Utopic Sporadic Orchestra - Utopic Sporadic Orchestra - Import Vinyl LP Record Limited Edition

Credits:

Utopic Sporadic Orchestra

Description:

Jannick Top, who is still remembered among MAGMA fans as a legendary bassist, left MAGMA in the fall of 1974. He was then invited by Giorgio Gomelsky, who was managing MAGMA at the time, to When he participated in the French jazz festival “Nancy Jazz Pulsation” held in October 1975, he performed “De Futura (Hiroshima)”—a piece Jannick had just completed at the time and which would later be included on MAGMA’s *UDUWUDU*—alongside MAGMA members such as Christian Vander (drums), Didier Lockwood (violin), Stella Vander (vocals), and Gérard Bikialo (keyboards), as well as Jocelyn Pitchen (guitar) from NUCLEUS and Michel Ripoche (violin) from ZOO, to perform "De Futura (Hiroshima)"—a piece Jannick had just completed—for the "Nancy Jazz Pulsation" festival held in France in October 1975. In 2001, Utopic Records—founded by Jannick himself—released the archival live album *NANCY75*, which compiled the unit’s rehearsal recording from the day before the performance and the live recording from the day of the performance, which had previously circulated as a bootleg. Now, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the premiere of “DeFutura,” the album is finally being released on LP in 2026 through a joint production between the Soleil Zeuhl label—which specializes in releasing and SoleilZeuhl—a label specializing in the release and rediscovery of works by MAGMA followers—and Utopic Records have collaborated to finally bring this to LP in 2026! It is said that Jannick himself had hoped to release the live recording from the day of the performance on LP, but due to concerns regarding sound quality, the rehearsal recording was ultimately chosen for the LP. This rehearsal recording is the oldest existing performance of "DeFutura" on record. Compared to later MAGMA performances, this one features a much larger ensemble and was the premiere, so while it is a relatively careful performance that prioritizes the score—including Christian’s drumming—it still boasts a weightiness unmatched by any other, thanks to the large ensemble comprising two cellists, three violinists, and four keyboardists. two cellists, three violinists, and four keyboardists, boasts unparalleled weight and presence. As the subtitle "Hiroshima" suggests, this dark, jazz-rock sound—which serves as a musical warning against the folly of humanity and symbolizes one facet of the Zeuhl sound—is truly breathtaking! Furthermore, in addition to the "DeFutura" rehearsal tracks, this release features Jannick’s 1975 solo singles "UtopiaViva" and "EpithecanthropusErectus" (each track’s length matches the original single releases) on separate sides. These tracks were produced entirely through multi-tracking by Jannick himself (with the exception of the drums), and "Epithecanthropus Erectus"—which served as the prototype for "DeFutura"—is an absolute must-listen!

Tracklisting:

1. Utopia Viva
2. De Futura Part I
1. De Futura Part II
2. Epithecanthropus Erectus