Flower-Powered Artist - June 2006

Shine

Guillaume Simon was the saxophonist and composer of Union Square Group, a power jazz formation that he created a few years earlier when he met Laurent Houdard. Laurent was a computer engineer, and a guitarist in his spare time, also fascinated by photography and computer-designed music. He took photographs of Union Square Group's concerts regularly and built their website.

After talking about it over and over again, Guillaume and Laurent finally found time to share their ideas. They sat down and wrote the music and lyrics of One Day, where electronic arrangements appeared naturally.

Very shortly after, they met Hanane Laraki, a jazz singer strongly attracted to trip-hop. She put her voice to their music in a moment of rare complicity: Shine was born.

Their music is labelled electro pop, but the group lets its various influences merge. Pop, folk and rock intermingle with electronic rythmics, creating a world at the same time intimate and open.

Their first EP "One day...", which came out in June 2004 is only the beginning of an adventure based on meaningful encounters. Shine intend to go further, and they have proved this point at each of their concert ever since their "baptism of fire" in London as support of Sia Furler (one of the voice behind Zero 7).

The original group has now been joined on stage and in studio by several guests, musicians and singers, who add their own visions and energy to the group's repertoire, always on the look-out for new sensations.

You can purchase their EP, One Day at iTunes. You can also listen to some tracks they've posted in their myspace page. They are currently included in our playlist, so keep your ears peeled in for their music... or better yet, go and request them through our flowerbox!