JANNICK TOP

While catching the prog world's attention with his stunningly brilliant 2008 "Infernal Machina" which showcased his eclectic bass virtuosity in the context of zeuhl, jazz and Bulgarian folk music, TOP has collaborated with many other artists throughout the decades and in 2001 released some of his secret valued solo recordings that never found their way onto any of the projects he was a participant in. The result was this archival collection titled SOLEIL D'ORK which was named after a track on the 1976 Magma album "Üdü Ẁüdü."

This album features six tracks including the near 23-minute sprawling reinterpretation of Magma's "De Futura." The album features tracks recorded between 1974-1980 during his hiatus from Magma however the fourth track "Mekanik Machine" is actually credited to Magma, features Christian Vander and friends and is presumably a TOP penned track that didn't quite make it onto any particular Magma release. Likewise the track "De Futura" is a reworked version of Magma's 18-minute B-side from the "Üdü Ẁüdü" album with Richard Pinhas on guitar.

As one can imagine this is an odds and sods sort of album with tracks recorded at different times to reflect musical moods and whims that didn't jive well with any of the projects TOP was engaged in with a very diverse palette of styles that don't add up to a cohesive album's worth of material but rather a collection of intriguing one-offs that showcase TOP's virtuosic bass playing skills. While evoking the majesty of Magma, the opening "Epithecantropus Erectus" offers a bouncy bass groove that could be interpreted as danceable however the menacing gruff nonsensical vocals and freaky keyboard runs keep it in the dark dank underworld of zeuhl. "Utopia Viva" sounds a bit more like Magma only with more experimental production including echo effects as well as what sounds like a banjo? No way! A strange mix of freaky keyboard contributions and a greater emphasis on guitar rock heft, TOP's bass playing techniques are undeniable but like the majority of his music features rather Teutonic wordless vocal parts that keep it in that Magma mindset. "La Musique Des Sphères" offers a more spaced out journey with sparse percussion and a trippy progressive electronic atmosphere that sounds like an angel's choir. Presumably this was inspired by his affiliation with electronic pioneer Richard Pinhas' Heldon project and sounds like Heldon with the marital percussion of Magma.

"Mekanik Machine" is basically a Magma track and sounds like any of their classic 70s albums with its members performing instrumental duties including Christian Vander on drums, Claude Olmos on guitar, Patrick Gauthier on keys as well as Klaus Blasquisz on vocals. "Soleil "D'Ork" is a bizarre track as it starts with a wild vocal call with freaky synthesizer swirlies. TOP's distinct bass antics quickly jump in and the track proceeds sounding like an ancient post-rock track with cyclical loops, trippy atmospherics and a hypnotic excursion into the wild. The shamanic vocal calling is pretty wild! This one is unlike anything else on the album however TOP's bass playing always makes it clear he is involved as it forever retains that Magma-esque zeuhl groove.

The strangest track has to be the 23-minute "De Futura" which is a reworking of the Magma track but starts out unrecognizable as such as it starts off as a progressive electronic type of track with spoken word narrative in the German language. After a short while though a bouncy drumbeat jumps in and Pinhas offers his best take on Frippian guitar wizardry as heard in the Heldon project. More Teutonic wordless vocals add a sense of intensity. It's a bizarre motorik sort of electronic drumbeat. Around 14 minutes the tempo is increased the guitar, vocals and keys get more turbulent and frenetic. A very strange version but pretty cool as the keyboards sound like UFOs with sirens.

The closing "Glas" is primarily an ambient track with swirling winds as the backdrop with a slow plodding bass note and subdued monkish vocal chants. It's like a journey through the Sahara during a sandstorm. Overall this is an interesting album of tidbits that may not quite match the majesty of "Infernal Machina" but pieces together the lost years when TOPP stepped out of Magma for a breather. Not really cohesive as an album but rather a collection of interesting experimental tracks that showcase TOP's unique bass gymnastics in different contexts beyond the usual Magma inspired zeuhl but then again there's plenty of that too! Too bad JANNICK doesn't release more solo material because i'm actually quite fond of it. Distinctly unique and completely different spins on the world of zeuhl and beyond.

This is a highly overrated album in this site, though Jannick is not overrated as a performer. The album does have some enjoyable moments, but not enough to offset the tediousness and call the album as a whole "Good".

I have to admit that upon first listen I fell in love with this, not only because it is a MAGMA-related curiosity but because it simply flows like a smooth babbling brook meandering from its source to the end point. The biggest surprise is that all of these rhythms, harmonies and the musical construction are actually based on a concept. The whole idea of INFERNAL MACHINA is recounted in the liner notes. Jannick is going for the deeply philosophical when asking if there are vibrating energy forms that are higher entities than we humans and how we relate to them. As stated by Jannick himself, "Infernal Machina thrives on the roots and energy of rock music reaching out to the contemplative lithurgic sounds from the Slavic east." He also states that he borrows symbolic elements from Pythagoreas, alchemy icons from the Middle Ages, from Bach and so on. Whoah! This is some deep stuff here.

With the proper rationing of sounds that lend to the perfect amount of time for each track and the crystal clear production I end up feeling totally satisfied after it ends. You know you have a masterpiece on your hands when you hear so many influences sewn together in an album that is basically an hour long continuous track that leaves you thoroughly entertained and mesmerized and looking forward to hearing it again. A very worthy addition to your collection from the extended MAGMA family.

French ex-Magma bass-player Jannick Top is often credited for being one of the main founders of the illustrious 'Zeuhl' genre. His heavy distorted and alternative grooving bass style has become a recognizable feature of most Zeuhl releases since then, including Magma albums after the Vander-Top period.

On this album Top borrows heavily from the Magma legacy, mainly re-using the minimalistic parts of the style and by re-using harmonic findings and chord progressions from the Konterkosz period. We can also find some bass rhythms from the Udu Wudu album. The album is dark and brooming and develops very slowly towards its heavy finale, with heavy drums of Christian Vander himself (and shine he does!). Top introduces a new female vocal style that reminds me a bit of the soundtrack of the 'Ghost in the Shell' movies, it has an Japanese feel to it.

Some highlights are the acoustic bass parts on the opening section, the brilliant free-jazz guitar solo near the ending, the brilliant drums of Vander on the latter parts of the album and the overall dark atmosphere. I'm less enthusiastic about the length of the pieces (for me the album could have had a running time of 40 min. instead of 55 min.), the muddy recording sound and the finale with the piano-melody that gets pretty irritating after a while.

Conclusion. Though I would qualify 'Infernal Machina' as a fine album of the genre, it surely lacks the innovative qualities and composition values that we've seen on the recent Magma albums. I always felt the appraisal for Top's role in the Magma story was a bit overdone, but this album really proved for me that it is Vander who is the sole mind behind the Zeuhl genre. Even on this album he saves the show with his amazing drums that cut through the otherwise way too lifeless sections near the ending. Still fans of the genre find themselves with another fine album that is worth investing some time in. Three and a halve stars, and by the way; a great leap forward from his Soleil d'Ork album.

Part I (10/10) is majestic, mysterious, melodic, beautiful. Cave raindrops! Bowed bass!

Part II (8/10) introduces the vocal which reminds me of the diotonic stylings of the female folk singers of Les Voix Mystères de Bulgarie

Part III (10/10) starts with distorted electric guitar rhythm chords, bowed bass, and intense 'Bulgarian' chanting (and screaming?is that you, Stella?). Shifts at 2:20 to deep metal-like electric power chords from the rhythm section accompanied by female voices. A brief but oh-so effective pause at the 3:00 minute mark opens the door for the full-band unified pulse of ecstatic marching. Amazing!

Part IV (7/10) introduces (with an electronic crash) a slower, more methodic, plodding pace with a now-male chorus (among whom is the unmistakable voice of MAGMA's KLAUS BLASQUIS)

Part V (10/10) is amazing for its pulsing bass, slow and steady drums, and electric guitar chords. The low male breath-chants, a few 'Bulgarian' voice chants, and a Math Rock section of guitar chords usher in a change in tempo?and with it a real sense of immediacy, even urgency. Like, "Oh my God! It's happening!"

Part VI (10/10) sees an insidious increase in tempo?and urgency?as Persian horns carry a religious melody into the sacred ritual. WOW!! This is AMAZING! 2:50: Piano. 3:20 searing guitar solo with amazing bass & rhythm chord progression in background. Cycling back to 'Persian' horns, male breath chants, female 'Bulgarian' chant, all weaving together with frenetic drumming and electric guitar soloing like Sir ROBERT of FRIPP at his stool-offing best.

Part VII (8/10) is like a cooling waterfall flowing down over the hot coals?piano and cymbol play doing most of the cleansing. 1:45 shift in rhythm section to syncopated pulses of bass and low male voice grunts. The piano and cymbols continue their flood of erosive notes. 3:20 and 3:50 see first true nods to CHRISTIAN VANDER/MAGMA sound & style.

PART VIII (9/10) returns to the very same piano single note pounding of Part VII with the now VANDER-crazed drumming going crazy behind and some MAGMA-like choral work dispersed here and there. This is really the drummer's song. Awesome ascent of scale by TOP's bass chords.

Part IX (7/10) sees an inversion and minoring of the musical/piano chords while the same frenzy of drums and other rhythms go on all around it and the repetition of a monotonic pattern of staccato choral notes.

Part X (8/10) continues the frenzy party of Part IX with little or no difference (more cymbol crashes, increased vocal volume, variation in vowel sound used for staccato vocal notes, guitar chords become patternized, circular).

Part XI (8/10) sees a transition to rhythm guitar rock chords, deep throbbing bass line, more 'controlled' drumming, a return and interweaving of previous vocal lines, along with the introduction and intertwining of a new vocal line?which ascends to take us to the culmination point.

Resolution (8/10) seems to be a kind of driving disco-version of Part VI and VII with the Persian horns and male vocal grunt pattern. At 1:50 the electric rhythm guitar chords and female 'Bulgarian' voices take a turn before giving way to the 'Persian' horns and male grunt section for fifteen seconds. Back and forth the female and male chanting trade again and again into the final minute of the song when we are reunited with the 'cave raindrop' music of the opening song to close.

This is definitely a masterpiece of amazing music?Zeuhl or not. Definitely one of the two or three best albums from 2008.

The album consists of Jannick Top recordings from the second half of the 70's and mainly features alternate versions of songs he wrote for Magma's Üdü Wüdü, even though some come with an alternate title. None of these versions adds anything to the known Magma takes. Quite the contrary, despite the involvement of Blasquitz, they sound lifeless and muffled. It's like Magma with all sparkle and creative vigour sucked out of it. Da Futura suffers most of all, without Vander's drums it remains a monotonous and lifeless affair.

Only half of the album consists of original material, but also that remains rather demo-ish and ultimately unfulfilling, the funky Utopia Via and Mekanik Machine have potential but the demo quality makes them a difficult listen. An exception comes with La Musique Des Sphères, a very dark and atmospheric instrumental with a haunting synth and eerie tribal percussion. It evokes a cosmic ambience not unlike Magma's Ork Alarm, another Jannick Top composition. Glass is the 4th and last bit of original material and would make good film music.

Even considering myself quite a fanboy, I fail to see how this collection of alternate takes and demos would interest anyone but the really dedicated fans. Apart from La Musique Des Sphères, there's nothing with much appeal.

Infernal Machina features an extensive lineup, including many members of Magma. Christian Vander's drum playing doesn't stand out or shine as much as in some of his best works, but its simplicity fits the music very well. Top's bass playing is magnificent, very intense and featuring a lot of very low notes. This, combined with the relatively quiet but very distorted guitars, lends a much heavier feel than, really, any of Magma's work. This is somewhat counteracted by beautiful layered female vocals.

Infernal Machina exemplifies extraordinarily well the musical concepts of theme and variation; many times throughout the piece we hear variances on earlier parts, which helps to contribute a strong feel of unity to the entire album. Still, the parts which Jannick Top has split his creation into are each distinctly different from each other; this does not prevent them from being fully connected.

This album builds as it goes, up to a few climaxes (the highest being the guitar solo from Part VI) and then releases tension, only to build up again. Because of this, Infernal Machina has the feel of a complete work; surely Top's masterpiece.