The M Machine - Metropolis Pt. II EP REVIEW

OWSLA, Skrillex's record label, doesn't get enough attention that it deserves. Okay, I realize that statement may sound odd considering how popular Skrillex is, but for every fan he has, there's at least ten people who refuse to touch anything Skrillex-related. This is a shame, because his label houses a lot of talent. While I haven't liked everything that's come out of OWSLA ("Teddy Killerz" comes to mind), there are many gems to be found (KOAN Sound, Monsta, Birdy Nam Nam). (Click "read more" for the rest + thoughts on each track.)

I should probably stop talking about all this and get to the topic at hand. OWSLA, as you may have guessed, is home to The M Machine, a Californian trio of producers that gained fans with their first EP, Metropolis, Part I. The EPs tell a story about Metropolis, a dystopian city, a concept that really reflects the music's retro-future feel. The three really love to combine genres, taking cues from electro, dubstep, and progressive house. As usual for EPs, I'll give each track its own grade and review.

"The Palace" (feat. Blake Hazard)

The first song (or the middle song, if you're listening to the full Metropolis experience) is an opportunity for The M Machine to flex their dubstep muscles. It contains everything dubstep should have - moments of softness interrupted by moments of relentless, pounding bass, and a dark mood that mirrors some of SebastiAn's work. I'll admit that I'm not a fan of Blake Hazard's vocals. They do the trick, but they're just kind of weak in my opinion. If it had a stronger singer on it, this track would be unstoppable. B

"Ghosts In The Machine" (feat. Pennybirdrabbit)

Now this is an example of strong female vocals really adding to a track. Pennybirdrabbit's voice is unlike anything I've heard before. It emits nostalgia, yet feels new, which is one The M Machine are going for. The production is stellar as well, featuring a slow and steady beat and synthesizers galore. It's really great to hear something like this after a dubstep track, reaffirming that The M Machine avoid repeating themselves, and that's fantastic. A

"Tiny Anthem"

I'm finding it really hard to not compare this track to the work of M83, because they sound so much alike. The dreamy synths and on/off drums in the introduction just scream "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming", and that's not a bad thing. The vocals are MGMT-like, and there's even a synth riff that sound like Justice. Of course, the track is unique enough for it to still feel genuine. You can tell The M Machine are far from plagiarizing, they're paying respect, a "tiny anthem" to their influences. A-

"Moon Song"

It's right around here where the EP hands switches out its pop stylings in favor of hard, German-like techno, a la Boys Noize. Surprisingly, this direction also works in their favor. This is a song to play really loud in a club and go nuts over, but contains enough substance to warrant listening to it. Not the most memorable song on the album, but hey, its still good. B

"Schadenfreude"

This song is similar to the previous one, but with a touch of progressive house and airy female vocals by an unknown singer. Its heart is still in electro-house, however, sirens wailing over a relentless beat. Considering this group's refusal to wear out the same formula, it's odd to hear two similarly-structured songs so close to each other. But these are just nit-picky complaints, it's still a banger, and a well-produced one at that. B+

"Luma"

The closing track is where The M Machine merges their soft side and their hard side. Beginning with an honest piano intro, the song segues into a fantastic journey featuring mighty synths, towering bass and at least one tempo change. This song is the longest out of all 6, and is the only with vocals absent. This gives it an advantage. It's a thing to listen to driving at night, watching city lights zoom by. It feels otherworldly, like something out of Metropolis. A-

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So yeah, really solid EP. Even if this band doesn't stick out to you first listen, give them a couple more tries. The concept of Metropolis is explored fully, even though the lyrics don't explicitly mention the fictional city. The two EPs The M Machine have released so far have cemented them in many minds as one of the most unique, freshest acts to come out of the EDM explosion.