Aubergine Machine

"Only,” the first single off the EP Wildlife by Indie Synth band Aubergine MACHINE, was released September 9. The single is unique because of its nearly unheard of conception. The band’s collaborators, House music-scene veteran Ian Carey and newcomer Shanti Ellis, decided to eschew convention and set-up shop on a tropical island. Literally. There, the duo produced the electronic and indie synth record of their dreams, all of which was crafted true to their artistic preferences down to the very last detail.

And, like we said, the end result is addicting. AF. It starts out sounding like it could be any basic mix, but proves itself to be much, much more. Gorgeous, clarifying vocals accompany the beat and music, yielding the most relaxing, grounding effect to have ever been produced by something that is primarily synthetic and electronic. There’s somehow more depth, likely due to the intoxicating effect of the chorus, making the overall quality of the sound like a high-tech lullaby of the modern age. Like we said, totally enamored.

If this is what happens when artists flee for the hills and stay true to their vision, there could be some merit to this practice. Artists, unite! That being said, we’ll wait until we hear the rest of what’s to come from Aubergine MACHINE before we go making any grandiose claims. - Impose Magazine

The beauty about writing for an established site like Only The Beat is the overload of new music you get to hear. While the not so beautiful part is sorting through the good and the bad, I have sorted through it all to give you this gem from the Florida duo Aubergine MACHINE. While you may not have heard of this duo, I am here to change that. Aubergine MACHINE is a collaboration between veteran and multi-platinum selling producer Ian Carey and the rookie (not in a bad way) Shanti Ellis. They formed in 2012 after realizing what they both brought to the table, both having traveled the world and picked up many influences along the way, from old school electronica to present day future bass. If you like that melodic dubstep/indie/hip-hop vibe, then Aubergine MACHINE is perfect for you. It’s tell when a producer creates a track in a day for Soundcloud hits, or has truly mastered the process and consider it their craft. Aubergine MACHINE is clearly the later.
‘Only’ is the first single off the duo’s forthcoming EP ‘Wildlife,’ and the first release since they rebuilt their studio perfect their craft. That’s dedication if you ask me, and I’m sure something that cost a pretty penny. ‘Only’ has that beautiful modern melodic dubstep meets indie synth pop vibe you can listen to in any mood. Whether you’re at the gym, on the train traveling, or just trying to chill out, you can listen to ‘Only.’ We always love a track with beautiful vocals, and ‘Only’ delivers that. The duo has considered their sounds to be compared to the the likes of Flume, Ace of Base, Little Dragon, Lorde, Massive Attack, Amon Tobin and Erykah Badu. And with all of that, we can definitely agree with that. Especially Flume. You know when you listen to a song and it just makes you reflect and think and wonder about so many things in life, but it always comes back the good times? That’s absolutely what is going on here, and I couldn’t possibly dig it anymore. From the buildup to the perfected synths to the dreamy vocals, we will surely be adding ‘Only’ to our autumn playlist. - Only The Beat

Released last Friday, 'Only' is the new single from Florida-based electronica duo Aubergine Machine.

Taken from their upcoming EP 'WildLife', renowned multi-platinum selling producer Ian Carey and vocalist Shanti Ellis, formed in 2012 and draw Carey's house and hip hop experience and Ellis' R&B tinged, sultrily wrapped vocals for a three-minute electro-pop pearl. - Little Indie Blogs

Aubergine MACHINE is a collaboration between world renowned multi-platinum selling producer Ian Carey and new-comer to the scene Shanti Ellis. They formed the band in late 2012 after realizing their unique capability to create genre-blending electronic music. Having both travelled the world in their own right while picking up many influences along the way, their mental catalog of music includes everything from pre-EDM electronica to the uber-current sounds of future bass.

Ian’s very established in the international House Music scene and has visited more than 60 countries on tour sites. His production, while cutting edge but not alienating to new listeners, combines with Shanti’s brand of indie-pop laced vocals to build a foundation of melodies that range from youthful to emotive and haunting. Shanti and Ian like to sum up what they do in their mantra: we make music, love life and laugh sometimes. we are Aubergine MACHINE - A&R Factory

Electronica band Aubergine Machine is a band that goes against the norms of EDM and creates their own sound, uses numerous influences from various genres of music. Producer Ian Carey uses his experiences from an international house music scene to create an interesting sound blended with many different genres.

Only is a haunting, yet calm and dreamy release with synth pulses throughout that always keeps the beat noteworthy. Indie pop vocalist Shanti Ellis’s melodic voice blends seamlessly with the mix of youth and depth, and together, Only has a seamless cohesion across dance pop, Indie, and EDM. It has the one thing that a lot of EDM music seems to lack these days, which is fun. Without it, a lot of new wave tracks are lack luster, which makes this one shine above the rest. It’s chaotic fun that doesn’t try to hard to fit into a specific category.

The best way to describe the flow of Only is easy listening. Even though it’s an EDM song, the vibe is completely chill. It’s all about the correct type of balance. Aubergine Machine takes the youthful side of EDM and keeps it Indie. Only would fit perfectly in a playlist with other artists like Lorde and Halsey, bringing a new meaning to Florida electronica. So if you jam to Tennis Court and Closer, give Only a listen and find what you’ve been missing. - Audible Addixion

I really dug Aubergine Machine – the collaborative project of producer Ian Carey and vocalist Shanti Ellis – upon finding them in the summer of 2014, posting three tracks (“Hostage“, “Hostage Riddim“, and “Sundown“) and noting how their approach reminded me of the excellent electro-pop collaborations between Röyksopp and artists like Robyn and Lykke Li, such as “The Girl and the Robot” and “Miss It So Much“, respectively. Two years later I’m excited to hear new material coming from the Florida-based duo, specifically “Only”, off their forthcoming EP WildLife. Their first single since a studio rebuild, “Only” is very catchy, with Ian Carey showing some of his ’90s hip-hop production love in the stuttering vocal sample and restrained rhythmic push. Ellis’ vocals are spot-on as usual, the “bang, bang” hook serving as the track’s core point of contagiousness. Glad to hear that this act is back at it and better than ever. - Obscure Sound

It’s a shame that a whole summer went by without Aubergine MACHINE’s “Sundown” on its soundtrack. It’s okay, though, because the sweet and sultry electro-pop track will still be more than suitable for golden autumn afternoons and sunny snow days.

The first thing the song gives you is Shanti Elli’s, soothing, smiling vocals, just a moment before the enchanting beat launches you into an irresistible sway. The song sounds as though it’s made out of particles taken from the sunset itself, and the video, released on Sept 24th, 2014, does not betray that sound. It shows the duo’s Ian Carey and Shanti Ellis roaming through their native South Florida, or “SoFlo,” as they call it. A beautifully shot, joyous, slow motion celebration of heat, life, sun, and simplicity, it’s hard to watch without feeling the warmth (and the jealousy- let’s be real -coming from New York in October).

Ian Carey, a multi-platinum selling producer, along with newbie Shanti Ellis, formed Aubergine MACHINE in 2012, after the realization that combining their talents could produce a wonderfully authentic blend of genres. Thank goodness for that realization. The result is indeed a perfect fusion of Shanti’s indie-pop and Ian Carey’s skill in electronic music, of course without neglecting to finish it off with a hearty dose of hip-hop influence. “Sundown” is the perfect sunny day packaged into two minutes and fifty seconds. Pending the single’s official release date this month, you can stream it now on soundcloud. And be sure to check out the music video below.

You can find Aubergine MACHINE on Facebook and purchase past EPs and singles on iTunes. - Rickey Smiley

Let’s just go ahead and file this one under things I would never expect myself to dig, but somehow, inexplicably so, find myself enjoying the heck out of. South Florida’s Aubergine MACHINE, the electronic duo of producer Ian Carey and vocalist Shanti Ellis, craft danceable, hummable electro-pop numbers to groove and move to. Their latest single is “Sundown,” a seemingly endless summer jam, a cure for the everlasting heat and sweat endured in the southern Florida region (and here in central Texas too). The song is warm and flowing, but there’s also an airy dreaminess to it, that paired with the high-pitched vocal effects gives the tune a kind of alternate reality dance floor transcendence. It’s never just straightforward techno-pop.

Shot by the duo in the woods and swamps of Florida, the video for “Sundown” adds a visual layer to the song, a nature meets technology vibe that feels glossy and organic at the same time. Fittingly enough, the bonfire at video’s end would be the perfect location to jam this track, a party and celebration as the smoke floats away and the burning embers light up the night sky. Watch it below. - Heaven Is An Incubator

Electro-pop duo Aubergine Machine recently released the single “Hostage”, which is a true must-listen. The group’s pairing is one part established producer and one part newer musician. As a producer, Ian Carey has had two multi-platinum, one platinum, and two gold certified records, plus an MTV Music Video Award. He has toured in 60 different countries as a DJ with some huge artists, and now he has settled down for a moment to team up with vocalist Shanti Ellis to create Aubergine Machine, which they started in 2012.

The pairing is a bit experimental, with indie pop vocals and electronica/dubstep-type sounds. On the single “Hostage”, they have said: "We went back to the future and used our favorite '90s trip-hop/neo-soul influences to produce a fresh, deep, ultramodern song. We really enjoyed working on this one because it felt very natural to leave a little space to make it a little bit dark."

The result is truly amazing; climbing out from the first beat, the track is carefully multi-layered but feels like it’s taking its own journey at the same time. Ellis’s voice borderlines on gravely, which is nice veer from the alien vocals a lot of EDM songs favor. The pair also released a remix to the single at the same time, which opens more upbeat and ends up taking you on the same walk on a different day. - Young Hollywood

Florida-based electronic duo Aubergine MACHINE melds the production talents of decorated producer Ian Carey with the smooth vocal goodness of Shanti Ellis to form a well-balanced and highly enjoyable project that brings to mind the best elements of acts like Ghost Loft, Massive Attack, and Little Dragon.

We recently spoke with Carey and Ellis about everything from the origin of their unusual moniker to their most recent single release in “Hostage,” so read through below to get the scoop from the duo themselves and make sure to stream their single and its accompanying remix following the conversation.

First off, what can you tell me about the name Aubergine Machine? I know aubergine is another word for eggplant in some areas. Does that have anything to do with it?

[Laughs] Yeah it does have something to do with it. We came up with the name when we were living in Spain, and had a lot of British expat friends there. The Brits call eggplant aubergine and we thought it was kind of funny, so one night when we were eating eggplant we came up with the idea that Aubergine Machine would be a good band name. It’s more about the color in the concept though.

And how did the two if you originally come together to form this project?

We have worked on music together for years, but always writing for other artists/projects etc., and we just decided to do our own thing the way we wanted to.

Had you ever explored any other genres outside of electronic music before forming AM?

Most of what we do is electronic based, but we have many influences outside of the electronic music world. Some examples of our favorite non electronic music would be bub artists like Scientist, or Afrobeat like Fela Kuti, bossa nova from Astrud Gilberto, dreamy shoegaze of Mazzy Star, Fleetwood Mac, etc. Lots of classic sounds with many roots.

Would you say that those bands are your most important influences you draw from?

We draw from a lot of different places creatively. We listen to a lot of music and we do not discriminate. We listen to the most hipster of hipster to the most pop of pop and we appreciate it all. We value the fact that as we’ve grown musically we are able to appreciate music for what it is.

Ian, you already have an impressive resume with some of the accolades you’ve acquired in the past. Do you feel that your background and the connections you’ve accrued over the years have had any specific advantage in propelling this project or has it felt more like starting any other endeavor from the ground up?

To be honest it has not been easy at all. I sent the project to all my big major label people and they all listened to it and they all got back with the same reply: “We really like it, but we don’t know who the audience is.” This has been a problem with big labels we have experienced. They only want something that sounds like something that’s already out there and big, not something original.

Just a few weeks ago, you released “Hostage,” which is completely hypnotic and has a fantastic groove to it. Can you tell me a little about how that song came to be? What was the inspiration behind its theme and lyrics?

Thank you. We were undecided for a while on which direction to take this song. It was between house and electronic. After developing the darker electronic sound we felt it was a better fit for the mood and style of the vocals. Inspiration always comes from the music itself. In this case it was the synths. They just grabbed me [Shanti] and then out came the lyrics. The words and theme are just kind of like photos that come to mind to the sound.

You also have a remix paired with the single. How did Brad Holland and Princeton Rejects get involved to take the track and rework it?

Princeton Rejects is another thing Ian is doing in the deep house area, and we felt this record could benefit from a mix in this direction. It came out well…

Not too long ago, you remixed one of The Strokes’ more recent tracks. Do you plan to dabble in reworks like that more often within this project?

We like the concept of doing covers, but only when they add something to the song. Just redoing a song American Idol style is kind of pointless, but if we see the chance to reinterpret a song into something new and exciting.

A lot of artists and producers I’ve talked with in recent months tend to touch on an over-saturation of similar artists within the realm of EDM and that it’s become almost too homogeneous. Is this something you’ve noticed as well? What are your thoughts on that?

This topic can go on for hours, but to sum it up, yes. There is so much of the same thing over and over and what we said earlier about the big labels only wanting the same things does not help either. We have to work to get listeners to demand originality and not just accept the same things over and over again.

And in that sense, what do you feel AM bring to the table that helps you stand out and gain traction within that sea of similarity?

We try to make pure music pulling from a wide array of influences and years of experience. We want our music to come across sincere and not try to be something other than what it is.

What can we expect from you guys for the remainder of the year? Any new material in the works for AM? Any other project you two might be working on?

We have a new single coming and we are constantly writing new material. There is a lot to come in the future! - Under The Gun

I'm waiting for the moment when Aubergine MACHINE's music will be present in playlists everywhere. On the cusp of taking their success to the next level, the duo consists of the renowned producer Ian Carey and fresh to the scene Shanti Ellis on the vocals. Their electronic sound is the very effort that I'd like to keep seeing. It pushes the genre boundaries and is suitable for nearly every listening occasion. They blend in their vast influences into each of their tracks and the result is beautiful. If you're not familiar with Aubergine Machine, I'd recommend checking out their track "Starstruck" or "Hostage", but only after having a listen to their cover of The Stroke's "Call It Fate, Call It Karma" below.
The duo takes this staple song from The Strokes and turns it into an entirely new piece of work. Shanti's haunting vocals add just the right amount of vigor to the dark bass and eerie trap kicks. You can hear their various genre influences melting down into this fluid production. I'm sure The Strokes are proud! - Earmilk

If you haven’t already read the latest Anniversary Issue of Papercut Magazine well… you’re missing out on some great musical artists that were featured in the issue. Luckily we have our website here to provide you with some snippets of what you missed.

First, I’d like to introduce to you one of my favorite artists from the latest edition of the magazine, Aubergine MACHINE. These guys are out of this world and exhibit so in their song “Satellite” by producing sounds with a spacey/star-dusty/“Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century” feel. They combine sounds that are a mixture between dubstep, electronic and pop. Shanti Ellis’s vocals have a honey-milky, melodic, synthpop sound that will be sure to turn ears. - PaperCut Magazine