Noa - 1980 - Noa

Noa

1980

Noa

01. Catastrophe (1:05)

02. Repos Blanc (1:50)

03. Tape Tape (5:07)

04. Pellerin (7:23)

05. L'Oiseau Fou (5:56)

06. La Mer (12:21)

Philippe Vincendeau / alto saxophone, soprano saxophone

Christian Robard / drums, vibraphone, xylophone

Bernard Nicolas / flute, soprano saxophone

Alain Gaubert / guitar, bass guitar

Claudie Nicolas / vocals

This French band according to the liner notes was influenced by HENRY COW, ART ZOYD and the free Jazz movement.They liked to blend "Composition and improvisation, texts and Free-Jazz, vocals and instrumentation". Christian Robard the drummer / vibes player "Brought to life a series of expansive musical landscapes, wild songs and atmospheric scenes in which the tension slowly builds to a climax before bursting like a bubble. Breaking points, abrupt theme changes and the use of the voice as an instrument all feature heavily". To my ears this isn't Zeuhl but more in the Avant style of things, although the high pitched and melancholic female vocals along with the dark mood maybe brings that flavour to the table.Two of the guys play sax but one of them is often playing the flute.This re-issue was mastered by Udi Koomran.

"Catastrophe" features female vocal melodies and some insane flute passages in this short into to the album. What a start ! "Repos Blanc" is also fairly short and laid back with more female vocal melodies, a beat, sax and flute. "Tape Tape" opens with female vocals, cymbals and guitar with the flute arriving before a minute.The sax comes in when the vocals stop. She's back a minute later as she and the sound become more passionate. It's melancholic before 4 minutes as it settles back some. "Pellerin" has these high pitched vocal melodies with intricate sounds to start. It's pretty intense really. A change after a minute to a dirge-like soundscape with vocals.The flute sounds amazing before 2 1/2 minutes as it replaces the vocals.The sax then replaces the flute after 3 1/2 minutes.Vocals are back and then we get vocal melodies 6 minutes in.Insanity after 7 minutes to end it.

"L'oiseau Fou" starts out with vibes and bass then the sax joins in. Drums and vocal melodies after 2 minutes.Vocals and flute follow.The drums are prominant. Man this lady can sing. Mournful sax as the vocals fade away 5 1/2 minutes in. "La Mer" opens with the flute and vocals standing out as the sax and flute add depth. A change before 3 1/2 minutes as it stops and an uptempo vocal led section takes over. It settles after 5 minutes. Vibes to the fore with sax as the vocals continue. It's actually doom-like with drums and vocals.Vocals stop then a change after 8 minutes as the tempo picks up. An incredible soundscape ! Dissonant dual sax and throbbing bass lines here while the drumming kills. Amazing sound right to the end.

One of the more obscure zeuhl outfits that rode the wave of Magma in the early 80s alongside other French acts such as Dün, Eskaton and Archaïa was the short-lived NOA which blurred many distinctions between zeuhl, avant-prog and jazz-fusion. Virtually forgotten, this true obscurity from Point-Saint-Martin, France consisted of Alain Gaubert (guitar, bass), Bernard Nicolas (flute, saxophone), Claudie Nicolas (vocals), Philippe Vincendeau (saxophone) and Christian Robard (drums, xylophone, vibraphone) and was one of the more original bands to be tagged with the zeuhl tag owing more to the Rock In Opposition sensibilities of Art Zoyd and Henry Cow than to fellow countryman Christian Vander and his Magma project.