Minimalism and majesty oddly, inexplicably collide in the classically trained pianist's captivating compositions which

have earned her a devoted following in the electronic music scene. Born in Chicago, Simko immersed herself in the underground dance scene as a teen, quickly becoming a regular on local college radio station WNUR, where she would ascend to the level of dance music director by the late-'90s, while studying music theory at Northwestern University. In 2001, Simko traveled to Santiago, Chile, where she met fellow techno trailblazer Andres Bucci, with whom she formed Detalles. Her music continued to evolve through the '00s, and by the latter half of the decade, Simko had found a home with Ghostly Records, a happy haven for electronica inventors. Her 2009 full-length, Music from the Atom Smashers, a soundtrack to a documentary about female chemists, earned positive reviews beyond the underground. ~ Jason Thurston