Amidst the cacophony of experimental/noise-pop acts relying on sinister sonics that lure a listener into a beguilement, diNMachine is an outlier. The brainchild of longtime composer Michael J. Schumacher, the project has been the source for a brand of experimental music that’s refreshingly danceable, especially with the work being released from his upcoming The Pleasure of Principles album. diNMachine’s past productions have explored the artistic nexus of funk, soul and rock, presenting confounding soundscapes that highlight the power of the right groove.
For his upcoming The Pleasure of Principles project, diNMachine is exploring a “stripped down” approach, showcased by the minimalist groove of “SOUND PETS,” his latest single. The track is a frantic composition that matches a distorted synth with thick, rapid-fire drums. The track has its moments of raw churning but also morphs into a range of rhythms ripe for some moves on the dancefloor.
It’s true to his intention to “make pop music,” as he said via e-mail. He adds that “these songs are informed by a long take on pop and rock history, listening to and absorbing music from the ’60s to the present. It’s not a retro project, I’m not intentionally referencing anyone, but it’s the music that formed me and it’s bound to filter through.” And shine.
You can listen to “SOUND PETS” below, and look out for The Pleasure Of Principles on February 9th.
EDIT: Here’s more on the track from diNMachine:
“‘Sound Pets’ is another song from the album that has two contrasting parts. The beginning is is pretty driving and there’s a shift midway through to a quiet, melodic section. The inspiration came from the percussive-sounding synthesizer track, almost like an electronic drum, that starts the song. I added drums and layered the droning melody on top of this, also adding a bass to reinforce the low end.What I started to realize was that the sounds were suggesting some simple progressions: I-IV-V-I and, later, I-flat VII (mixolydian); there was something in the droning “melody” part that communicated this. This could easily be guitar, bass and drums, in fact, when we perform this, I double all the harmonies on piano.For the second part I found another synth riff that also focussed on simple harmonic relations, in this case I-V-IV-V. The very active synths that overlay this is one of my favorite sounds.In a way, writing music comes down to fulfilling and denying the listener’s expectations. So why not use mistakes to accomplish that? The last part of the song has three main instrumental parts: a simple 4/4 beat in the snare drum over a repeating synth riff and a melodic bassline. Every now and then the bassline skips a 16th note – makes a “mistake” – shifting a small amount from the 4/4 beat of the snare. This shifting relationship is what this part is mostly about.The song reminded me of the Beach Boys. I don’t know why. So, I called it ‘Sound Pets.'”
