Magma (Magma album)

Magma is the self-titled debut album by French rock band Magma. Released as a double-LP in 1970, it is a concept album which tells the story of a group of people fleeing a doomed Earth to settle on the fictional planet Kobaïa. Except for the first song, which is sung in English, all lyrics are sung in the Kobaïan language invented by the band. Although initially self-titled, the album was later reissued under the name Kobaïa.

Magma (aka Kobaïa)
Studio album by Magma
Released	October 1970
Recorded	April 1970
Genre	Zeuhl jazz-rock[1]
Length	81:45
Language	Kobaïan
Label	Philips
Producer	Laurent Thibault
Magma chronology
Magma (aka Kobaïa) (1970) 1001° Centigrades (aka. 2) (1971)
Singles from Magma
"Kobaïa" b/w "Mûh" Released: 1970 (Philips 6009-59)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Kobaïa"	Christian Vander	10:15
2.	"Aïna"	Vander	6:15
3.	"Malaria"	Vander	4:20
Total length:			20:50

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Sohïa"	Teddy Lasry	7:00
2.	"Sckxyss"	François Cahen	3:47
3.	"Auraë"	Vander	10:55
Total length:			21:42

Side three

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Thaud Zaïa"	Claude Engel	7:00
2.	"Naü Ektila"	Laurent Thibault	12:55
Total length:			19:55

Side four

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Stöah"	Vander	8:05
2.	"Mûh"	Vander	11:13
Total length:			19:18 (81:45)

Legacy

The title track, "Kobaïa", has been played as a regular part of Magma concerts since its original recording, although in a jazzier version akin to that of the version on the live album Live/Hhaï (1975), which also featured new lyrics, in Kobaïan, instead of English.

Personnel

Performance

• Klaus Blasquiz – vocals
• François Cahen – piano
• Alain "Paco" Charlery – trumpet, percussion
• Claude Engel – guitars, flute, vocals
• Teddy Lasry – soprano sax, flute
• Francis Moze – electric bass, contrabass
• Richard Raux – alto and tenor sax, flute
• Christian Vander – drums, vocals

Production

• Claude Martelot – engineer
• Laurent Thibault – production
• Lee Hallyday – production supervision
• Louis Haig Sarkissian – stage manager
• Marie-Josèphe Petit – cover artwork
• Marcel Engel – technical assistant
• Roger Roche – engineer

Literature

• Gonin, Philippe (2010), "Kobaïa la naissance d'un mythe", Kobaïa la naissance d'un mythe (in French), Marseille: Le Mot et le Reste, pp. 119–134, ISBN 978-2-36054-000-6