Machinedrum
Genre: Electronic
Origin: United States
North Carolina-born artist Travis Stewart, known as Machinedrum, occupies a unique place in US electronic music. A pioneer and a populariser, a restless and relentless seeker, Stewart brings together coasts and continents in projects which are both conceptual and heartfelt, clever and banging. He has produced and composed over a dozen albums under various aliases since his first independent release in 1999. Covering an astonishing variety of styles with ease, through solo Machinedrum work and with collaborative projects Sepalcure, JETS, Dream Continuum, or other mutations, Stewart has established himself as electronic music’s true Renaissance man. His debut as Machinedrum, Now You Know, was released in 2001 on pioneering Miami-based Merck Records and gained worldwide attention and praise from musicians, fans and critics. Having a strong background in both acoustic and electronic instrumentation, he was quickly able to navigate those various elements on his early releases, from field recording and vintage synth-laden Urban Biology to his seminal production and mixing of This Charming Mixtape with MC Theophilus London and his critically acclaimed 2009 album Want To 1 2?
2010’s Many Faces EP ushered the next phase of Machinedrum’s career and a fruitful relationship with Glasgow-based label LuckyMe. Sepalcure, a duo launched with Praveen Sharma (aka Braille) shortly after, became one of the most intriguing names in the bass music scene and a series of releases on bubbling imprint Hotflush has given the duo US-ambassadorship of this UK-based genre. Relocating to Berlin for a few years, Machinedrum maintained a steady flow of releases including the Alarmaa and SXLND EPs with LuckyMe and the critically-acclaimed Room(s) LP on Planet Mu Records, a fresh new exploration of juke, jungle, and drum & bass that garnered high praise across the music world. The dance floor blitzkrieg JETS, his latest project with longtime collaborator Jimmy Edgar, has kept him ahead of the curve, serving as yet another showcase for his musical evolution.
Perhaps his boldest release came in the form of the full-length LP Vapor City on Ninja Tune, a conceptual universe which included an interactive website, digital citizenship program for fans, and an art exhibit in NYC that launched with the album. With subsequent EPs, exclusive remixes from a series of heavyweights including dBridge, Sherwood & Pinch and Om Unit, and a critically-acclaimed world tour, Vapor City carried on his rich exploration of multimedia arts and music. Since that record’s release, he has collaborated with Jimmy Edgar (as JETS) on The Chants EP; released Movin’ Forward, a tribute EP in memory of footwork legend DJ Rashad; revisited his long-running collaboration with Braille as Sepalcure on the LP Folding Time, as well as delivered a bunch of superb remixes for acts including Rudimental and Daktyl.
Then came “Human Energy” (2016), an album that “reflects a period of great change in my life. I moved across the country to a new city, I proposed to the girl of my dreams, I moved into a new house, bought a brand new computer and set off to write a new album.” Lighter, brighter, full of energy and warmth, with a stellar cast of guests, Human Energy took Machinedrum from an aficionado’s best-kept secret to his rightful place amongst the biggest stars of American dance music.
He returns in 2020 with a new album “A View of U”, out in October on Ninja Tune. A truly career defining record which features an incredible cast of collaborators including Sub Focus, Chrome Sparks, Father (Awful Records), Freddie Gibbs, Mono/Poly (Brainfeeder), Tigran Hamasyan, Jesse Boykins III, Rochelle Jordan and Tanerélle. “A View of U” distills his signature fusion of IDM, UK rave, jungle and bass culture blended with myriad US regional hip-hop and club music styles.
Stewart puts his unique signature on everything he touches, carving out a career as a world-class producer on top of releasing solo material and remixes. He has additionally collaborated with the likes of DJ Rashad, DJ Spinn, D∆WN, Lone, Theophilus London, Azealia Banks, Roots Manuva, Rosie Lowe, Lazer Sword, Jesse Boykins III, Jacques Greene, Animals As Leaders, Nick Hook, Rochelle Jordan and Angelica Bess to name but a few. Held in high esteem by his peers, Machinedrum has also remixed artists right across the musical spectrum including Solange, Bonobo, Kelis, Rudimental, Jamie Lidell, Chrome Sparks, DJ Shadow, Barker & Baumecker, Sherwood & Pinch, Noisia, SBTRKT, The Glitch Mob, Eprom, Stray and even Johnny Cash.
