What a way to end this album. This is very different from the rest as we get these multi vocal melodies that are quite haunting with sax. The vocals stop before 4 1/2 minutes as piano and sax take over. The vocals are back before 6 1/2 minutes but even more eerie this time. The violins come in around 7 1/2 minutes as the vocals stop again.They're back before 11 minutes with sax as the strings stop. Violins are back after 13 minutes as vocals and sax stop. The piano returns. I should mention that there's 4 bonus tracks here with a different lineup. 3 tracks from 1980 and one from 1985. Over 30 minutes of great music. These extra songs are so impressive.

A must for ZAO fans, but also for Zeuhlites everywhere.

Report this review (#245567)
Posted Wednesday, October 21, 2009 | Review Permalink
Dobermensch
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars Ah, this is more like it. After a run of four awful reviews in a row I thought I'd cheer myself up with this excellent album from a guy who's name I've no idea how to pronounce. This leans more to the Fusion end of the spectrum - something I'm ok with in small doses, but after listening to this on my bike last week I can honestly say it's a tremendous album. I just found out he was the bloke who played saxophone with Magma for their first two albums before moving on to 'Zao'. I knew there was something familiar about the sound. Saxophones usually annoy the hell out of me but this sounds super. The volumes of the instruments are perfect and there's that old favourite of mine - reverb on the strings and pianos. The album is full of energy and colour and is simply beautiful. Quite dreamlike in places and certainly one of the best jazz albums I've heard. Big thumbs up!
Report this review (#296399)
Posted Friday, August 27, 2010 | Review Permalink
4 stars Many say Yochk'o Seffer's third 'solo' album is his best - and perhaps the clue is that the full album is on Spotify (other popular streaming sites are available) unlike his previous work which has to be jigsaw-ed together from other albums.

Somewhere within the realm of avant jazz / Zeuhl, this is... pretty good.

Dag opens with a great rolling bassline and drums, with Seffer's sax/piano interplay at the fore. The jarring piano chords in particular give it a slightly Zeuhl feel, as does the appearance of the string quartet in the second half, which play an eerie suspenseful tune which contrasts completely with that bass and drums which don't change at all throughout.

Sifra begins with extraterrestrial piano before violins join in to give it a fairly melancholy feel. A sudden change on the 5 minute mark brings in the sax, bass and drums, in a lengthy passage fairly similar to Dag with the piano increasingly jarring, but still really excellent.

Dailn is a short track that puts Dominique Bertrand at the fore with brilliant bass, before Larma which is the most Zeuhl- like track, beginning with typical Magma-style vocals and a much slower, military tempo.

The title track Ghilgoul begins with ghostly, wailing vocals, joined by a faraway sax. Very haunting. The vocals fade away after four minutes and are replaced by piano in a duet with the sax. The string quartet continue the slightly haunting theme, particularly plucking strings, reminiscent of a psychological thriller.

There's also several bonus tracks with other guest musicians if that wasn't enough for you.

Definitely an excellent album if you're fans of eerie jazz & zeuhl

Report this review (#2577754)
Posted Friday, July 9, 2021 | Review Permalink

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