PROG BLOG WEDNESDAYS, PART 7

This week: ZAO - Z = 7L (1973)


No, I'm not talking about that shitty metalcore band with the same name. THIS Zao was an offshoot of Magma, formed by pianist Francois Cahen and saxophonist Yochk'o Seffer when Christian Vander began taking more creative control over the band. Predictably, Zao's sound is quite similar to that of their parent band, with the main differences being a lighter, bouncier sound and the freaky, quasi-operatic vocals of frontwoman Mauricia Platon. In true Zeuhl fashion, Platon freestyles her vocals on each track, warbling randomly in a style that's not so much a language as a psychedelic exorcism.
The end result is sort of a spaced-out porn soundtrack, chugging along in 9/8 (or weirder) time, replete with some wah-wah and sexy saxophones. Oh, and a crazy cat lady going "DOODLEY-DOODLEY-DOODLEY!" over the whole thing. Every bit as good as it sounds.

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