Beautiful Machines

S.F.’s Beautiful Machines generate a dense arena-sized electro-rock sound that aims
 to be a total immersive experience, a darkly modern lasers & leather vibe with Conrad Schuman’s moody mutterings lending the right attitude. “Million Miles” is a driving synth-rocker with a stabbing bassline, a keening guitar and a dreamy breakdown that sets up the final boom perfectly––well, almost. We suggest shortening the song and upping the energy when the finale kicks in. “Real Love” shows the band’s ability to create a shimmering sci-fi aura, but we feel the song’s synth-drum-punch effect is over-used and gets tired. Conversely, we would welcome more female backup vocals, which prove quite effective on “Sunrise Song.” - Music Connection

Winner of the 2014 Independent Music Award for Album of the Year, Beautiful Machines released their much-anticipated second album, BRIDGES on June 17, 2016.

Bridges takes the band in a new direction, deepening their exploration of live analog/electronic music. The album is purposefully arranged to take the listener on a journey, like cycling through a Tron-grid landscape to launching into a euphoric stratosphere. Thoughtful, dynamic and full of rich powerful choruses, wide lush verses and tangential bridges, this album strikes a chord and “bridges” technology and emotion.

The 2nd of a trilogy and thematically bridging Disconnect : : Reconnect (2014) with its following concept album Singularity (2017), think of Bridges as an inter-dimensional gateway connecting a circuit or a thought. “Bridge symbolizes transformation and change,” describes frontman, Conrad Schuman. “Before me was a bridge: transparent, beam of light guiding and accepting; stretching from the dead ashes of an unforgiving nightmare to the jeweled vision of a life to start anew.”

Developing Bridges, Beautiful Machines cocooned in the frigid winter of 2015 in Europe, particularly Berlin, a city that inspires re-invention of such artists as Depeche Mode, U2 and David Bowie. Sampling sounds from CERN in Geneva, reverberating the famous halls of Hansa Studios in Berlin while our Black Star Bowie departed, breathing in the diverse art and electronic music culture all bled into and cultivated connections of curios creations.

Based in San Francisco’s Techa, Beautiful Machines takes on a modern futurist aesthetic, fused with their admiration for sci-fi elements, technology, philosophy and the individual creative mind. From Burning Man to San Francisco’s historical Great American Music Hall, each show is thoughtful and unique, featuring progressive visuals, costumes, interactive elements and audience engagement.

The band is comprised of a diverse group of musicians. Founder, Conrad Schuman is an American songwriter, vocalist and guitarist who experiments and infuses his pan-music study into his songwriting. Philosophical-leaning, he writes lyrics and music about waking up as a society, reclaiming our power as free and creative beings, and about transcending the current out-of-balance humanity to embrace a more coherent and harmonious future. Having toured Europe, Veli-Matti Matilla is a Finnish DIY drummer and programmer who designs and builds his own unique electronic drum kits and band visuals. Stef Ku is a Taiwan-American classically trained keyboardist, avant-garde soundscapist, and professional sound healer. Beautiful, intricate, technical and euphoric music, amazing light show, and inspiring live energy makes Beautiful Machines a band worth exploring deeply. - Divine Magazine

Beautiful Machines have all the hallmarks of being one of those bands whose songs are perennial favorites on every playlist. Conrad Schuman’s vocals, guitar and synths beautifully dovetail with Veli-Matti Mattilla’s drums.

https://soundcloud.com/beautiful-machines/sunrise-song

This is a San Francisco band through and through. From their mellow M83 style harmonies to the best of 90s New Division, the electo-pop soundscapes they paint are a modern day myth making process of its own. Their new album Bridges came out on 22 July and Sunrise Song is everything that a Beautiful Machines fan expects it to be and more.

The streaks of hope against an apocalyptic background is ever present in this song and the ominous presence of doom makes the melancholia even more beautiful. The band is going from strength to strength and this pleasantly haunting earworm is a testament to their originality. - Music Perk

Beautiful Machines’ album Bridges delivers dynamic and visceral tracks, adding a new twist to sci-pop and electronic scenes.

Members of San Francisco-based group Beautiful Machines hail from Taiwan, Finland and America. Stef Ku on synth and keys, Veli-Matti Mattila on drums and Conrad Schuman on vocals and guitar make up the trio. Released on July 22, their new album Bridges delivers listeners a highly textural soundscape.

Bridges opens with the sharp, yet fluid “Prototype.” Volume steadily increases throughout the track, drawing back a curtain into the world of Beautiful Machines. While the thread continues in “Million Miles,” listeners are guided through danceable and dark rhythms, layered with catchy lyrics.

“Interference” follows next, presenting an otherworldly sound and reminding listeners how Beautiful Machines earned the sci in their sci-pop label. In a rhythmic upturn, “Real Love” then combines sensual vocals and ’80s goth-rock inspired sounds. The video for this first single off of Bridges has a matching feel.

“Sunrise Song” followed by “Moonrise” is a noteworthy example of contrasting dynamics present in the album. Though not opposites, these tracks have one theme translated under different lights. The first result is exciting and club-ready, while the second is breathy and entrancing.

High musical density remains throughout Bridges, without leaving listeners feeling exhausted. The resulting danceable, tech-heavy, moody – but not depressing – Bridges has a wide appeal. Beautiful Machines could easily play in a New York goth club one night and a San Francisco festival the next. An Independent Music Award-winning group, this trio is one to keep an eye on. - The Celebrity Cafe

(Translated from Swedish): In San Francisco bay, things happen. Beautiful Machines was founded in 2010 and one of the members is from Finland (!). The music can be described as synth and drum-driven pop-rock. Uptempo and heavy dance beats mixed with eerie undertones, sometimes reminiscent of instrumentalists like Nine Inch Nails. Common to all the band members is the love of technology. Here's how they describe themselves their live shows: "Each show is unique and features lights, lasers, visuals, costumes, interactive elements and audience participation." Sounds exciting, we think! - Hype Machine

Deep within the Tech infused city of San Francisco live a band of live electronic-infused beats and low rumbling bass against beautiful synth craft, rich guitar textures and riffs. With outstanding smooth bold vocals and lush harmonies they’ve performed at Burningman, SXSW and Decompression. - Dark Beauty Magazine

1. Hey guys! Can you please introduce yourselves and what you do in the band?

We’re Beautiful Machines, a synth-pop-rock three-piece from San Francisco. We make music from future memories; think Blade Runner meets Maze Runner, like a very sharp maze. Conrad (vocal, guitar, synth, songwriter), Stef (synth, keys, backing vocal), Veli (drums, beats, programming and lighting wizardry).


2. Beautiful Machines formed back in 2011. How have the past five years been?

I can’t believe it’s been that long. Past five years have seen quite a change. The formation of the band, our identity, our styles, lineup has changed slightly, our productions and artwork, but underlying all there is a familiar vibe, just more accentuated. It took us the first year and half I think to really discover our first sound, then that sound keeps growing and becoming more of what it is now and what it will become. We’ve learned a lot about each other, relationships have changed. We’re producing more music now that our vision is more clear.


3. What's your favorite part about being in a band/being in the music industry?

Being in a band, you share everything, the ups and downs, responsibilities, you have others as comrades to lean on and find inspiration. My favourite moments are those that happen when it’s only us, and we’re just making music together in the moment, jamming (but not in any traditional way), it feels like we’re unlocking some new doors. None of that music has seen the light of day, but it’s really really cool and very instrumentally interesting. Perhaps we’ll at some point release these clockworks. I also love the moment you walk on stage to a new audience in a really unique place, like when we played at Northern Nights surrounded by redwood trees, look at one another and think, “hey we are fabricating reality right now and about to share it with all these people. You guys ready?”


4. Aside from being in a band, do you have any other musical talents? Or any hobbies?

We all have bunch of interests. (Conrad), I am really into mind-expanding information, learning new things, watch way too many Ted Talks, I have an affinity for sci-fi media and new tech. I am a huge outdoor enthusiast, active and adventurous, despite my AI interest. I don’t think you have to be one or the other. I love escaping into the natural wonders of the world, exploring and imagining, learning form cultures. I have a 1976 Puegot road bike I call Jaqueline, that I love to take on long excursions, why do I have an older bike? It makes me feel like I’ve traveled back in time to the Tour de France. I am inspired by inspiring people and want to do the same. Stef is into yoga, hiking, outdoor explorations, world travel, expanding consciousness, building community, and looking at different models for society, all through a heart of compassion and kindness. Besides synth, she plays concert classical piano, very beautifully I may add. Veli, raised on metal and motorcycles, is like this hugely amazing imaginative mad scientist inventor, programmer and drummer. There is no “no” in this man’s vocabulary. He just figures out a way to build or do something then does it, having never done it before, a true DIY guy. As a Finn, he loves his licorice, and in fact on his last trip to Europe a few weeks ago, brought an extra suitcase just for Scandinavian sweets, especially licorice.


5. Your second release, Bridges, was released this year, how has the reaction been to it? Do you guys have any favorite songs or lyrics off of Bridges?

We have received some really awesome recognition and people have said wonderful things about it. Can’t say I have a favourite song, since I genuinely like the whole thing. But right now we’re working on a music video for “Million Miles”, the second track on the album, so our gaze is there. It’s the more heavy driving dark tune. I really like the lyrics in this one and toward the end, there are some secrets there worth exploring if you’re a lyricist and imagineer of emotion.


6. Since the holidays are coming up soon, do you have any musical plans for 2017?

I want 2017 to be a really well traveled year for the band. For now though, we need to finish writing and producing the next album and then plan a tour that makes sense. We would really like to tour Europe next summer and hope that happens. I think our music resonates with people there, at least that’s what I keep hearing.


7. I saw on your website that your third album, Singularity will be release in 2016-2017, is that factual?

Factual, back when the post was written, we were aiming for 2016, but time is elastic, and now we’re aiming for 2017.


8. Could you tell us anything about it? Will you guys be touring honoring Singularity?

Actually, while responding to this interview, the thought just occurred to me, and I think this is what we’re going to do. We are exploring with a mode or theme of fours. Whereby quantum computing is quad-based instead of binary and since we’re exploring singularity, where we dive into a future where man and machine merge, AI and everything which is now in the current scope of future is explored. The thought now is to release 4 EPs of 4 songs each, perhaps some hidden songs when there is an octave or mathematical significance resonating with the album. Singularity I - IV. Touring. The plan is to tour US and EU for Singularity, depending on feasibility. But I think that will happen.


9. Thank you for taking the time to chat with us! Do you have any last words for your fans?

Music is one of the great things for both us and the world. It has the ability to communicate in a language that is true and beautiful and can bring wisdom in a time when we really need it. If you are a music lover, please support your artists, even if its just verbal encouragement.


Make sure to stay up-to-date with Beautiful Machines on social media, and see them at a show near you in the future! http://www.beautifulmachinesmusic.com - Veracious Media

Cinematic synth pop trio, Beautiful Machines, have dropped their sophomore release, Bridges, now available to download on iTunes and for streaming on Spotify. The album signals an evolution for this cinematronic-driven band with electronic hooks that are captivating and dreamy.

As the second installment in a concept album trilogy, Bridges tells a story of disconnecting from an old paradigm and crossing a bridge to a new reality. Front man Conrad Schuman says,
Bridges symbolizes positive transformation and change. This album is purposefully arranged to take the listener on a journey, like cycling through a Tron-grid landscape to launching into a euphoric stratosphere.
I am drawn to this album especially after watching Netflix's Stranger Things and there are some songs that would fit perfectly in that show, such as Prototype and Interference. There are also some incredibly catchy synth-pop tunes such as Real Love (which is actually my favourite track from the LP), Sunrise Song, Moonrise, and Free! An awesome album guys! Stream it below! - Caesar Live and Loud

Tonight Pop Art Painter Jamie Roxx (www.JamieRoxx.us) welcomes Beautiful Machines .. Synth-Pop, Indie-Electronic to the Show!

www.beautifulmachinesmusic.com
Winner of the 2014 Independent Music Award for Album of the Year, Beautiful Machines released their much-anticipated second album, BRIDGES on June 17, 2016.

Bridges takes the band in a new direction, deepening their exploration of live analog/electronic music. The album is purposefully arranged to take the listener on a journey, like cycling through a Tron-grid landscape to launching into a euphoric stratosphere. Thoughtful, dynamic and full of rich powerful choruses, wide lush verses and tangential bridges, this album strikes a chord and "bridges" technology and emotion. - Pop Rox Radio

On Friday, March 27, DNA Lounge is hosting the 2015 Fog City Music Festival, featuring a great local slate with the likes of The Frail, Fritz Montana, Taxes, EagleWolfSnake, and more. The show kicks off during happy hour and will run late into the night with a total of 12 bands gracing the stage down on 11th and Harrison. Co-presenters include the likes of SF-based screen printers Studio Nico, Portland/Oakland label Breakup Records, and the one-and-only Different Fur Studios.

One of the other local acts, San Francisco electronic trio Beautiful Machines, is releasing a new single "Real Love" on March 31, and we are excited to be premiering it today on The Bay Bridged. The track has a beautiful ’80s feel, like you could drop it in the middle of the soundtrack for The Breakfast Club or Say Anything, and nobody would bat an eye. Mixing yearning lyrics about recognizing what isn't actually true love with driving synths, guitars, and drums, the song thrives on a whirlwind of emotion orchestrated by bandmembers Conrad Schuman, Veli-Matti Mattila, and Stef Ku. Recorded by Beautiful Machines and mixed by Monte Vallier in San Francisco, "Real Love" is a head turner, building on the band's sound established on their first LP, 2013's excellent Disconnect : : Reconnect.

Listen to Beautiful Machines' "Real Love" below, following by full details on Fog City Music Festival. - The Bay Bridged

Excited to share the new one from former GSP person Conrad Schuman and his band Beautiful Machines. Conrad started the band while at GSP and they performed here in town square a long long time ago. I’d seen them a few times over the years and Conrad has stayed in touch sending me new songs and also letting me know about his ad music company Momenta Music.

This one will be big for them, Conrad tells me it’s the culmination of a year’s worth of work, and on first listen you can feel the quality production value and the time they spent building this release. Have a listen, RIYL Post rock, Explosions in the Sky, playa-influenced jams and art.

Check out an album review in VENTS mag here.

You can buy the album on Apple music HERE. - GSP Music Review

Back in 2014, Beautiful Machines won the Independent Music Award for Album of the Year for their debut album Disconnect :: Reconnect. I totally missed that. Shame on me, I know. Fortunately, I did not miss their second album, Bridges, released this past June.

Beautiful Machines has a synthpop vibe that reminds me of bands like Portishead and Massive Attack, but with a little extra edge. While there is a strong electronic component to their music, it never feels emotionally distant in that somewhat detached way common with electronica. Beautiful Machines creates expansive music, rich in texture and emotional depth. The experience is like floating in space, where your body is fluid and your emotions are swirling in a midst around you. - Soundwaves Review

Epic indie synth pop. That is what Beautiful Machines do best. I really like the band’s own description of the track so I’ll let them explain a little more:

“Sunrise Song – is about the dawn of a new day, closing the chapter of one life and starting a new. It tells the story from point of view of a father talking to his new born and the unspoken sentiment that the newborn has in the world. This can be seen in the ways of ideas. It’s also the final trilogy of songs: “Real Love”, “Free” and now “Sunrise Song”. It’s meant to feel like Hatsuhi, Japan New Years Day celebration, in a song.” - Wee World

Something more for synth pop lovers. San Francisco based trio, Beautiful Machines, dropped their sophomore release, Bridges, a couple of months ago.
The LP signals an evolution for this cinematronic-driven band with electronic hooks that are captivating and dreamy.
With vast sonic landscapes and transformative, yet optimistic themes, Bridges builds off of the band's debut album, Disconnect : : Reconnect, but certainly highlights a stylistic shift for the band. As the second installment in a concept album trilogy, Bridges tells a story of disconnecting from an old paradigm and crossing a bridge to a new reality.
"Bridges symbolizes positive transformation and change," says front man, Conrad Schuman. "This album is purposefully arranged to take the listener on a journey, like cycling through a Tron-grid landscape to launching into a euphoric stratosphere."
Beautiful Machines won the 2014 Independent Music Award for Album of the year, and I won't be surprised if they double the victory with Bridges, as this awesome record was entirely self-produced and independently released.
If you're into Depeche Mode, Goldgrapp, Underworld, Cut Copy, MGMT and good electronic rock music in general, you simply can't miss this band: stream Bridges on SoundCloud or on Spotify and download it on iTunes now! - We Chameleon

The San Francisco-based Beautiful Machines have taken a decidedly different direction with their album, Bridges. Lately electronic music has been mostly about the beeps, whistles and repetitive droning bass, but the trio, consisting of Conrad Schuman (Vocal/Guitar), Veli-Matti Mattila (Drums), Stef Ku (Synth/Keys), goes down the path something similar to M83. It is more about the melodies and rich flowing landscape of music.

The introductory track, “Prototype”, seems more like an electronic symphony rather than contemporary electro-rock song. It is fluid and expansive. The rest of the album is filled with emotional filling soundscapes like “Interference” which has no words, but is a DJ mix of sounds. But other tracks, “Million Miles” and “Sunrise Song” are great radio-friendly tracks that are primed for expansion during a live show. The one difference that stands out between M83 and Beautiful Machines is that Schuman‘s vocals are not as heavily distorted. His true vocals shine through giving the tracks on which he sings a more organic feel.

Though probably the best and most complete track is “Real Love”. There is a throwback or retro element to this song that makes it feel like it should be placed in 80’s flick, but at the same time it has a very modern twist that keeps it fresh. The production level on “Real Love” is beyond compare and is perfectly balanced.

Bridges is a fantastic album that can be used in so many ways. It could be great for a listening party, a dance party or just background ambiance. It is a very balanced and complete LP that deserves to be listened to. Beautiful Machines, if they continue to be innovative, will continue to grow a very loyal support. Bridges is the first step.

Bridges by Beautiful Machines will be available on July 22, 2016. You can pre-order the album on iTunes or check their website for more details and updates! - Lemonade Magazine

Following their 2014 album Disconnect : : Reconnect, Bridges serves as the second album in a trilogy. If you like enlightening music that makes you think, this band is definitely for you. - Mogul

The eighties nostalgia is strong with this one. From the drum effects and epic guitar solo in the song, to the coloured lights and over-the-top font in the video, the San Francisco band Beautiful Machines have captured the spirit of eighties synthpop excellently.

However, it should be noted that there is a great difference between capturing the spirit of a genre and becoming some throwback Depeche Mode cover band. Like M83 did before them, instead of using the genre as a gimmick, they have used it as a medium for great songs. Real Love is a nocturnal gem chock full of hooky guitar licks and impassioned vocals, that above all descriptors is simply a great song. And once Conrad Shuman’s guitar shimmers across the soundscape at the 46 second mark, you have forgotten the era that spawned it, and begun to focus on the incredible music being played. The fantastic bridge that grows mid-way through is an even better example of this, with the layering of guitar, ambient synth and Schuman’s distant vocals that feel like a grand U2 crossover moment where insular synth meets anthemic rock. Altogether what is created is a wonderfully crafted track, one that sounds notably fresh and energized in its nostalgia.

It is a strong showing from the San Francisco band, and one that should separate them from the throwback bands that sold their guitars and bought keyboards and place them firmly on your radar. - IMVERYAPE

Emily Koopman: While listening to your new songs, some of it definitely gave me Daft Punk vibes. They ended up doing the entire soundtrack for Tron: Legacy — is there a movie you’d love to do something similar for? (Upcoming or released.)
Beautiful Machines: That’s a compliment, thank you. Scoring a soundtrack is definitely a
desire of mine, especially a modern futuristic sci-fi movie. Alien: Covenant (2017), Divergent Series, Blade Runner 2, Resident Evil, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, The Lost Boys, The Abyss, Oblivion, and Tron.

Emily Koopman: Can you describe a typical day in the studio?
Beautiful Machines: It’s not really a “day” so much as a blur of hours that drift by in a haze of musical madness. But there is nothing that’s typical anymore; songwriting styles have changed so much. I imagine back in the days of Abbey Road and Pink Floyd, The Beatles and Stones, they would roll up with an engineer, producer and entourage, crafting songs and thoughts over the course of several months, whereby the collaborative process between all of them would yield a delicious stew of songwriting. Now, we do things ourselves – its laptops, DAWs, software, controllers, live vocals and guitar. Still go through mastering as a final QA with an engineer to listen on proper speakers and get their thoughts. We worked with Piper Payne on this album and went through a few revisions, which is a great compliment to the way we work. The benefit to mixing solo is that there is no “red light” that puts pressure on the musicians to get something “right” whether it’s because of schedule or money. The drawback is that we lose expert advice and production skill, as well as outboard gear you typically find in a nice studio. I recall a question: what is your favourite studio tool, and the response was, “whatever allows me to be creative.” So, a typical day might include being solo and geeking out with the tools, sculpting and refining until it feels good. Or it could be all of us just riffing together and creating on the fly, then refining later. Some real magic of songwriting happens unintentionally when you just throw yourself into it and are working with amazing musicians like Veli and Stef, as I am fortunate to have. Also, we are less geographically confined when it comes to writing. For instance, we once went to the edge of a cliff in the Grand Canyon and composed on the fly, not sure how good that one was, but the experimental nature of it, was refreshing.

Emily Koopman: You recorded a lot of your new album, Bridges, in Europe, other than working, what sort of things did you get up to there?
Beautiful Machines: It was an amazing journey, for sure. We went to Europe for fresh perspective, inspiration and a quiet space to concentrate, but also to be steeped in a different creative atmosphere. This story begins with David Bowie, art festivals, CERN, and ends with Dark Side of the Moon. It was all by chance, sort of. We stayed in Berlin, in Friedrichshain, a hip district of old eastern bloc of Berlin, amid the myriad murals and endless wall of concert posters. People might describe Berlin as cold in December; I would say that’s an understatement. We didn’t do much of the typical sight seeing, apart from the Christmas markets and train-ventures, but rather wanted to experience the real volks life. A life that includes drinking in the streets, which helps when it’s cold, it’s such a diverse, artsy and amazing city. Soon after our arrival in Berlin, we flew to Geneva to experience CERN and the LHC (Large Hadron Collider, the largest scientific instrument on earth and birthplace of the Internet so to speak) with the plan to record machine sounds and atmospheric sounds for our upcoming album Singularity. We also had interviews and conversations with some top particle physicists, who create antimatter, which I thought was all theoretical. Back in Berlin, it felt like serendipity that we arrived at Hansa Studios for David Bowie’s birthday and simultaneous release of Blackstar. Hansa is the studio where David Bowie recorded Heroes, Lust for Life by Iggy Pop, Achtung Baby by U2, and Black Celebration by Depeche Mode – so this is one magnificently creative space. Listening to the tracks of Black Celebration, I discovered the sonic mastery of Depeche Mode – powerful and intriguing. We met with David Bowie’s ex-girlfriend (who I will leave un-named, but as a hint, her name was the inspiration for the lead in Labyrinth), who we became friends with and all went out to give food to homeless on the streets, visit her ashram, and hang out at Bowie’s favourite Berlin cafe, while being regaled with Bowie stories all night. We went to yet another Bowie party in one of his old digs at Neues Ufer, the first openly gay club in Berlin. Many a night, which is the majority of the day in Berlin at that time, was spent throwing logs on the modern rectangular fireplace under a transformed living room into a studio to create and write. We took a train to Leipzig and randomly went into an art gallery down an alley because I was drawn to the artwork. Over a cup of coffee with the artist, he recommended that we contact his friend, the “commissioner of culture,” in Halle, which is an old industrial city that has been transformed by artists. In our meeting with this gentleman, we were invited to help construct and be a part of a festival that takes over the whole city with projections on surfaces and art on every area. More to come on that. Finally, our flight got rescheduled and we were able to meet with Dan Abbott of Storm Thorgeson Studios at a cafe in Kreuzberg. Seriously funny guy who we instantly kicked it off with and will perhaps request his skills in our following album design. Apart from being the creative and design force behind some of rock’s most memorable album covers, Dan was a seriously hilarious Brit. Some of those albums include Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, Muse’s Absolution, Biffy
Clyro’s Puzzle, and so many more.
Emily Koopman: Your music has a somewhat 80’s Depeche Mode-ish sound as well, if you could open for any 80’s group or singer who would it be?
Beautiful Machines: Glad you mentioned Depeche Mode, that would be awesome to open for. Tangerine Dream, New Order, Echo and The Bunnymen, Siouxie and the Banshees, Tears for Fears, Duran Duran, The Cure, Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre, Vangelis, My Life with the Thrill Kill Cult – all would be really fun.
Emily Koopman: Electronica music seems like it would be a lot of fun to play around with, what’s your song writing process like?
We are still grounded in band and live-playing world with electronic elements. Since the songwriting has so closely merged with production techniques, there is a lot of producing music and then letting it sit for a few days, listen and refine, then go back and adjust things to taste or add new parts or remove parts, re-arrange and just
play with sounds and ideas. I would consider my songwriting process as experimental and everchanging. There are no sounds that are off-limits: analog, digital, sampled, distorted, synthesized, acoustic, raw, granulized, etc. But
there exists within all that openness, a subtle guided aesthetic throughout.
Emily Koopman: Last but not least, what do you hope fans take away from a live Beautiful Machines show?
Beautiful Machines: Everyone will experience the show through the lens of their own reality and for each will have a different experience. I can only speak to the emotional content put into the music and live performance aspect, which tends to lean into euphoria, elation, openness, introspection, fantasy and the balance between negative and positive. Overall, I hope you enjoy the show and get a shared sense of awe of the magic of life that we have. - Emily Koopman

Bridges is the second installment in San Francisco band Beautiful Machine's trilogy, which began in 2014 with Disconnect: Reconnect and will continue with 2017's Singularity. The lush, electronic record is packed with energy, and songs range from '80s-inspired dance-pop ditties ("Million Miles") to instrumental, cinematic compositions ("Interference"). - SF Weekly

Sometimes a song is just so good, you can’t stop listening to it. I unwittingly wear out and obsess over one song (more or less) each week , and every weekend (give or take), I’ll be sharing that jam with you right here!
This week’s song is from SF New Wave outfit Beautiful Machines. I had never heard of the band before that track, and after going back and listening to their previous album, I wasn’t impressed – but this track, “Real Love,” is a different story. I was immediately hooked by its propulsive beat, the guitar with just the right amount of reverb to it and the hypnotic verses. It’s like something you’d want to hear in the distant future, late at night in a bar under neon lights. Needless to say, I was hooked without a problem – now it’s your turn. - Chrome Yellow

I just listened to the 2014 release Disconnect::Reconnect from start to finish twice. The first time I simply lost myself. The second time I became mesmerized by the intricacies of their artistic flight. Don’t waste your time getting a sense of this band on your cell phone speakers or you will miss all the nuances and mistake them for electro-pop. - I Heart SF Bands

Developing Bridges, Beautiful Machines cocooned in the frigid winter of 2015 in Europe, particularly Berlin, a city that inspires re-invention of such artists as Depeche Mode, U2 and David Bowie. Sampling sounds from CERN in Geneva, reverberating the famous halls of Hansa Studios in Berlin while our Black Star Bowie departed, breathing in the diverse art and electronic music culture all bled into and cultivated connections of curios creations. - Beehive Candy

San Francisco-based cinematronic band, Beautiful Machines have released a video for their single, “Free”. Directed by Marshall Rogalski, the music video was shot live in the band’s studio and showcases their high-energy performance. - Electrowow

Beautiful Machines has had great success with the release of their first album. Now with a new lineup, a new mixing process, and an improved sound Beautiful Machines has released a brand new album, Bridges. We got the privilege to talk with them about the new music, touring, and how they feel they have grown since the first album. Check out what they had to say and then pick up the new album available on iTunes. - Nerd Problems

With vast sonic landscapes and transformative, yet optimistic themes, Bridges builds off of the band's debut album, Disconnect : : Reconnect, but certainly highlights a stylistic shift for the band. - Top 40 Charts

Beautiful Machines‘ single “Real Love” delves into a toxic, superficial romance and begs for reprieve in a gorgeous homage to John Lennon’s classic refrain. It was recorded by Beautiful Machines and mixed by Monte Vallier in San Francisco. Give it a listen below. - New Noise Magazine

Let yourself be carried away by the big sound of Beautiful Machines, a three-piece from San Francisco. Their new album “Bridges” is out now (Apple Music | Spotify). - Glamglare

Then, Conrad Schuman and Stefanie Ku of Beautiful Machines join the show to talk about their new record, Bridges. The San Francisco act also talks about mind expanding substances, Ku’s work as a sound healer, the brown note and much more. The band has several upcoming tour dates on their Facebook page. Be sure to check them out! - Idobi Radio

If you’re looking for an album that makes you think both in song and in lyric, Beautiful Machine’s debut full-length album, Disconnect : : Reconnect is one to grab ahold of. The record takes you on a journey through the raucous present with rich harmonies and solid beats that entice listeners to move and dance as they take it all in.

Based in San Francisco, Calif., Beautiful Machines is a quartet of talented individuals with diverse backgrounds and interests—all of which come together to create their complex but colorful sound. Songwriter and guitarist Conrad Schuman has played with national bands like Black Kids and Avenue D, and he has toured widely, particularly along the East Coast. In addition to touring Europe, drummer Veli Matti-Matilla dissects and constructs electronics to design his own one-of-a-kind electronic hybrid drum set that contributes a resounding, well-crafted beat foundation to the band’s music.

Bassist Van Spragins has performed extensively throughout his music career, including recording, performing and touring with Dale Bozzio (Missing Persons), Paula Cole and Duran Duran and developing bands with talented musicians such as Jay Bellerose (Robert Plant, Elton John), Steve Ferlazzo (Avril Lavigne), Ben Sesar (Brad Paisley) and Mike Mangini. Keyboardist and synth player Stef Ku is a
professional sound healer, practices the art of avant garde ambient music and soundscapes and has toured audio visual media technology festivals in Asia and the Americas.

Mixing together each of these different backgrounds and sets of musical talents creates the full, rounded indie electronic sound of Beautiful Machines. They’re often compared to Depeche Mode, one of their chief musical influences, as well as Echo and the Bunnymen and U2. Individually and as a band, they have also been influenced by such groups as Goldfrapp, Massive Attack, MGMT, Air, Metric, Daft Punk, Nine Inch Nails and Thievery Corporation.

You can hear these influences shine through their latest album, Disconnect : : Reconnect. In song, it is driven by soaring vocals, steady, often danceable beats and melodies you can’t turn away from. Lyrically, it’s a concept album inspired by the world and society as they currently are, and the band describes the effort as a call to action amidst the immediacy of social transformation. They cite economic disparity, political unrest, government shutdowns and other sources of negativity and confusion as inspirations for their lyrics, which share thoughts of philosophical perspectives, self-reflection, causes, love and unity.

Besides pouring their hearts and souls into this debut, full-length album, Beautiful Machines turned to seasoned pros to perfect the technical aspects of the record as well. Each of the nine songs was self-recorded by Beautiful Machines, mixed with Monte Vallier (Weekend, Young Prisms, Wax Idols) at Ruminator Studios in San Francisco and mastered at LOUD in the UK by John Dent, who has worked with several of their musical inspirations, including Goldfrapp, Massive Attack and Depeche Mode.

Their track “Tragic” will be featured on WiFi PR Group’s compilation Indie Anthems Vol. 4, which will be made available at SXSW in March 2014. Their live shows are something to behold, as they incorporate lighting and effects in fresh ways to illustrate the visual components of their music. Some of their finest performances have come out of festivals like Burning Man, Decompression and Maker Fair, and they’ve also played in such notable San Francisco venues as Slims and Mezzanine.

You can find their latest album, Disconnect : : Reconnect, and previously recorded music through a variety of digital channels, such as Amazon, iTunes, Pandora, Spotify and so on, or as physical copies available at their live shows or via online orders on Amazon, iTunes, Facebook and so on.

About Beautiful Machines Music
Beautiful Machines EP (2012)
Disconnect : : Reconnect (2013)
“Sunrise Song” Single (2014)

Website: http://beautifulmachinesmusic.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeautifulMachines
Twitter: https://twitter.com/machinesmusic
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/beautifulmachinesmov - The A&R Channel

When singer Conrad Schuman met Finnish drummer/maker/programmer Veli Matti Mattila and globetrotting sound artist Stef Ku in early 2011, it was the start of something beautiful. In the years since, the band has developed a truly magnamious sound that is as much a nod to the past as it is a reflection of the musical ingenuity of today. In 2013, the band released their debut album Disconnect : : Reconnect, and in the following year, Schuman left his day job to pursue music full time. We don’t hesitate in saying that it was definitely the right decision.

Radiating some seriously ’80s vibes, “Real Love” is the latest from the San Francisco new wave outfit (or is it new, new wave?). With flashing neon and the occasional glimmer of glitter that envelopes a flurry of swaying bodies at the club, the video is certainly a far cry from the school dance in Sixteen Candles. Instead, it tells the story of a toxic and superficial relationship best defined by such excesses. With the song’s bold hooks and dreamy electro sound, “Real Love” is definitely the real deal, and a promising premiere of the band’s sophomore album. - Nylon Magazine

Beautiful Machines' Disconnect : : Reconnect begins with the electro pop mammoth song, Tragic, adorned with a pair of airy and sawtooth synths, deep club drum beats, an instantly recognizable chorus melody and yes, this song is played with actual guitars. This track is a club climax stunner. It's the one that provokes a concert goer to disregard bitter creditors, buy that perfect cocktail, abandon inhibitions and social cowardice and mount the dance floor while letting their limbs become possessed by a sound that carries them through the moment.

We then drop into a bit more of an industrial track titled Birds and Bees, which is textured and glittering, a compositional gift Beautiful Machines are noted for. There is a yearning that can be sensed in vocalist Conrad Schuman's psyche that seeps into the band's songs. Their new upcoming release Disconnect :: Reconnect continues in an emotional swell and release, and is always danceable and ever growing in an inflammatory exploration of rhythm soundscapes and electro popisms at their finest. Professional yet brimming with vicious emotion, this band has Impeccable musicianship and carefully crafted songs that give this electro pop landmark its credibility and beyond all else, listenability.

-Hunter Stroope - The Deli Magazine

On Thursday, January 30, the band Beautiful Machines played at Public Works in San Francisco. The four piece band from San Francisco plays electronica rock synthpop music with great rhythms for dancing to. Beautiful Machines is Conrad Schuman (vocal/guitar/synth), Veli-Matti Mattila (drums), Stef "Cosmic Cupcake" Ku (primary synth/back vocal), Van Spragins (bass/back vocal).

With the first beats of Veli-Matti Mattila’s drums, the Public Works stage comes alive not only with moving sounds but moving colorful lights and smoke. Beautiful Machines kick off their set with “Birds and Bees” and the crowd begins to slightly move in motion. After a quick introduction from frontman Conrad Schuman, the band breaks into the powerful body mesmerizing rhythm of “Electric Sunshine”. Before the next song, Schuman mentions they are about to play a new song, never before played live. The new tune is “Andromeda” and it rocks a great bass line with a catchy chorus. With the mixture of captivating lights, mystifying smoke and the vibrant tempo of the live music of Beautiful Machines, the crowd is in a constant flux of dance movement. Beautiful Machines continue their set with the ever-changing “In the Dark”, the uptempo dance song “Tragic”, the steady moving "Animammal" and end their set with the song “Strange is True”. “Strange is True” contains a great backing groove with a captivating guitar riff from frontman Conrad Schuman. The crowd loves it.

With an ever-growing genre of live dance music in the Bay Area, how does a band set themselves apart? All Beautiful Machines did was put on an impressive show that included bold lights, smoke and enthralling rhythms. With their new album “Disconnect:Reconnect” out now and music videos on the way, Beautiful Machines are giving Bay Area electronica and synthpop fans a reason to come out to see their live shows. For upcoming shows and to check out their new album “Disconnect:Reconnect” visit www.BeautifulMachinesMusic.com . - The Examiner

The cinematic synth pop trio, Beautiful Machines, dropped their sophomore release, Bridges. The LP signals an evolution for this cinematronic-driven band with electronic hooks that are captivating and dreamy. Bridges is now available to download on iTunes and for streaming on Spotify. With vast sonic landscapes and transformative, yet optimistic themes, Bridges builds off of the band’s debut album, Disconnect : : Reconnect, but certainly highlights a stylistic shift for the band. As the second installment in a concept album trilogy, Bridges tells a story of disconnecting from an old paradigm and crossing a bridge to a new reality. “Bridges symbolizes positive transformation and change,” says front man, Conrad Schuman. “This album is purposefully arranged to take the listener on a journey, like cycling through a Tron-grid landscape to launching into a euphoric stratosphere.” As a true labor of love, the album was entirely self-produced. The second song on the record, “Million Miles” is written from the perspective of an ancient vampire who has traversed eons. The song uses driving dark melodies to tell the story of isolation and discontent with societal disharmony. The lead single, “Real Love” describes the difficulty in exiting a long and intimate relationship and ultimately speaks to irreconcilable love and wanting. A video for the single was filmed at Lennon Studios in San Francisco and released earlier this year. “Real Love” also pays homage to John Lennon’s song of the same title. As a thematic follow-up to the aforementioned track, “Free” explores the new possibilities in the aftermath of a break up and is an anthemic call to action in seizing freedom and liberation. The sixth track, “Sunrise Song” is a soundscape of Hatsuhi, Japan’s New Years Day celebration told through the perspective of a father holding his newborn child, representing the beginning of new chapters in life. The final track on Bridges, “We Have To Escape” is an energetic melody that further escalades the feeling of freedom present throughout the album and serves as a thematic cliffhanger that will be resolved at the beginning of Beautiful Machines’ next album, Singularity due out in 2017. Based in San Francisco, Conrad Schuman (vocals, guitar), Stef Ku (keys, backing vocals), and Veli-Matti Mattila (drums) took inspiration for their name from an Alphabet City album, Schuman’s previous band in Gainesville, FL. Built on a common appreciation for electronic music and philosophy, Beautiful Machines formed to create a sound that was both compelling and introspective. They describe the concept of their music as a cosmological and philosophical one, whereby life and organism are beautiful machines. Nylon Magazine described their music as, “a truly magnanimous sound that is as much a nod to the past as it is a reflection of the musical ingenuity of today.” The cinematic synth rockers won the 2014 Independent Music Award for Album of the year and have toured extensively along the west coast of the US. Bridges is packed with sweeping vocals, colossal instrumentation and deep thematic references that have caught the attention of a fast growing fan base. Be sure to download Bridges on iTunes, and stay connected with Beautiful Machines on Facebook and their website, BeautifulMachinesMusic.com. - Vents Magazine

S.F.’s Beautiful Machines generate a dense arena-sized electro-rock sound that aims
 to be a total immersive experience, a darkly modern lasers & leather vibe with Conrad Schuman’s moody mutterings lending the right attitude. “Million Miles” is a driving synth-rocker with a stabbing bassline, a keening guitar and a dreamy breakdown that sets up the final boom perfectly––well, almost. We suggest shortening the song and upping the energy when the finale kicks in. “Real Love” shows the band’s ability to create a shimmering sci-fi aura, but we feel the song’s synth-drum-punch effect is over-used and gets tired. Conversely, we would welcome more female backup vocals, which prove quite effective on “Sunrise Song.”

Contact: Amanda@LaFamos.com
Web: BeautifulMachinesMusic.com
Seeking: Booking, Film/TV, Mgmt, Radio
Style: Indie/Electronic - Music Connection

Synth-pop trio, Beautiful Machines have released a live video of their single, "Free" off of the brand new album, Bridges. Shot in their San Francisco based studio, "Free" is a sonic soundscape that explores the new possibilities in the aftermath of a break up.

Bridges is out now on iTunes. Watch "Free" above. - Videostatic

Beautiful Machines’ album Bridges delivers dynamic and visceral tracks, adding a new twist to sci-pop and electronic scenes.

Members of San Francisco-based group Beautiful Machines hail from Taiwan, Finland and America. Stef Ku on synth and keys, Veli-Matti Mattila on drums and Conrad Schuman on vocals and guitar make up the trio. Released on July 22, their new album Bridges delivers listeners a highly textural soundscape.

Bridges opens with the sharp, yet fluid “Prototype.” Volume steadily increases throughout the track, drawing back a curtain into the world of Beautiful Machines. While the thread continues in “Million Miles,” listeners are guided through danceable and dark rhythms, layered with catchy lyrics.

“Interference” follows next, presenting an otherworldly sound and reminding listeners how Beautiful Machines earned the sci in their sci-pop label. In a rhythmic upturn, “Real Love” then combines sensual vocals and ’80s goth-rock inspired sounds. The video for this first single off of Bridges has a matching feel.

Beautiful Machines – “Real Love” (Official Music Video) from Breakup Records on Vimeo.

“Sunrise Song” followed by “Moonrise” is a noteworthy example of contrasting dynamics present in the album. Though not opposites, these tracks have one theme translated under different lights. The first result is exciting and club-ready, while the second is breathy and entrancing.

High musical density remains throughout Bridges, without leaving listeners feeling exhausted. The resulting danceable, tech-heavy, moody – but not depressing – Bridges has a wide appeal. Beautiful Machines could easily play in a New York goth club one night and a San Francisco festival the next. An Independent Music Award-winning group, this trio is one to keep an eye on. - The Celebrity Cafe

In our Saturday sound slot this week, we feature San Francisco-based cinematic synth pop/rock trio, Beautiful Machines, who recently dropped their sophomore release, Bridges. With vast sonic landscapes and transformative themes, Bridges builds on the band’s debut album, Disconnect : : Reconnect, and is packed with sweeping vocals, colossal instrumentation and deep thematic references that have caught the attention of a fast growing fan base, highlighting a stylistic shift for the band.

The LP signals an evolution for Beautiful Machines, with electronic hooks that are captivating and dreamy. You can follow the band on Facebook at:

https://www.facebook.com/beautifulmachines

Bridges is now available to download on iTunes and for streaming on Spotify. - EILE Magazine

Beautiful Machines is a great band name, how did you come up with it?
Thank you! Remember the movie, The Abyss? Those bioluminescent creatures below the crevasse emerged like biological machines, beautiful in their design. The more deep we peer, there seems to be an organization to things, calculated and arbitrary, like a symphony of organisms, both macro and micro. When looking at DNA for instance and all the nano and microscopic interactions happening, there are these little machines carrying out the nature of life. Being struck with the awe of that recognition supplied the inspiration for the name. A name which has been around awhile with Conrad, and carried over from a previous band with an album of the same name.

Your new record, Bridges is part of a trilogy, can you tell us more about that and what each album will represent?
Bridges is the middle album, figuratively bridging two paradigms of existence, and marks a divergence from our previous sound, as we naturally develop. It represents transformation into something new, and what that something new is, will be resolved in the third and longest chapter of the saga, Singularity, which has to do with man merging with machine to overcome our biological limitations. Disconnect: :Reconnect was our first album where we were discovering our sound, experimenting with what we like and what we don’t, always learning and growing. The idea being, one must disconnect (predominantly from technology or a way of being) in order to reconnect with what is important and significant.

What other artists would you like to collaborate with?
Conrad: Jean-Michel Jarre, Danny Elfman, Trent Reznor, Martin Gore, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Hans Zimmer, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads

Veli: Slayer

Stef: Simon Posford of Shpongle, Deadmau5, and Erez Eisen of Infected Mushroom, Björk, Alison Goldfrapp and Thom Yorke

What sparked your aural addiction?
Conrad: Now that I think of it, I would say it was the movies. The emotional draw that certain, now nostalgia-laden, movies really struck a nerve with me. Films like The NeverEnding Story, Blade Runner, The Abyss (aforementioned), Alien, and Weird Science stand out. When I was 6 or so, I heard Michael Jackson’s Thriller and was captivated by the candy-pop hooks, I loved the guitar riffage of Van Halen in “Beat It” and just thought, this is cool. It became more complicated as time went on, with explorations into classical music, getting weird guitar sounds, and synth sounds. While guitar is my instrument I play live, I spend probably more time in crafting sounds behind the scenes; so for me, I really like finding interesting sounds to generate, curate, and instantiate into the music.

Stef: I remember hearing something by either Rachmaninoff, Chopin, or Brahms at a young age and thinking to myself, finally this is a language that is competent of expressing the potency of my emotions. All these things I was not allowed to speak of, all these feelings that were taboo to express, all these feelings of such complexity that I myself don't even understand, all expressed by a passage of notes that pours forth from the piano like a string of pearls set free to bounce on and tickle my soul. Aural addiction was re-ignited when I learned how to sample and process sounds to make electronic music. That was akin to breaking through to another level of reality, all of a sudden all these possibilities came into being.

Veli: 80s metal album covers. They lured me to pick up albums, put on headphones, and let the sound bang my earholes until I realized it would be super fun to make this noise myself.

Which song do you wish you wrote?
Conrad: “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen…and “Rainbow Connection” by Kermit The Frog

Stef: “Uprising” by Muse, “One” by U2

Veli: “Chicken On the Rocks” - Jean-Jacques Perrey

Tell us a fun fact about each band member that not many people know.
How discreet must we be here :)? Veli says really funny random computer error message type things, so we’ve decided to make a quote book of his isms. Conrad is really an outdoorsman, loves adventure travel.

Veli: Veli wasn't one of the leading 19th-century French impressionist artists because he can't paint and he was born 100 years too late.

Stef: I want to explore every ancient civilization ever existed around the globe and visit and learn from intentional communities of all kinds all around the world. I think reptiles are super cute and want to have a pet Komodo Dragon who will let me ride on its back as transportation.

Conrad: I DON’T like socks or any garment which restricts you (under-roos). Same goes with bed sheets - if you have a duvee, you’re set, what’s with the extra flat sheet, it gets all mashed up and then you wake up in a pool of your own sweat, tangled up, panting, wondering how on earth did I get here. I DO like outdoor adventures and cuddling with animals.

What is next for Beautiful Machines?
We are currently planning on a US tour with a new booking agent, aiming for some dates in the fall of 2016, with even more college dates focused in the spring of 2017. We are likely producing another music video for “Million Miles”, which we would plan to release around Halloween. Then in October, Zoolabs invited us to their music accelerator residency, which should be really interesting. During all this time we will be writing the next album, Singularity, the resolve of the trilogy, dealing with overcoming our biological limitations and merging closer and closer with machines. Encompassing a large body of work and taking us on a major sonic exploration, we ambitiously hope to release by Summer 2017. In the winter of 2015, we went to write in Berlin for Bridges, part of the idea was to scout touring in Europe, that could be a potential summer of 2017 as well, but nothing yet on the books. More and more we are finding that planning has less to do with our next destination as being in the flow and realizing where we arrive once we’re there. Perhaps it’s a bit of now-ism that projects us into our future state. - Aural Addiction