Machines: A History of Electronic Music By Jean-Michel Jarre(hardcover) $65

Alongside Kraftwerk, French artist Jean-Michel Jarre is considered one of the key pioneers of electronic music. There were others of course, but those two had the biggest impact early on. His 1976 album Oxygène is a masterpiece, and he’s well known for creating instruments (laser harps and the like) when the toys he wanted didn’t exist in the stores.

So few people are better placed to pen a history of electronic music. “Jarre charts the creative and technological breakthroughs that transformed modern music—from tape manipulation and analogue synthesis to the digital revolution," a statement reads.

Importantly, he gets into the weeds without getting tangled.

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