FEATURED ALBUM: Potemkine - Triton

[Trane]

I agree. I've always felt Triton was more "Zeuhlish" than the Dun. You can hear all the Zeuhl elements at play on Triton, but you're right, the emphasis is different. Also agree about Eskaton and Eider Stellaire (and I'd toss in Weidorje and the first Prat album) as being very Zeuhl. Abus Dangeraux I'd put more with Dun as having perhaps less overt Zeuhl influence, but maybe I need to give it another listen.

It's always an interesting question for me when I see something listed as "Zeuhl." I do get a ballpark sense of what to expect, but I need to listen to see if it's really something I'd like because the term encompasses a pretty wide variety of music. I really don't enjoy Magma or the bands that emulate them strongly or have a substantial vocal presence. But I do really like bands that take elements of that style but explore other avenues, as I think Poetmkine do so successfully on Triton.

Bill

I can totally relate... Not sure I appreciate the bands that emulate too much the Magma fibers (like Zao, Weidorje and other spin-offs), though Eskaton and Stellaire are among my fave "Trad-Zeuhl" album (if you'll allow)
Oddly enough, these albums were released when Magma had veered "weird" (the Merci album)

Though, for some reasons, modern French Zeuhl bands like Setna, Scherzoo and Neom, I really enjoy

Well, anyone can argue about anything (and in the USA, anyone can sue anyone for anything), but as old Scrotum, the wrinkled retainer says, Hourbetter, Denis and Trigaux have all acknowledged the impact and influence of zeuhl on what they do.

I look at them personally as 'zeuhl influenced who went on and made it part of something much more unique'

Well count me in those that do hear the Magma influences in AZ/UZ/Present fairly clearly, but will not likely describe them as "zeuhl" in a first round... Maybe in second or third place, yes.

As for Triton and Cycles de Thanathos, it's as much Avant-prog as Zeuhl, if not more

[Udi Koomran]

Nothing to add besides that I love this one and remember buying it early 80's on the Recommneded Records mail order
Years later when Shub Niggurath Les Mort was released Cutler described it as akin to Potemkine and that is how i bought that one
Not really close to Shub is it ?

[Steve F.]

Not really close to Shub is it ?

Not to my ears.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Not sure I appreciate the bands that emulate too much the Magma fibers like Zao, Weidorje and other spin-offs

The Weidorje stands positively out to my ears, basically because the sole intention of the whole project was to realise Gauthier/Paganotti material for which there wasn't enough room in the 'motherband'. I recently got the beautiful vinyl reissue of Weidorje and have been listening a lot anew (after a long sojourn from the time I bought the CD in the 90s), and I have to say that it's a mighty fine record. I actually prefer it to Ûdû Wûdû. Bugulugu?!

[Scrotum Scissor]

Years later when Shub Niggurath Les Mort was released Cutler described it as akin to Potemkine and that is how i bought that one
Not really close to Shub is it?

No, but presumably Cutler was thinking beyond the 'outer realms' of the music's appearance and into pure harmonics, chord structures and the lot.

[Mascodagama]

Found a reasonably priced copy of Triton on Discogs.

Alert the media.

It's probably the Russian bootleg of the Soleil Zeuhl release.

[walt]

It's probably the Russian bootleg of the Soleil Zeuhl release.

Not according to the information proffered by the seller.

[Mascodagama]

^ I would snap it up then! Good find.

[walt]

I did.It's in the mail to me from Michigan.Should get it Friday or Saturday.

[TCC]

Potemkine = great musical experiencia!.

A journey!

Don't have any favorite!.

Pura vida!.

[mellotron storm]

I like all three of their albums but this is my favourite. There were four brothers in this band I believe, the Goubins. They opened for MAGMA several times.
Interesting that Jean Pierre Grasset the leader of the band VERTO(who remind me of HELDON quite a bit) helped engineer POTEMKINE's debut and they in turn played on all but one track of side one on VERTO's "Krig/ Volubilis" album, and Gilles Goubin composed or helped compose a few of those songs. They also let VERTO use their amps during the recording process.

[MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER]

it's as much Avant-prog as Zeuhl, if not more

hmm... and all this time I've heard Zeuhl as 'Avant Prog with freaky upfront Bass Guitar and hypnotic build-ups'

[Progbear]

Though, for some reasons, modern French Zeuhl bands like Setna, Scherzoo and Neom, I really enjoy

For some reason, I could never get into Eskaton. They just seemed a little too Magma-derivative, albeit with the rough edges filed off. Magma-lite, I suppose. You could put the rather obscure Musique Noise into the same category.

I suppose you could say the same about Setna, not bit about being very derivative, rather the rough edges being filed off. For whatever reason, I really like Cycles. It rather reminds me of the Dün album but more, I don’t know, melodic...? I detect a Canterbury influence there, too.

[ske]

Amazing album indeed. I am a sucker for Soleil releases, definitely.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I could never get into Eskaton. They just seemed a little too Magma-derivative, albeit with the rough edges filed off. Magma-lite, I suppose. You could put the rather obscure Musique Noise into the same category.

I think the first two Eskaton albums (4 Visions and Ardeur) are excellent, although undoubtedly very Magma-abbreviated. There's an elegance to their music, however, which kind of defied the esoteric attack and atmosphere of the 'mothership'. Musique Noise's relation to Vander/co., on the other hand, comes across as an equivalent to IQ/Marillion's role towards Genesis. I believe they were more or less direct protegèes of Eskaton; at least their debut album was produced by two Eskaton members, IIRC. MN's second record was actually much better, less glossy and considerably darker. They reformed some 4-5 years ago, in fact, but I dunno what came of it. Wasn't there even a new release?

[Trane]

For some reason, I could never get into Eskaton. They just seemed a little too Magma-derivative, albeit with the rough edges filed off. Magma-lite, I suppose. You could put the rather obscure Musique Noise into the same category.

I suppose you could say the same about Setna, not bit about being very derivative, rather the rough edges being filed off. For whatever reason, I really like Cycles. It rather reminds me of the Dün album but more, I don’t know, melodic...? I detect a Canterbury influence there, too.

I don't find those current SZ bands very Magma-derived at all. It's Zeuhl allright.
The only one that doesn't strike it with me is One Shot (I know, shoot me!! )

I think the first two Eskaton albums (4 Visions and Ardeur) are excellent, although undoubtedly very Magma-abbreviated. There's an elegance to their music, however, which kind of defied the esoteric attack and atmosphere of the 'mothership'. Musique Noise's relation to Vander/co., on the other hand, comes across as an equivalent to IQ/Marillion's role towards Genesis. I believe they were more or less direct protegèes of Eskaton; at least their debut album was produced by two Eskaton members, IIRC. MN's second record was actually much better, less glossy and considerably darker. They reformed some 4-5 years ago, in fact, but I dunno what came of it. Wasn't there even a new release?

Mmmhhh!!!... For some reasons, I don't seem to get into Ardeur... However, I'm wondering if I even prefer Fiction to 4V, precisely, because it's a totally different thing (despite remaining Zeuhlish)... It's fun, and even funny (if you read the French lyrics)

As for MN, I WTF'd on it back then some 20 years ago, got rid of it to a buddy, but I'll have to borrow it back.

[Zappathustra]

... but also the freaking bass playing on Triton really stands out to me.

Yep. Amazing stuff. Evil and groovy at the same time.

[spacefreak]

There was a string of these rather cerebral, near-academic progressive ensembles in France at this point (late-70s/early 80s) - notably Vortex, Mosaîc, Pataphonie, Rahmann and Dün - but Potemkine were definitely at the very heap of it.

I'm adding the seldom mentioned HIATUS to the "near-academic" list of like-minded french bands.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I'm adding the seldom mentioned HIATUS to the "near-academic" list of like-minded french bands.

Oh, there were definitely others for sure; ZED (with maverick Bernard Szajner), Noa, Flamen Dialis, Bise de Buse, possibly even stuff like Francois Breant or Forgas' utterly underrated Cocktail. One of the very last releases of that bunch, I suppose, was the supremely odd but also fascinating Hellebore record as late as '84. These were all artists who culled some more or less obvious clues from the close past yet delivered music very inimitably of their exact point in time. I personally find something interesting in all of them.

[TheH]

They reformed some 4-5 years ago,years ago, in fact, but I dunno what came of it. Wasn't there even a new release?

They are now called Eskaton II. They released an EP, which was very poor (to be nice) and very far away from what they have done before.
(actually 2 ex members of Eskaton plus 2 ex members of Musique Noise)



How to wreck a great song

[Udi Koomran]

Eskaton II I was supposed to work with them on this but eventually it didn't happen
and I hear ARCHAÏA also reformed and recorded a 2nd but from the reports its nothing like that classic album from 77

[Poisoned Youth]

(Anxiously waiting for a new Setna album...)

[Trane]

(Anxiously waiting for a new Setna album...)

They are about the only band that's actually got me waiting for their next realease

[NogbadTheBad]

I like the Frank Fromy Unit Wail albums. They have a taste of the old Shub sound while still being modern.

[Trane]

I like the Frank Fromy Unit Wail albums. They have a taste of the old Shub sound while still being modern.

from the fpour we saw at the SZ fest, Neom doesn't exist anymore ( (they've more or less fused in Setna, but the problem is that both bannds were coming from opposite sides of Paris (Lyon and Rouen).
I've grown to like Scherzoo (certainly theird anyways), but I still have an issue with Unit Wail.