329 - exmaxhina; Dark lofi glitch producer

·1 hr 15 min·5 clips

After a record label rejection plunged him into depression, Ex Machina decided to launch his own label.

The episode features an interview with Ex Machina, a producer specializing in dark lo-fi glitch music. He begins by explaining his approach to creating music for art rather than commercial success. Ex Machina traces his musical origins to 2013, influenced by hip-hop and metal, and describes early aliases like Skydion and MGBZ. A key turning point was discovering lo-fi beats through artist Trashed, leading him to produce for personal enjoyment. After a record label rejected his album, he experienced depression but then founded his own label, Distant Ether, to self-release music. Ex Machina elaborates on his production process, highlighting the use of Ableton's Tree Tone instrument for generative sounds and a layered workflow involving drums, synths, and glitch effects. He shares his background, growing up in Florida and moving to Oklahoma due to his mother's cancer, and discusses his film school education and subsequent pivot to audio engineering through online courses. The conversation delves into personal philosophy, with Ex Machina describing his shift from Islam to a belief where individuals are their own gods, influenced by experiences during a pilgrimage to Mecca. He recounts a near-death experience at the Electric Forest festival that motivated him to focus on music as a legacy. Ex Machina also talks about balancing selfishness and selflessness in creativity, his optimism for Oklahoma's art scene, and his goal of producing one track per week for contentment. The episode concludes with advice on finding passion and giving back to the community.

As heard by us

A relaxed look at lofi production shaped by repetition, experimentation, and visual instinct.

BitDepth follows Armand, also known as Ex Machina, through an intentionally experimental approach to making music. He recalls first opening FL Studio in 2011, getting a more serious taste of production in 2013, and treating the work as something built for artistic experience…

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Why you'd press play

You want to hear a producer connect experimental beatmaking, repetition, and visual craft into one working rhythm.

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