Xaal, France

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Xaal - s/t. 1989 cassette.

Until somewhat recently, I didn't realize Xaal had a debut cassette prior to their two CDs "On the Way" (1992) and "Second Ere" (1995), both of which I purchased upon release. Here, Xaal is more barebones than on subsequent albums. The Zeuhl influence is there, as is a sedated jazz perspective. The ideas aren't quite as developed and the compositions seem like mere skeletons of what they could be. In fact, two of the five tracks will indeed show up on the next two albums, each claiming one. And indeed they are more fleshed out than on this cassette. Still, Xaal in their formative years is worth seeking out.

Priority: 3

(I haven't found a good source that can identify the cover correctly. One site shows the same cover as "On the Way", which could very well be the same. I don't know for sure since I don't own the original cassette, so I'll leave off for now).