LPL 015 –Emilie Simon “The Big Machine”

1. Rainbow
2. Dreamland
3. Nothing to do With You
4. Chinatown
5. Ballad of the Big Machine
6. The Cycle
7. Closer
8. The Devil at my Door
9. Rocket to the Moon
10. Fools Like Us
11. The Way I See You
12. This Is Your World

One of France’s most renowned artists,Émilie Simon,launched her career in 2003 and immediately captured the imagination of a large audience with her sprawling and elegant musical fantasies,earning three Victoires de la Musique (France’s Grammy equivalent) during the course of her first three albums. She gained international acclaim for scoring the smash documentary March of the Penguins and saw her first US release in 2006 with The Flower Book. In 2008,she relocated to Brooklyn where she recorded her new album The Big Machine surrounding herself with talented guests such as Kelly Pratt and Jeremy Gara (Arcade Fire) as well as John Natchez (Beirut) or Mark Plati (David Bowie,The Cure,Brazilian Girls).

The Big Machine is full of Émilie’s powerful and seductive voice,inventively playful arrangements,driving synths and rhythms,and prodigious melodies. “The Ballad of the Big Machine” driving piano and horns punctuate Émilie’s plea to let her in. The percolating rhythm of “The Cycle” commands you to dance as Émilie’s voice wraps itself around the beats and soars until the song explodes. “Rocket to the Moon” takes us back to an era that didn’t quite exist,it’s big band sound is reminiscent of the 1920s is also decorated with futuristic flourishes. “This is Your World” ends the adventure with a command to reclaim the world.

Émilie Simon is equal parts breathtaking grandeur and bewitching intimacy.