Automatic Music
Gig Seeker Pro

Automatic Music

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States | SELF

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States | SELF
Band Hip Hop Alternative

Calendar

This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

Music

Press


"AUTOMAtic Pushes Hip Hop in Unlikely Directions"

As A.P.R.I.M.E. and Trellmatic of the Milwaukee-based experimental hip-hop duo AUTOMatic performed at the 37th Annual Zulu Nation Anniversary in New York City, A.P.R.I.M.E. noticed that one of hip-hop’s luminaries was listening to their music. It was Afrika Bambaataa. “Just to be around all that history, and just to have him give us the head-nod like he approved of what we’re doing, was probably one of the greatest feelings ever,” A.P.R.I.M.E. recalls.

The New York experience was a positive one for the duo, where the audience and industry figures alike were impressed with the pair. As A.P.R.I.M.E. explains, “We were actually able to meet people who want to help us further our careers.” That’s not to say that AUTOMatic is aiming for massive popular success, though. They seem content to grow their audience organically through musical craftsmanship and the singular vision that their music can give voice to the silenced.

As Trellmatic puts it, “We still work our nine-to-fives, so we have our everyday struggles like everybody else, and we’re still affected by the things going on in this economy.” He cites the social awareness of Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield as a prime influence, and even samples their beats for political effect.

The loftier concerns of presidential politics or world affairs, while still important, aren’t as critical to their vision as issues closer to home. A.P.R.I.M.E.’s keen to point that out.

“My interests lie within things that directly affect the common man,” he says. “In my line of work I see a lot of things that a lot of people don’t actually see. I feel that in that state a lot of people are voiceless, and I believe I should be the mouthpiece to voice the struggle.”

For AUTOMatic, the everyday struggle of people putting food on the table for their family is just as worthy of musical and lyrical poetry as the implosion of Haiti following the earthquake. They look for the spaces in between—to speak for the forgotten.

And though their social conscience is manifest, the duo understands that the message must be delivered in an attractive package. Like John Lennon did decades ago, the duo wraps important messages inside catchy compositions. Thus it is no surprise that AUTOMatic’s latest album, Transistor, shows its ties to the golden era of hip-hop by way of groups like Souls of Mischief. It was also influenced by a sonic palette that includes The Beatles, James Brown, New Wave and Steely Dan.

“It’s weird: Even though we do hip-hop, we are not extremely influenced by hip-hop,” A.P.R.I.M.E. says.

Trellmatic notes the duo’s desire to experiment. Their first album, Audiology, he says, “was different from Transistor, and the stuff we’re working on now is different from both. So, we’re always trying to push the limits of what we do.”

The group is working on new material, including one song they are teasing as particularly groundbreaking. “I think when we drop this song it’s definitely going to open up some people’s eyes,” Trellmatic says. “We’re going to take you somewhere else with this track.”

AUTOMatic performs at the Wisconsin Black Historical Society on Dec. 26 as part of its Kwanzaa ceremony, and at the Cactus Club on New Year’s Eve with KingHellBastard. - Express Milwaukee


Discography

Higher (vocal) single
Teenage Love (vocal) single
Once Again (vocal) single

Photos

Bio

AUTOMatic Music Biography

AUTOMatic Music is the perfect name for the hip-hop group formed by Milwaukee based emcee A.P.R.I.M.E. and producer Trellmatic. The perfection that comes from their musical collaboration is simply, automatic.

The group got their start in 2007 after years of being fans of each other’s work. A.P.R.I.M.E. has been putting out music since 2004, and an unexpected exit of his partner in his previous group Class:Sick left him once again looking for new ways to release his creativity. Trellmatic has been producing music for people since the early 2000’s and after doing an entire album for Arizona based emcee Mr. Miranda (then known as Smooth), he too was looking for a new challenge.

2008 saw the release of their first underground album, Audiology, an album full of potential that was well received by the Milwaukee hip-hop community. A.P.R.I.M.E. took to the stage around the city to increase the awareness about the new project him and Trell did, in addition to working on building up hype for the greater collective they were a part of, the House of Mutants.

In 2009, the House of M decided that it was time to solidify their legacy in Milwaukee hip-hop history by becoming a group and releasing an album. The Alternate Reality Of… came out in August of ’09 to an incredible amount of local hype, seeing the legendary club Mad Planet filled to capacity, and local media having nothing but praise for the album. A.P.R.I.M.E. was the stand out leader of the group on the album, showing exponential growth in skill between 2008 and 2009, and Trellmatic’s production provided a crucial dimension of smooth to the often aggressive release.

For the next several months the M’s music began to filter into people’s ears all across the world and they booked dozens of shows around the Midwest, rocking stages at bars, clubs, and universities. AUTOMatic Music took this hype and used it to catapult them into writing and recording the follow up to Audiology. Through several months of hard work, the throwback classic track filled Transistor was born.

The chemistry that A.P.R.I.M.E. and Trellmatic have is further cemented by the work done on Transistor, again showing growth in their development, not only as a duo, but singularly at their respective crafts. The music from the new album has hit the underground hard, finding love in places all across the US through several key blogs as well as overseas in Belgium and Germany. The sincerity with which AUTOMatic Music shows the founding fathers of hip-hop respect in undeniably charming and the work ethic that they employ is exactly what you’d expect from people who are doing the art form of hip-hop out of love and not out of greed.

AUTOMatic Music is the next best thing to the golden era of hip-hop, and it’s the revival of the golden era sound that AUTOMatic Music is here to bring back, and will bring back, because when the music that you do is automatic, there’s no way that it can be denied.

Contact: Executive Producer – Rocky Bucano
rbucano@newyorkgauchos.com; Manager – JC Poppe jcpoppe@yahoo.com