- A vocal-heavy album that bridges the past and present of Travis Stewart's one-of-a-kind wistful uptempo sound.
- A stay in the Joshua Tree desert can do wonders for those seeking a moment of reflection. Searching for new inspiration, Machinedrum, AKA Travis Stewart, headed to the Mojave for his 41st birthday, where he instead found himself combing through archives of his older, unpublished work. He started polishing and revamping stems, creating beats for what would become his 11th studio album, 3FOR82. The project, as Stewart says,"bridges the gap between [his] past and future self," and gives listeners a peek into the expansive inner world that emerged from his fortress of solitude in the desert.
Despite its introspective origins, 3FOR82 is a fast-paced and frenetic mix of sounds that comes off both contemporary and nostalgic. Stewart describes this album as being crafted under a series of self-imposed limits. Working within the parameters of already existing stems from his old hard drives and audio from VHS recordings he filmed in the desert, he builds a unique sonic landscape that captures the sounds of his life past and present. Still, he stays true to his usual stylistic affinities: itchy feet percussion, jungly breaks, R&B vocals and an obvious IDM influence—plus his usual ear for collaboration. Of the 12 tracks on the album, only one of them is a Machinedrum solo cut: "HON3Y," a jittery jungle track with the plaintive guitar samples and lush instrumentation of previous albums like Vapor City Archives, a record that helped establish the blueprint for 3FOR82's clubby but wistful sound.
What sets 3FOR82 apart is guest stars, who infuse Stewart's well-worn sound with their own individual energies. He presented them with finished tracks to write their own vocal pockets into with the prompt: "What would you say to your younger self?" Tinashe, Jesse Boykins III and KUČKA are among those who answered. The result is a diaristic collection of songs and lyrical stories united by a shared duality: nostalgic angst and words of encouragement. On "U_WANT," KUČKA sings, "Trust me, there are better days," amidst a euphoric swirl of bright, bouncy drums and EDM-baiting synth. Deniro Farrar tells his younger self, "Diamond in the rough / through all the pressure you gon' rise," on "HEAL." These lyrics might not be more than platitudes, but they suit the music's shiny, direct production.
Even the vocals are twisted and chopped up into samples in typical Machinedrum style, they still retain their personality and narrative. On tracks like "BLESSED" and "KILL_U," Deem Spencer and Tanerelle's voices are glitched out, like a faulty computer in a '90s movie, painting a visual of the intricate world that Stewart's music lives in—one that endlessly tries to bridge the gap between the digital and the human. The glitches sound like a break in the matrix before returning to the regular flow of the songs.
3FOR82 has an arc as a whole, too, opening the record with a melancholy but happy track ("ORACLE") and ending on Jesse Boykin III's sentimental ballad, "GODOWN," tugging at the heartstrings with its acoustic guitar motif. In between, Stewart dabbles in seductive gloom on "KILL_U" and anger on ‘‘RESPEK," easily the hardest track on the LP. It's a nod to the emotional ups and downs that come from growing up, whether that means making it through your teenage years or cruising towards your mid-40s. Though he uses other voices to tell the story of the album, it's all held together by Stewart. 3FOR82 is a record about looking back and encouraging the kid inside of you. He wants his younger self to feel seen, to acknowledge all the insecurities and instabilities that come with youth. And in turn, he offers an inspiring and hopeful project that should make his listeners feel seen, whatever stage of life they may be in.
Lista de títulos01. ORACLE feat. aja monet
02. RESPEK feat. Topaz Jones & Ezri
03. WEARY feat. Mick Jenkins & Jesse Boykins III
04. H0N3Y
05. HEAL feat. AKTHESAVIOR & Deniro Farrar
06. ILIKEU feat. Duckwrth
07. U_WANT feat. KUČKA
08. BLESSD feat. deem spencer
09. RISE feat. ROZET
10. ZOOM feat. Tinashe
11. KILL_U feat. Tanerélle)
12. GODOWN feat. Jesse Boykins III)