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Los Angeles is an exaggerated version of “The Factory” a la Andy Warhol. There’s a magnetic force drawing raw talent to LA; there’s always something brewing underground. Yet the music scene has an attention span of a four-year-old. One minute you’re in, the next, you’re electro. So who will survive? Cue Intricate Machines, a five-guy band you might have heard of, but not really. Comprised of So Cal natives and full time music nerds, band mates Trevor O’Neill, Lee Hepner, Colin Honigman, Shaun Tidwell, and Daniel Landau collectively make stuff sound good. Instead of pigeonholing themselves in the indie scene of recent, they give the local low-fi punks a brainy makeover. Each track off their EP is thoughtful¬ly composed and memorable; after all, their biggest influences include bands like Radiohead and Talking Heads, as well as offbeat genres like African psychedelic funk. They can talk intelligently about jazz and then perform a 30-second Screamo set– which happened recently at a show in Chinatown. Others are catching on. Their EP made it on to Amoeba Record’s “recommended” list, and a well-known DJ from Indie 103.1 recently played a song on-air. And on the down low, two respected record labels have expressed interest in the up-and-comers. I’m putting it on the record: Intricate Machines is here to stay. As much as I’d like to keep them a secret, I can’t, because their music is bigger than LA. Yeah, they’re that good.” –Diane Chang

We all have our secrets. Some, so shameful you won’t even tell your best friend, like flunking that obligatory Psych 101 class freshman year. Others are too good to keep to yourself, such as catching supposed celebrity “friends” locking lips at your local bar. Well Angelenos, we’re officially here to spill it about a band so dangerously good that it’s not worth keeping them under wraps any longer—Intricate Machines is the next big sound to blow all of L.A.’s ears. No joke. Trevor O’Neill, Lee Hepner, Shaun Tidwell, Daniel Landau, Colin Honigman, and Aki Ehara are the key ingredients in this local act. Their latest EP is a distinctive mix of psychedelic funk, rock, jazz, and electronic elements that takes you to a distant past of the ’60s and ’70s, with a fresh squeeze of the present for good measure. “We really try to keep introducing new sounds into what we do,” explains O’Neill. “We are constantly searching for new elements and new approaches. In a live setting we try to keep some sections open for a little improvisation and those have become important to the way our songs develop. It helps us finalize old ideas and test out new ones. A lot of bands are afraid to do that, but for us it has become crucial.” With a full-length in the works, Intricate Machines is bound to give you a different taste, but you can be certain it will be hard to resist. During their recent California tour, they previewed new material that may take a spot on the upcoming album; if you were too busy basking in the summer sun and missed out, get a sample on September 16th at the Silverlake Lounge. Or, listen for them on Future Sounds, a show that airs Tuesdays mornings on Little Radio. Either way, catch these guys before they blow up—’cause it’s always more fun to be the one spreading the word! - Sakiko Yamagata

Intricate Machines have done what many Los Angeles artists are struggling to do right now, which is to actually stand out. These five guys have successfully released their EP IM, set up tours, and on top of that, made really good music. Influenced by everything from post-rock pioneers, Tortiose, to groundbreaking experimentalists like Grizzly Bear, Intricate Machines are slowly making a name for themselves in the indie/pop/experimental world--a difficult thing to do considering how cluttered it is these days.

L.A.'s Intricate Machines seem to find inspiration in their own name, taking an intricate approach in their creation of pop music. They don't necessarily pay more attention to the details in their music than anyone else; that's impossible to judge. It's just that the details and textures on which they elaborate are less obvious than most. Really, it's just my roundabout way of saying they have a roundabout way of getting to the hooks in their songs. Intricate Machines require time to soak, simmer, and settle. If you're willing to give them that time you'll find plenty of pleasures to sink your chops into. Considering the minute attention span of music consumers these days, Intricate Machines take a big risk attempting to break into the indie scene with less than immediate hooks. This ain't no microwave meal; this is some slow-cooking, crock pot rock. You may have noticed I haven't mentioned exactly what Intricate Machines sound like. This is deliberate. I don't want to contribute to the instant-gratification impulse they've obviously worked hard to avoid. Enjoy the journey. *Show notes: Intricate Machines play this week in L.A. Click here for details.

This is a band that understands that force feeding pop is not always the best route to take. Intricate Machines brings something new to dreamy pop bringing in more subtleties. Every time I listen to their IM EP I start to notice more and although they remind me of a lot of other bands (Radiohead, Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes, Beach House) they bring a lot more to the table. If you are looking to chill out, watch a day at the beach with old film or have a montage drive through the forest where you think about your life, throw on some Intricate Machines. You can check them out at their two free upcoming LA shows. January 16 RERAX @ the Dragonfly With Xu Xu Fang! 10:00pm-2:00am 21+ Cost: FREE! January 19 UCLA at Kerckhoff Grand Salon With High Places and 60 Watt Kid All AGES Cost: FREE Time: 8pm