From a Doll machine to a “techno cowgirl”

As the name implies, "Techno Cowgirl" by Doll Machine does lean heavily into techno, providing a killer bass thump ready to ignite the dancing instincts of anyone within earshot. The electro percussion-driven track is infectious but benign and deceptively minimal in its composition, focusing on injecting you with the catchiest of beats and Doll's enthralling vocals.

Techno alone does not describe Doll Machine. The artist is clearly one who thrives in taking alternative paths and genre roundabouts on her way to crafting the perfect sonic experience, she tailors her catchy and vanguardist sound by sifting through hip hop, pop, jazz, and even punk influences.

As an artist, Doll Machine isn't just well-rounded, but also a well-seasoned creative who's co-written with Grammy-nominated Telepopmusik, house legend DJ Robbie Rivera and is currently working on a collaboration with Grammy-winning artist, Really Doe. Doll Machine is also the co-founder and creative director of the monthly Japantown residency Multi-Player.

With just three releases to her name, it can be a bit tricky to try and determine who or what exactly is Doll Machine in musical terms, however from her artistic name down to the various sounds, lyrics, and song titles she's chosen, I can confidently say that her proposal is one of exploration, adoration, observation, and transformations of the digital world. She seems very interested in our relationship with technology and the virtual demi-realities that we inhabit online. This is all true at least from aesthetic first impressions or at least as my own interpretation goes. With musical enjoyment being of course almost entirely subjective, a very avant-garde proposal such as this one almost begs the listener to engage with it from any angle that they can, and so soon into her catalog, I think that the near-infinite room for growth in themes and sound is what's most enticing about Doll Machine's proposal.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Samuel Aponte is Venezuelan-born, raised and based. 

I joined Rival Magazine after a few years of doing PR work for independent musicians of all stripes; understanding their struggles to be heard in a sea of constant  ADHD noise and paywalled access to platforms, I now bring a willingness to always appreciate and encourage the effort and creativity that artists put into their work. Can also find some of my writings on LADYGUNN and We Found New Music.