Cover photo by Donslens

San Francisco-based duo The M Machine has always brought a mysterious, dystopian edge to indie electronic. “Some Animal,” a track from their newly-released album Glare, is a standout not only because of its ultra-simple hook and deeply-swung beat, but because it’s a rare moment of optimism.

The M Machine broke into the indie EDM scene in 2012 with their two-part concept album Metropolis, conceived as an alternate soundtrack to the 1927 film of the same name. With track titles like “Ghosts in the Machine” and “Shadow in the Rose Garden,” it was pitch-black and obsessed with dystopian imagery, powering through maniacal basslines and thunderstorm sounds. Imagine my surprise when “Some Animal” dropped last month with its bright melody and light-stepping groove. There’s even a literal reference to the Garden of Eden.

“Some Animal” is still very clearly an M Machine song, with loose, shouted lyrics and detailed synthetic flourishes. But in terms of tone, the band is in uncharted territory.