The M Machine

The M Machine

From left to right, Andy Coenen, Eric Luttrell, and Ben Swardlick.
Background information
Origin San Francisco, California, United States
Genres
Years active 2011-present
Labels OWSLA
Website The M Machine Facebook The M Machine Twitter
Members Ben "Swardy" Swardlick
Eric Luttrell
Past members Andy Coenen

The M Machine is an electronic music group from San Francisco, formed in 2011 by Ben "Swardy" Swardlick, Eric Luttrell and Andy Coenen. They released their first three EPs on Skrillex's label OWSLA.[1] The group is known for their live shows, where the trio sings, edits loops, and controls visuals in real time.[2] Two EPs from the group have reached the overall #1 slot on Beatport.[3] In January 2015, Andy left the group to pursue other ventures.

Music career

The M Machine was originally formed as a renaming of their old alias, Pance Party.[4] They initially had viral success with a teaser video for their planned full-length album Metropolis, which later became split into two EPs.[5] Their two-song EP Promise Me A Rose Garden/Glow was released on Skrillex's label OWSLA[6] 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.[7]

In April 2012, the group released Metropolis Pt. I, the first installment of their two-part concept album.[8] Metropolis Pt. I premiered online in Rolling Stone magazine,[1] followed by a worldwide release the next day, reaching number one on the Beatport overall chart. After an extensive run of official remixes for Bruno Mars, Passion Pit, Datsik & Kill The Noise, and Madeon, Metropolis Pt. II was released February 19, 2013 on OWSLA to critical acclaim, also reaching the number one overall spot on Beatport.[9] The trio has also contributed official remixes for Empire Of The Sun, Dog Blood, Mat Zo, and Arty.

Inspired by Fritz Lang's influential film Metropolis,[10] together the two EPs tell the story of the dystopian city of Metropolis.[11] A text/illustrated version of the story is also available in the form of digital liner notes on the band's website.[12] 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.

The M Machine has toured extensively. Their headliner "Metropolis Tour" sold out 15 shows in North America in 2014. Previously, the group has played alongside Porter Robinson, Markus Schulz, Skrillex, and more. They have played many premier electronic festivals, like Ultra Music Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival, South by Southwest, and TomorrowWorld.

On January 28, 2015, Andy announced his departure from the group to pursue technology.[13]

Discography

LPs

EPs

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. "PluckPluck"
  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)"

Singles

Year Track Label
2011 "Trafalgar" Self-released
2011 "Promise Me A Rose Garden / Glow" OWSLA
2013 "Additional Faces" OWSLA (Nest IV Exclusive)
2014 "Superflat" OWSLA

Other appearances

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

Year Track Artist
2011 "Cal State Anthem" PeaceTreaty feat. Kissed With a Noise
2012 "Take A Walk" Passion Pit
"Lightspeed" Kill The Noise & Datsik
"The City" Madeon
2013 "Locked Out of Heaven" Bruno Mars
"Together We Are" Arty
"Middle Finger Pt. 2" Dog Blood
"DNA" (The M Machine Remix for Helios) Empire of the Sun
"DNA" (The M Machine Remix for Apollo) Empire of the Sun
"Lucid Dreams" Mat Zo
2014 "Sound of Erasing" Rubblebucket

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Charley Rogulewski (2012-04-23). "Exclusive EP Stream: The M Machine, 'Metropolis Pt. I' | Music News". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
  2. ↑
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ "Pance Party is The M Machine (formerly Metropolis)". 2011-03-30. Retrieved 2014-04-23.
  5. ↑ Neither Field
  6. ↑ OWSLA
  7. ↑ Zane Lowe
  8. ↑ Rolling Stone
  9. ↑
  10. ↑ Wired
  11. ↑ SF Station
  12. ↑ http://www.the-m-machine.com/
  13. ↑ "A message from Andy to our fans". 2015-01-28. Retrieved 2014-01-29.

External links