Machines (A History of Electronic Music by Jean-Michel Jarre)

Jean-Michel Jarre is a true pioneer of electronic music. From his early role in electronic sound to his current work with AI, technology is at the forefront of everything he does. Having amassed an extraordinary collection of electronic and electroacoustic instruments—one of the largest and most important in the world—JMJ provides the ideal raw materials for this unique illustrated book.

Machines begins in 1913 with The Art of Noises Futurist manifesto and chronicles the genre as fundamentally European, originating with surrealism and later shaped by the work of the Groupe de Recherches Musicales and public broadcasters, including Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Radio France, and the BBC through its Radiophonic Workshop. Detailed descriptions of more than eighty instruments—from the iconic ARP 2500 to rare, bespoke, one-off creations—illustrate shifts in electronic sound. Throughout, JMJ's personality and devotion to the electronic cause shines through, aided by biographical anecdotes and his unparalleled depth of knowledge.

Contributors include: Armin van Buuren (DJ/producer), Vince Clarke (Erasure/Yazoo/Depeche Mode), Gillian Gilbert (New Order), Nicolas Godin (Air), Richie Hawtin (Plastikman), Johnny Marr (The Smiths/The The/Electronic), Gary Numan, Benjamin John Power (Fuck Buttons/Editors/Blanck Mass), Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran), Pete Townshend (The Who), and Hans Zimmer (composer)