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Biography
Jannick Top is a French bassist, multi-instrumentalist and composer, born in Marseille, France. He is best known as the bassist for the pioneering Zeuhl band Magma during what is often considered their "golden years" (Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh, Wurdah Itah, Köhntarkösz and Üdü Wüdü). As well as bass, Top also plays cello and piano/synthesizers.
His dark, aggressive style became one of the staples of the Zeuhl sound. On his two solo efforts, Soleil d'Ork (2001) and Infernal Machina, he continued in the Zeuhl vein. Soleil d'Ork (named after a track on Üdü Wüdü) featured a collection of his own compositions dating from 1974 to 1980. Two of these compositions were reworkings of his own writing contributions to Magma's Üdü Wüdü and Mekanik Machine was a rare Magma track. Two of the songs on the album were also featured on his 1975 Utopia Viva EP. Infernal Machina, released in 2008, featured all new material, comprised of one long 12 part suite, recorded live.
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