London Electronic Orchestra
By Jonny Venvell
Electronic-classical crossover music has always been controversial. From Wendy Carlos’s first Moog experiments with Bach to Gabriel Prokofiev’s Nonclassical club nights, composers have been trying to reconcile these two genres which in many ways pull in opposite directions.
Chicagoan music producer Kate Simko’s self-titled debut album is the latest addition to this nebulous canon of genre cross-dressers. It comprises an eclectic mixture of song covers ranging from Schubert to German DJ Parra for Cuva, as well as original songs by Simko and Katy B, all recorded with her band of classical musicians, the London Electronic Orchestra (LEO).
Though credit must be given for her pioneering spirit, on this occasion the stylistic tension between the two roles Simko aims to fuse – as classical pianist and DJ – results in an unsatisfying halfway house located somewhere between the concert hall and the nightclub. Despite the diversity of the record’s creative impetuses, the tracks themselves tend to be structurally predictable, first building up rhythmically, progressing through string chords and solos from the LEO, then reversing the process for the outro.
The group are at their most successful when they diverge from this rubric, as in ‘One Time Game’, where the addition of Jem Cooke’s vocals and a more sophisticated deployment of electronic samples make for a genuinely danceable number. Likewise the LEO are able to show their quality when released from the otherwise ubiquitous electronic rhythm section, as in their impressionistic cover of ‘xx intro’ and the minimalist feature for violin duo Mostly Two: Violin Duet No 1.
Perhaps some nightclub regulars will hear Kate Simko and the LEO’s work and consider attending a live concert, or a classical fan will delve into the album and discover the joys of electronic music for the first time. But for me (to paraphrase Noel Fielding), this is an album which mixes elements of EDM and classical to create something a little worse than both. 