ATTAHK

Having lost Jannick Top after Udu Wudu - an album arguably dominated by his powerful bass and featuring some superb Top compositions - Magma briefly dissolved before reforming in a new configuration. Attempting to kick-start a new phase in the band's history, the band move away from the Zeuhl territory they had defined and made their own and experimented in a number of different styles - The Last Seven Minutes and Lirik Necronomicus Kahnt are, of all thingsMagma funk workouts. Spiritual is a Gospel song (bearing the rather unfortunate subtitle of "Negro Song"). Rinde is a piano-based composition which sounds like a minimalist version of the Zeuhl the band are mainly known for, but which also sounds like an attempt at early fusion of the In a Silent Way variety.

You get the picture: this is an album which is in no way as cohesive and coherent as the best Magma albums, and feels directionless and random. It rounds off with a decent Zeuhl composition in the form of Nono, but even so when the best material on here would eventually be released on Emehntehtt-Re in the context they were originally intended to be heard, the album is left thoroughly inessential.