Nova -

Nova was a Finnish symphonic-rock band from Helsinki that released a 1975 standalone single and the 1976 album Atlantis, both on Love Records.

Members: Antti Ortamo (keyboards, vocals, guitar, harmonica), Jukka Marjala (drums), Veikko Kumpula (bass, 1975), Junnu Kostia (guitar, 1975), Michael Wasenius (guitar, 1975-?), Petri Peltola (bass, 1975-?)

Background

Nova formed in Helsinki in 1974 when singer-keyboardist Antti Ortamo teamed with bassist Veikko “Vexi” Kumpula and drummer Jukka “Juki” Marjala.

Ortamo previously sang and played organ with Isojako alongside guitarists Mika Wasenius and Jorma Kostia. Isojako reached the final six of Finland’s inaugural national pop-band competition in 1970 and appeared on the related 1971 Popmestarit compilation. Ortamo and Kumpula studied musicology; a University of Helsinki studio-course recording from December 1973 lists Kumpula on Sähkökvartetti and Ortamo on a VCS-3 synthesizer.

Ortamo and Kumpula used the musicology department rehearsal studio to record a demo tape. Ortamo passed the tape to Meiju Salonen, a friend of his brother who worked in the Love Records office. Salonen took the demo to label executive Atte Blom, who offered Nova a recording contract.

The band recorded “Käytävä” and “Kaupungin naiset” at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki on October 6 and 11, 1975, for the first Nova single on Love Records. In February 1976, Nova linked with producer Richard Stanle at Studio Decibel in Stockholm, where Wasenius and Kumpula faced counterpart input by guitarist Jouko Helatie and bassist Petri Peltola.

Discography:

“Käytävä” / “Kaupungin Naiset” (1975)
Atlantis (1976)

Sources

Svart Records — Nova: Atlantis 40th Anniversary Edition — the strongest narrative source. Svart identifies Ortamo, Kumpula, and Marjala as the 1974 founders; confirms the musicology studies and rehearsal-room demo; and traces the tape through Meiju Salonen to Love Records executive Atte Blom. It also identifies Richard Stanley as album producer. (Svart Records)
Helmet/Finna — Popmestarit — library catalog data for the 1971 competition LP. The entry identifies Antti Ortamo on vocals and organ in Isojako, with Mika Wasenius and Jorma Kostia on guitars, and places Isojako among the six finalists from the 1970 Finnish pop-band championship. (Helmet)
University of Helsinki / Helda — Erkki Kurenniemen sähkösoittimet — academic study of the University of Helsinki electronic-music studio. Its documentation for a December 10, 1973 musicology studio course lists Veikko Kumpula with Sähkökvartetti and Antti Ortamo with the VCS-3. (Helda)
Vaski/Finna — Atlantis, 40th Anniversary Edition — detailed library metadata for the reissue. It gives the October 6 and 11, 1975 Finnvox dates for “Käytävä” / “Kaupungin naiset,” the February 14–21, 1976 Studio Decibel dates, and the album personnel including Wasenius, Helatie, Kumpula, and Peltola. (Vaski)