The M Machine

The M Machine
Background information
OriginSan Francisco, California, United States
Genres
Years active2011–2017 (on hiatus)
LabelsOwsla, Mad Zoo
MembersBen "Swardy" Swardlick
Eric Luttrell[1]
Past membersAndy Coenen[1][2]

The M Machine is an American electronic music duo from San Francisco, California, United States, formed in 2011 and currently consisting of Ben Swardlick and Eric Luttrell. They have released four EPs, a single and two remix collections on Skrillex's label Owsla.[3][4] The group has reached the overall #1 slot on Beatport on multiple occasions.

Music career

[edit]

The group originally went by the moniker Pance Party.[5][6] They initially had viral success with a teaser video for their planned full-length album Metropolis, which later became split into two EPs. Their double A-side "Promise Me A Rose Garden" / "Glow" was released on Skrillex's label OWSLA[7] in 2011, becoming the #1 Electro House release on Beatport, and #2 overall release for an entire week. "Promise Me A Rose Garden" was named Hottest Record in the World on October 20, 2011, by Zane Lowe on BBC Radio 1.[8]

In April 2012, the group released Metropolis Pt. I, the first installment of their two-part concept album.[9] Metropolis Pt. I premiered online in Rolling Stone magazine, followed by a worldwide release the next day, reaching number one on the Beatport overall chart. Metropolis Pt. II was released February 19, 2013 on Owsla to critical acclaim,[10] also reaching the number one overall spot on Beatport.

Inspired by Fritz Lang's influential film Metropolis,[11] together the two EPs tell the story of the dystopian city of Metropolis.[12] A text/illustrated version of the story is also available in the form of digital liner notes on the band's website.[13] The Metropolis saga was completed with the release of Metropolis Remixed, a revamped retrospective of the previous two EPs that featured remixes from Kill The Noise, Digitalism, Robotaki, and more.

Also in January 2014, the group released the single "Superflat" on OWSLA, followed by the Just Like EP in November of that year. Just Like signaled a change in direction as the group moved towards more underground, club-oriented sound. A remix pack, Just Like Remixes was released in April 2015 featuring Manila Killa, CRNKN, and Worthy among others.

On January 28, 2015, Andy announced his departure from the group to pursue his interest in programming and technology, making the former trio a duo.[14]

On February 23, 2017, they released their debut album Glare on Mad Zoo.

The group has toured in support of acts including Skrillex,[1] Porter Robinson,[1] The Glitch Mob, Madeon, Markus Schulz, and more, in addition to a slew of their own headline runs. They have also played premier music festivals including Ultra Music Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival, Holy Ship!, Hard Summer, Outside Lands, South by Southwest, TomorrowWorld, Mysteryland, Electric Zoo and Shambhala.

The group has contributed official remixes for Bruno Mars, Passion Pit, Empire of the Sun, Dog Blood, Madeon, Mat Zo, Arty, Datsik & Kill The Noise.

Discography

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Studio albums

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List of studio albums, with release date, label and track listing shown
Title Album details Track listing
Glare
  • Released: 23 February 2017
  • Label: Mad Zoo
  1. "Blind (featuring Luisa Gerstein)
  2. "Voyeur"
  3. "The Warehouse"
  4. "I AM"
  5. "Heart Sandwich"
  6. "We Had It All"
  7. "Some Animal"
  8. "Prairie Day"
  9. "Talking Machine"
  10. "Honeybucket (featuring Phantasmosis)
  11. "Walking Underwater"
  12. "Another Parachute Ending"

EPs

[edit]
Title EP details Tracks
Metropolis Part I
  • Released: 24 April 2012
  • Label: Owsla
  1. "Immigrants"
  2. "Deep Search"
  3. "A King Alone"
  4. "Faces"
  5. "Black"
  6. "Shadow in the Rose Garden"
Metropolis Part II
  • Released: 19 February 2013
  • Label: Owsla
  1. "The Palace" (featuring Blake Hazard)
  2. "Ghosts in the Machine" (featuring Pennybirdrabbit)
  3. "Tiny Anthem"
  4. "Moon Song"
  5. "Schadenfreude"
  6. "Luma"
Metropolis Remixed
  • Released: 27 August 2013
  • Label: Owsla
  1. "Moon Song (Digitalism Remix)"
  2. "Ghosts in the Machine (Kill the Noise Remix)"
  3. "A King Alone (Robotaki Remix)"
  4. "Data Palace"
  5. "Tiny Anthem (Shinichi Osawa Remix)"
  6. "Schadenfreude (Tantrum Desire Remix)
  7. "Shadow in the Rose Garden (Matt Lange Remix)"
  8. "Faces (Proxy Remix)"
  9. "Black (Trifonic Remix)"
Just Like
  • Released: 11 November 2014
  • Label: Owsla
  1. "Just Like"
  2. "Don't Speak"
  3. "Over/Love"
  4. "Pluck Pluck"
  5. "So Change"
Just Like Remixes
  • Released: 23 April 2015
  • Label: Owsla
  1. "Don't Speak (Manila Killa Remix)"
  2. "Just Like (Worthy's Space Cadet Remix)"
  3. "Just Like (CRNKN Remix)"
  4. "Just Like (Evil Nine Remix)"
  5. "Don't Speak (Kazimier Remix)"
Metropolis: The B-Sides
  • Released: 11 Aug 2015 – 18 Aug 2015
  • Label: Self–released
  1. "Happy Land"
  2. "Diamonds"
  3. "Specific Hell"
  4. "Radiolight"
  5. "Space Design"
  6. "When It's Gone"

Singles

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Year Track Label
2011 "Trafalgar" Self-released
2011 "Promise Me A Rose Garden / Glow" Owsla
2013 "Additional Faces" Owsla
2014 "Superflat" Owsla
2015 " Mr. Voice And The Cloudtop Glide Along" Self-released

Other appearances

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Year Song Album Label
2012 "No Fun Intended" Owsla Presents: Free Treats Vol. II Owsla
2013 "Lift" (Digitalism featuring The M Machine) Lift EP Kitsuné

Remixes

[edit]
Year Track Artist Label
2011 "Cal State Anthem" PeaceTreaty feat. Kissed With a Noise Self-released
2012 "Take A Walk" Passion Pit Columbia Records
"Lightspeed" Kill The Noise & Datsik Owsla
"The City" Madeon popcultur
2013 "Locked Out of Heaven" Bruno Mars Atlantic Records
"Together We Are" Arty Big Beat Records
"Middle Finger Pt. 2" Dog Blood Owsla / Boys Noize Records
"DNA" (The M Machine Remix for Helios) Empire of the Sun Self-released
"DNA" (The M Machine Remix for Apollo) Empire of the Sun Self-released
"Lucid Dreams" Mat Zo Anjunabeats
2014 "Sound of Erasing" Rubblebucket Self-released
2015 "On The Ground" Rubblebucket Communion Records
2016 "All That's Left" Manila Killa Next Wave Records

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "The M Machine say goodbye to 'Metropolis' and get personal for new album – Dancing Astronaut". 5 June 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  2. ^ "New Song: The M Machine Featuring Blake Hazard, 'The Palace'". MTV. Archived from the original on December 9, 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  3. ^ "The M Machine". OWSLA. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  4. ^ "The M Machine are Kicking Their Own Asses". 4 March 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Interview: The M Machine – NEST HQ". 29 August 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  6. ^ "Pance Party is The M Machine (formerly Metropolis)". Freshwetpaint.com. 2011-03-30. Archived from the original on 2014-08-10. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
  7. ^ "The M Machine Archives". OWSLA. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  8. ^ Zane Lowe. "Zane Lowe's Hottest Records blog: Hottest Record – The M Machine – Promise Me A Rose Garden". BBC. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  9. ^ Rogulewski, Charley (2012-04-23). "Exclusive EP Stream: The M Machine, 'Metropolis Pt. I'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  10. ^ "The M Machine Discuss Sci-Fi Animation And The Making Of Their New Video 'Tiny Anthem'". MTV. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  11. ^ "The M Machine Builds iPad-Controlled Light Show From Scratch". WIRED. 2012-04-24. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  12. ^ "The M Machine Announces Debut Album | SF Station – San Francisco's City Guide". Pulse.sfstation.com. 2012-04-10. Archived from the original on 2013-05-18. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  13. ^ "Music — The M Machine". The-m-machine.com. Retrieved 2015-12-02.
  14. ^ "A message from Andy to our fans". Facebook.com. 2015-01-28. Retrieved 2015-01-29.
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