Raw industrial sounds and relentless energy define MAQUINA.

Transmission 150: Interview with MAQUINA.

MAQUINA. is a Lisbon-based power trio merging minimal krautrock rhythms with elements of EBM and industrial techno. The band employs a raw, organic approach to their music, relying entirely on bass, guitar, and drums. Their sound is marked by a relentless energy that translates seamlessly from live performances to studio recordings, reflecting their roots in improvisation.

Title: Dirty Tracks for Clubbing
Artist: Máquina: The New Wave of Industrial Krautrock
Release Date: 2025-02-07
Genres: Experimental Music, Industrial Music, Krautrock, Noise Rock, Post-punk, Psychedelic Rock
Label: Fuzz Club
Description: Máquina interview: Explore the industrial pulse, krautrock rhythms, and abrasive minimalist energy of Lisbon’s finest trio.

Their debut album, Dirty Tracks for Clubbing, initially released through Porto-based label Saliva Diva, will be reissued on vinyl in February 2025 via Fuzz Club. This release follows the success of Prata, their second album, which has already gone into a second pressing. The band will tour the UK in February, and readers can find the dates listed below the interview.

Featured image by Daniel Jesus
MAQUINA.’s Official Bandcamp

What were some of the first bands or genres that initiated your interest in creating music, and how did those influences shape your vision for MAQUINA.?

We were listening to a lot of classic krautrock, which led us to explore more electronic music, including EBM and industrial techno. Those genres became the ingredients for what we do. Bands like 10000 Russos, Section 25, Föllakzoid, and Minami Deutsch formed the foundation of our sound. We never over thought what we were doing or planned it out with statements like, ‘Let’s do this or that.’ It was simply a natural combination of what we enjoyed playing—something fun, challenging, and comfortable for us at the same time. Some people say that we play electronic music without electronics, I take that.

Can you recall a specific moment or event that made you decide music was your calling?

Since I was born, my passion for music and drums has always been very strong. There wasn’t a specific moment—it just grew on me. Even as a kid, before I was fully aware of who I was, I was crazy about drums—and I still am!

Did you grow up in Lisbon? How did your local music scene and cultural atmosphere impact your early musical development?

No, I didn’t grow up in Lisbon. I was actually born in Brazil and lived there for 19 years. I’m from a really small town in the western part of Paraná state, in the south of Brazil. The music scene there was pretty weak. In fact, during my time in that town, as far as I know, I was the only one really into music. I was listening to the Ramones and all the classic bands everyone was into back in the day, taking my first steps into the rock ‘n’ roll life hahaha. I guess I was some sort of black sheep—both in my family and in the town.

But maybe that’s what drove me. I was trying to go against the standard, against the norms of my old town. Moving to Lisbon, I noticed that people here have much more access to music, and the culture is alive. I saw an opportunity to pursue what I had been dreaming of and trying to do since I was a kid in Brazil. I was lucky to find the right people—lovely people—to make music with.

How do the dynamics between the three of you influence the sound of MAQUINA.?

We create our songs together, mostly through jamming. We shape and produce them as we continue playing, recording, and listening to the rehearsals.

Our friendship is essential to keeping the whole machine running. It’s a good relationship where communication is key—it sounds like a cliché, but it’s true. We started as friends, and now it’s our job. We have to face it, but without letting anyone down. Friendship always comes first.

What challenges did you face when forming MAQUINA., especially given the decision to eschew synthesizers for a rawer, organic sound?

MAQUINA. started as a playful experiment, a time for us to gather, make music, and have fun. In the beginning, we never intended to form a band. But as things progressed and we started gaining attention, we embraced the opportunities that came our way. We also leaned into our wild ideas, like, ‘Let’s play 100 concerts in a year,’ or ‘Let’s record an album really fast.’

Everything was a bit of a challenge, but we didn’t take every step too seriously, we were just enjoying the ride. As for our decision to forgo synthesizers, it wasn’t really a deep artistic choice. Honestly, we just couldn’t afford it hahahah

Can you tell us about any favorite pieces of gear or equipment that are essential to the MAQUINA. Sound?

Let’s talk about the bass, well, the bass is very important, semi hollow hofner ignition club, it’s the foundation for our sound. A lot of fuzz and delay for super loud noise, we love the “fernweh” and “super weirdo” by JPTR FX ibanez echo shifter and boss dd3 are very essential, dd3 both for guitar and vocals. 

I have a ‘trash stack,’ which is a set of old, very broken cymbals I’ve stacked together, I have the perfect industrial sound. Unfortunately, I can’t bring it with me when we fly, so I always try to improvise with whatever gear is available at the venue.

During the recording of DIRTY TRACKS FOR CLUBBING or PRATA, was there a particular track or session that stood out as especially memorable?

I think ‘:.’ stands out because it was the first song we ever created together as a band. And if I’m not mistaken, ‘.’ was the first track where I wrote lyrics and sang. Both moments feel special to me.

How has releasing DIRTY TRACKS FOR CLUBBING on vinyl changed your perspective on the album?

Actually, we released our second album, PRATA, on vinyl first. Now, we’re about to reissue DIRTY TRACKS FOR CLUBBING on vinyl, with the release set for February 7th, and we’re very excited about it!

Our approach has always been to create music that feels authentic and true to us. With PRATA, the idea was to refine and build on our debut, almost like creating a continuation and improved version of it. Revisiting DIRTY TRACKS FOR CLUBBING for this reissue feels like a celebration of where we started and how far we’ve come.

Are there any upcoming collaborations or experiments in your next work that you’re particularly looking forward to exploring?

We have so many ideas for our next releases! PRATA remixes with some people we love are on the way, which is exciting. But what we’re most thrilled about is working on new songs. We’re exploring our gear more deeply and approaching the creative process in a fresh way. The songs are starting to take shape, and they’re sounding really cool! Can’t wait to start to record ’em and play it live!

MAQUINA. forthcoming live dates:

07/02 – NL Den Haag, Grauzone
10/02 – BE Brussels, Ancienne Belgique
12/02 – UK Newcastle Upon Tyne, Zerox
13/02 – UK Todmorden, The Golden Lion
14/02 – UK Glasgow, Flying Duck
15/02 – UK Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete’s
16/02 – UK Birkenhead, Futureyard
17/02 – UK Leicester, The International
18/02 – UK Birmingham, Hare & Hounds
19/02 – UK Manchester, Yes Basement
20/02 – UK Bristol, Rough Trade
21/02 – UK Brighton, Hope & Ruin
22/02 – UK London, Strongroom Bar
* with ERRORR

Photos courtesy of MAQUINA.

Matteo Damiani

Matteo Damiani is an Italian photographer and author. Curator of the sites Retrofuturista.com; weirditaly.com; china-underground.com and others