Kate Simko & The London Electronic Orchestra

Classically-trained DJ/producer Kate Simko’s latest project sees her recruiting a string ensemble to create a lush, organic take on the melodic House sound of her native Chicago. Si Truss catches up with Kate ahead of the LEO’s US debut in New York City…

- Si Truss

Kate Simko has always been a musician with a foot in both the Classical and contemporary worlds. Growing up in Chicago, she studied piano from an early age but was lured into the world of House music after being introduced to the city’s legendary Rave scene. Her musical education moved in the direction of synthesis and recording technology, before morphing into a fully-fledged career as a DJ and producer. Yet, despite the shift in focus, flashes of her Classical origins have always been there, coming out in moments like her 2006 remix of Philip Glass or her soundtrack for 2008 PBS documentary The Atom Smashers.

That balance shifted again four years ago, when Simko moved to London to study for a masters in composition for film. Through the course, she met and collaborated with several Classical musicians who would go on to form the London Electronic Orchestra – an all-female ensemble devised to perform her lush, string-driven House tracks. With their debut LP out earlier this summer, and growing reputation for their unique live performances, the LEO have proved themselves to be much more than a cross-genre gimmick, skilfully blending gorgeous, organic melodies with classic Chicago House synth tones and crunchy analogue beats. FM caught up with Simko at the group’s US debut in NYC to find out about the challenges in bridging the gap between the two sides of her personality.

FM: What’s the background to the London Electronic Orchestra project?