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Emilie Simon Releases The Big Machine

• 15th Apr 2010

Emilie Simon's fourth album, The Big Machine, released on 12th July, is the glorious sound of New York as seen through the eyes of French sonic auteur Emilie Simon. After living there for two years, Emilie has recorded her tribute to the city: a Dreamland with its many faces cast as a Rainbow.

Almost entirely sung in English, The Big Machine acknowledges that Emilie is an artist who recognises no borders. Recording in New York for the first time, rather than her home studio in Paris, Emilie has furthered her boundaries by collaborating with musicians like Kelly Pratt and Jeremy Gara of Arcade Fire for The Big Machine.

In France she has been a multiple award winner since 2004. Her soundtrack for La Marche de l'Empereur – the original version of March Of The Penguins – was nominated for a César, the French equivalent of an Oscar. Now, from her adopted American base, the secret is out.

New York has discovered Emilie, with her intimate shows there attracting the attention of The New Yorker. The New York Post placed The Big Machine's Rainbow in the top thirty of its top songs of 2009. Vogue has noticed Emilie too, calling her “extremely stylish.” Blender magazine said she was “shamelessly chic.”

Having played live with orchestras and recognising no musical boundaries Emilie evolved a new way of playing live – with “the arm”. Developed by Cyrille Brissot of IRCAM for Emilie, the arm encases Emilie's left arm and enables her to trigger and play instruments live – she no longer needs to beat at an instrument to play it. Live, she would become a hybrid herself: part instrument, part performer.