"LES VOIX"

(AKT I)

A new MAGMA album; but still not quite the line-up that so many of Vander's fans would have preferred. However, Christian's new record label AKT has been created to release a selection of performances from the official archives and future releases should keep the Electric Bass fetishists happy.

The "Les Voix" album, subtitled Douarnenez concert 1992, starts with the mid-70's concert opener: 'Ëmëhntëht-Rê', led by the piano of Simon Goubert. But for the 1992 version all the original synthesizer parts are replaced by the choral octet, which includes Stella Vander and her daughter Julie, with Isabelle Feuillebois, Addie Deat and Benedicte Ragu.

The musicians feature on a 'C'est pour nous', which is an improvement on the OFFERING version thanks to the instrumental clarity, with just two keyboards and Christian on vocal gymnastics.

Next, the short Kobaïan extract of 'Zëss' that is in fact all that LES VOIX DE MAGMA have been performing so far in their special concerts from this classic MAGMA piece. 'Zëss' follows the compositional traditions of 'MDK', 'Theusz Hamtaahk' and 'Makiavehlïk Sturme' (aka 'Aïma' or 'Machiavelique Storm'). This version lacks some of the power that a full electric MAGMA could bring to it, but the emotional intensity is still present as a choral work. My only reservation about this song is the peculiar gospel section towards the end, where I'd swear the choir are singing the Kobaïan equivalent of "Jesus needs us - Jesus Sanctus". Personally I find this section irritating, but it usually is not too prolonged.

'Wurdah Ïtah'. If you know and love the album (or film) then here at last is a third version for you to treasure. Christian drums occasionally, but mostly sings the vocals on this extract. Monsieur Goubert improvises (a little) the piano parts. It also features Philippe Dardelle hammering his upright bass to good effect, but way down in the mix, and working well with Pierre-Michel Sivadier's subdued synths. The disconcerting part about this show (and the more recent ones) for me is that I have played the 'Wurdah Ïtah' album so much in the last seventeen years that I can detect every slight deviation from the original piano score and each one is like the twist of a knife. This new interpretation by Simon Goubert will take a few years to get used to, but these few flaws do not seriously mar the album. The vast majority is quite impressive with some novel variations added by Christian too. Of course, the main drawback to this version is that it is only an excerpt from the second half of the original album and does not include Zebëhn's magical drum solo. However, the concept of AKT records allows for plenty of drum solos in the future releases.