Merci (Magma album)

Last updated
Merci
Merci Magma.jpg
Studio album by
Magma
ReleasedNovember 1984 [a]
RecordedJune 1982 – October 1984
Genre
Length40:24
Label Jaro [a]
Label Du Bon Independant
Seventh Records
Producer Christian Vander
Magma chronology
Retrospektïẁ
(1981)		Merci
(1984)		 K.A (Köhntarkösz Anteria)
(2004)
Singles from Merci
  1. "Ooh, Ooh, Baby" / "Otis"
    Released: 1985

Merci is the eighth studio album by French rock band Magma, released provisionally in November 1984 [4] and again on 4 May 1985 with a finished mix. [a]

Contents

The album largely departs from Magma's other releases, with a soul and jazz-funk influence. The lyrical language Kobaïan, created by the band's leader Christian Vander, was joined by English and French. Before this album's release, Magma would metamorphosise into Offering, which would release an additional three albums until the Magma name was revived for 2004's K.A (Köhntarkösz Anteria) .

Background

Merci is a major departure from Magma's previous works. It was a passion project by Christian Vander and recorded over a period of two years; he was so focused on arrangements for the album that he gave up his traditional drummer position to take full production duties. [5] The album is essentially a solo album; Vander's name is listed on the front cover on initial pressings. The last two tracks are stripped-down instrumentally, and meant as a musical transition to Vander's next project Offering. [2]

This is also the most recent Magma album to have lyrics in English, which comprise the majority of tracks "Ooh Ooh Baby", "Do the Music", and "I Must Return"; [5] the only other Magma track to have English lyrics is "Kobaïa".

Track listing

Side one [a]
No.TitleWriter(s)ComposerLength
1."Call from the Dark (Ooh Ooh Baby)" Christian Vander, Julie Dassin, Ricky DassinVander7:20
2."Do the Music"VanderVander4:25
3."Otis [b] "VanderVander7:15
Side two [a]
No.TitleWriter(s)ComposerLength
4."I Must Return"Vander, Julie Dassin, Ricky DassinVander6:32
5."Eliphas Levi"René GarberGarber11:15
6."The Night We Died"VanderVander3:40
CD bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)ComposerLength
7."You"Georges HaliVander3:55

Personnel

Literature

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 The first Jaro pressings are provisional; this version swaps the track listing by vinyl side (the last track is "Otis") and is unmixed. The finished release was mixed September 1984-February 1985, releasing 4 May 1985. [1] [2] [3] All future releases of the album list copyright as 1985.
  2. ↑ Split on early pressings as "Otis" (5:20) and "Otis (Ending)" (1:32) on tracks 2 and 4, with "Do the Music" inbetween.

References

  1. ↑ "Merci - Magma (Jaro release)". Discogs . Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Merci - Magma". www.magmamusic.org. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  3. ↑ "Merci - Magma". Discogs . Retrieved 22 February 2026.
  4. ↑ Kozub, Rafael (November 1984). "Der eine Ton, der eine Schrei, der alles verbindet : MAGMA". Buch-Magazin. Retrieved 27 February 2026.
  5. 1 2 Pénichoux, Jean-François (May 2000). "Magma — Une musique venue d'ailleurs". Big Bang. No. 35. Archived from the original on 27 May 2007. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
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