01	Udu Wudu						04:15
	02	Weidorje						04:32
	03	Troller Tanz (Ghost Dance)						03:39
	04	Soleil D'Ork (Ork' Sun)						03:52
	05	Zombies (Ghost Dance)						04:18
	06	De Futura						17:40

Magma: Udu Wudu
Magma
Udu Wudu
Seventh Records (REX XII)
France 1976

Christian Vander, percussion, vocals, keyboards, drums, piano; Jannik Top, bass, brass arrangements, vocals, synthesizer; Klaus Blasquiz, vocals; Stella Vander, vocals; "Lisa", vocals; Lucille Cullaz, vocals; Catherine Szpira, vocals; Pierre Dutour, trumpet; Alain Hatot, saxophone, flutes; Bernard Paganotti, bass, vocals, percussion; Patrick Gauthier, keyboards; Michel Graillier, keyboards; Benoit Widemann, keyboards

Tracklist:
1. Udu Wudu - 4:10
2. Weidorje - 4:30
3. Troller Tanz - 4:30
4. Soleil d'Ork - 3:50
5. Zombies - 4:10
6. De Futura - 18:00
7. Ementeht Re (extrait no.2) - 3:12

total time 42:22

Bob Eichler:
A track from this album was my first taste of Magma, via Rhino's Supernatural Fairy Tales prog rock boxed set. Unfortunately, the track they chose to represent the band was "Troller Tanz (Ghost Dance)" which, with its short length, prominent synthesizers and lack of Kobaian lyrics makes it sound pretty much like any other keyboard-heavy symphonic prog band on that boxed set. Made me wonder why the band had such a reputation as "room clearing" prog. So I ended up getting most of the other Magma albums before this one, and enjoying them more. So far, Udu Wudu is my least favorite disc from the band, but then I haven't heard the oft-maligned Merci yet.
The first half of this album is taken up by a series of short tracks, none even reaching the five minute mark. For a band whose best work stretches out over entire album sides (or even entire albums), that's not a good sign. Most of these tracks sound like an attempt to make Magma more palatable to the average prog fan, but the songs end up sounding like unfinished sketches for larger pieces (the way "Troller Tanz" changes into a different song during its fade out makes me wonder if it weren't intended as part of a longer work).
The track most fans praise from this album is the seventeen minute "De Futura", but even that one doesn't grab me much. Magma's music is often described as repetitive, by fans and foes alike, and that's also the case here. But in this song, the repetition doesn't seem to go anywhere. The bass work does manage to sound menacing through most of the song, but other than that I don't really get what the big deal is with this one.
If you're really big on synthesizers and short tracks, then this might be the Magma album for you. Otherwise, I'd recommend starting with pretty much any of the earlier albums.
Dominique Leone:
Fragmented follow-up to the successful Live/Hhai discs. Vander relinquished some control over the group for this album, only writing about half the music. From the start, you know things are different, to which the Casio-generated, psuedo-Latin beat peppering the title track attests. Also, synthesizers are used throughout the album (with varying degrees of success), and most of the songs are short (3-4 minutes), with simpler melodies than Magma is known to use.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of the album lies in the compositions of bassist Jannick Top. "Soleil D'Ork" and especially "De Futura" perfectly capture the simultaneous joy and doom of all the best Magma music.
"Weidorje" was written by bassist Bernard Paganotti. Much use of synthesizers dates this tune, and the rather mellow, optimistic vibe (which it shares with the title track) does seem uncharacteristic of a band known for singing about the end of the world. During the course of recording, Paganotti would leave Magma to form his own band, named after this song.
"De Futura" is an 18-minute, funky tour-de-force from Jannick Top. This piece practically invents today's metal-zeuhl scene (a la groups like Happy Family and Ruins) with its crushing bass and heavy, syncopated drums. That is not to say that it's chaotic or disjunct, but there is defintely a primal aggression at work here that Magma rarely approached. Fierce and fun.
Coming after Hhai, this album is often underrated by prog afficionados, and truthfully, it is not in the higher pantheon of the band's works. It lacks the cohesion of their earlier releases, and seems to veer away from the whole Kobaian legacy. Synthesizers and shorter songs may have been concessions to the times, or may have just been a breath of fresh air for the band. Whatever the case, the album has enough to offer that Magma fans should investigate.

Heather MacKenzie:
I originally shelved this roughly a week after buying it. I came back to it a couple months ago, and it has grown on me in a major way since then. Now I include it with MDK and Kohntarkosz in my personalized list of great Magma works.
The songs are mostly all short slices that convey a very individual and colorful mood, using the typical drums, bass, piano and vocals Magma formula, plus flute and a lot of synthesizer. "Udu Wudu" is bright, brassy and festive. "Weidorje" also has a celebratory feel, but is more solemn and more folky then "Udu Wudu". "Troller Tanz" and "Zombies" both have perfect Halloween melodies and impetuous, sludgy rhythms. These two are great, and maybe danceable in a Zombie, drone-like way?
"De Futura", the Top composition, is an 18 minute guttural zeuhl masterpiece; the monolithic repetitive structure and even and heavy yet increasing pace gives it a threatening atmosphere. The bass is growling and predominant, and there are some absolutely insane synths: low wicked skronkings, sci-fi hovering, sirens...almost campy.
Sometimes some of the instruments sound muffled and the sound a little dirty; I am not sure how much of that is intentional. Sometimes it adds to the sludgy, growly feel of some of the music, and sometimes it just makes the music sound less vivid. Overall this is great though, and I am glad I decided to give it a second chance. Some people complain about this release, but I think it's fantastic, due to the unmistakable Magma stamp and the variety of colorful emotions expressed here.

Joe McGlinchey:
This album features slices of Magma as they entered the latter half of the 70s. It is probably the least of the band's studio works for that decade, and compared to the band's earlier efforts, comes off as rather scrambled, a band searching for a new direction in various personnel permutations. Still, there are some interesting moments to be found. The title-track bursts forth with festive Latin flavor, cool polyrhythms, a chorus of charming Zeuhlfraus, and an intricate horn arrangement courtesy of bassist Jannik Top. "Zombies (Ghost Dance)" is my personal favorite track here. Though the sound quality is poor (as it is throughout the album, actually) and the piece simplistic, Vander is outstanding on the batterie here, melding perfectly with the fuzz-funk of Top's bass, in a manner that is at once primal and sophisticated. I have this track on no less than 3 of my jogging tapes, and believe me, when it's playing blasted at full volume no other schlubb better be in my way. I can't quite get into Top's 17+ minute "De Futura" (perhaps Magma's simplest sidelong work, and the only one to be written by someone other than Vander) which trudges along with a bass-propelled art/horror film-type atmosphere. Anyway, this is certainly not the best place to start exploring Magma, but if you get hooked on the band, you'll own this soon enough anyway.



Udu Wudu
Date of Release 1976

Udu Wudu is the fragmented follow-up to Magma's successful 1976 Live set. Leader Christian Vander relinquished some control over the group for this album, only writing about half the music. From the start, the signature Magma sound is noticeably different, to which the quaint rhythm box-generated Latin beat flavoring the title track attests. Also, synthesizers are used throughout the album (to varying degrees of success) and most of the songs are short (three to four minutes) with simple, almost catchy melodies. Bassist Bernard Paganotti wrote "Weidorje." Heavy synths date this tune, and the rather mellow, optimistic vibe (which it shares with the title track) does seem uncharacteristic of a band known for singing about the end of the world. During the course of recording, Paganotti would leave Magma to form his own band, named after this song. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the album lies in the compositions of bassist Jannick Top. "Soleil D'Ork" and especially "De Futura" perfectly capture the simultaneous joy and doom of all the best Magma music. "De Futura" is an 18-minute, funky tour de force. This piece practically invented the "brutal prog" scene (а la groups like Flying Luttenbachers and Ruins) with its crushing bass and heavy, syncopated drums. That is not to say that it's chaotic or disjointed, but there is definitely a primal aggression at work here that Magma rarely approached; it's fierce and fun.
Since it came immediately after the almost universally praised Live in Magma's discography, prog aficionados often underrate this album. Truthfully, it is not in the higher pantheon of the band's work; it lacks the cohesion of their earlier releases and veers away from the Kobaian legacy that had informed most of the band's strangeness. Synthesizers and shorter songs may have been concessions to the times or may have just been a breath of fresh air for the band. Whatever the case, the album has enough to offer that fans should investigate it. - Dominique Leone


1. Udu Wudu (Vander) - 4:16
2. Weidorje (Blasquiz/Paganotti) - 4:33
3. Trцller Tanz (Ghost Dance) (Vander) - 3:41
4. Soleil D'Ork (Ork' Sun) (Top) - 3:54
5. Zombies (Ghost Dance) (Vander) - 4:19
6. De Futura (Top) - 17:38

Magma - Producer, Mixing
Christian Vander - Synthesizer, Percussion, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals, Art Direction
Benoit Widemann - Keyboards
Klaus Blasquiz - Percussion, Vocals, Art Direction, Logo, Cover Art, Cover Compilation, Animal Sounds
Lucille Cullaz - Vocals
Liza Deluxe - Vocals
Pierre Dutour - Trumpet
Alain Francais - Recorder, Engineer
Patrick Gauthier - Synthesizer, Piano, Keyboards
Chris Gavin - Flute
Giorgio Gomelsky - Percussion, Producer
Michel Graillier - Keyboards
Alain Hatot - Flute, Saxophone
Bernard Paganotti - Bass
Catherine Szpira - Vocals
Jannick Top - Synthesizer, Bass, Percussion, Cello, Keyboards, Vocals, Horn Arrangements, Synthesizer Bass
Stella Vander - Vocals
Hatot - Flute, Saxophone

1976 LP Tomato 6001
Tomato 269658
2001 CD Victor 61661




Magma - Udu Wudu

Release Date: 1976

Track Listing
1) Udu Wudu (Vander) - 4:16
2) Weidorje (Blasquiz/Paganotti) - 4:33
3) Troller Tanz (Ghost Dance) (Vander) - 3:41
4) Soleil D'Ork (Ork' Sun) (Top) - 3:54
5) Zombies (Ghost Dance) (Vander) - 4:19
6) De Futura (Top) - 17:38

Member: Prog Owl

Christian Vander - Synthesizer, Percussion, Drums, Keyboards, Vocals, Art Direction
Benoit Widemann - Keyboards
Klaus Blasquiz - Percussion, Vocals, Animal Sounds
Lucille Cullaz - Vocals
Liza Deluxe - Vocals
Pierre Dutour - Trumpet
Patrick Gauthier - Synthesizer, Piano, Keyboards
Chris Gavin - Flute
Michel Graillier - Keyboards
Alain Hatot - Flute, Saxophone
Bernard Paganotti - Bass
Catherine Szpira - Vocals
Jannick Top - Synthesizer, Bass, Percussion, Cello, Keyboards, Vocals, Horn Arrangements, Synthesizer Bass
Stella Vander - Vocals
Hatot - Flute, Saxophone

Despite having more personnel shifts than a struggling Internet company, Magma have managed to simultaneously retain a very recognizable identity and produce startling changes in its' music.

Biting at the heels of its highly praised Magma-Live, the band finds itself trying something very different on Udu Wudu for the most part. That first thing being shorter songs with nearly singable melodies. Secondly, synthesizers are introduced into the band's sonic palette for the first time. The production quality however returns to the dark, murky sound of earlier albums. It takes a bit of extra effort to get the details, but with a bit of perseverance, a lot of gems show themselves.

The album's title cut, "Udu Wudu" is the most shocking, mainly for the fact it's so blasted happy and festive sounding, quite un-Magma-like for certain, but somehow oddly engaging, with it's Brazilian samba rhythm and huge vocal choruses. My only gripe with this cut is the drums were mixed way too low.

However, the happy-slappy vibe of the title cut is short lived when the band returns to what it does best, spinning tales of life on Kobaia and all its uncertainties, underscored by manic drumming, funky and menacing fuzz bass, lots of horns and those semi-operatic vocal choruses.

The final track, "De Futura" is regarded by many Magma fans as a definitive performance and what makes the band so engaging to listen to. This 18-minute Jannick Top penned epic embodies all the things that Magma fans love, as layers build on top of layers, driven along by C. Vander's fierce drumming and that angry fuzz-bass that threatens to blow itself apart at any second. This is one wild, harrowing ride to put it mildly and is worth the price of the CD alone!!

Although not as consistent and well produced as other Magma offerings, Udu Wudu is still very much worth having for just "De Futura" alone!!