Machinefabriek is the nom de plume of the Rutger Zuydervelt, one of the most prolific artists in experimental electronic music. Zuydervelt often takes a narrative approach to the construction of his delicate soundscapes, and the stories he tells are romantic, sometimes melodic and always cinematic. His ambient noise mixes found sounds and various original pieces of music. Machinefabriek creates noise, drones and gentle soundscapes, put together from field recordings, guitar, and sometimes other instruments, like guitar and melodica, with an old mixing board purchased for 50 euro. Zuydervelt has a commanding power over noise and drone. Subtle, surprising and occasionally cacophonous.
 
To date, the Arnhem (Netherlands) based artist has released over thirty hand-made CDRs as well as two conventional albums. The (very) limited self-published 3” CDRs are never longer than 20 minutes. The short format stems from Zuydervelt’s temperament – impatient to release new work quickly rather than wait for enough material for albums – and a belief that 20 minutes is the perfect ‘story-telling’ format.
 
Growing up in Netherlands, Zuydervelt had little formal musical training, vaguely recalled piano lessons and early enthusiasm for the guitar aside. From metal-head teenage years, and a background in graphic design, the Machinefabriek template emerged after a classmate introduced him to the music software ‘Fast Tracker’. Aphex Twin and Autechre were big influences on his early digital experiments.
 
Recording since 1996, he’s been releasing his hand made 3" CDRs almost monthly since 2004. His current prolificacy and range of sound invite comparisons with the copiousness of Japanese noise maestro Merzbow, an influence that Zuydervelt readily acknowledges. Fennesz, Tarentel, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and BJ Nilsen are also clear influences on his recent output, which also brings to mind contemporaries such as Xela, Deaf Center and Deathprod.
 
2006 was a watershed year for Zuydervelt after he released a surprising 7” single on UK label Type Records. Instead of the usual two tracks, the record was a Machinefabriek micro-album of eight tracks, each under two minutes. His critically acclaimed debut album Marijn followed soon after on UK imprint Lampse, and he gained rapid exposure following inclusion on the June 2006 issue of The Wire magazine’s Wire Tapper series with the track "Somerset".
 
2007 saw a Machinefabriek remixed album, which featured remixes of Zuydervelt’s track 'Stofstuk' by artists such as Kim Cascone, Mitchell Akiyama, Alva Noto, Gert-Jan Prins and Steinbrüchel. A slew of Zuydervelt’s limited, self-published 3”CDRs were collected and released as a double disc compilation of tracks on Lampse, titled Weleer (Dutch for 'at a previous time').
 
Zuydervelt has also collaborated with artists Greg Haines (cello) and Anne Bakker (violin), and notably with American Aaron Martin for the acclaimed Cello Recycling / Cello Drowning EP on Type Records.
 
Delicate Machinefabriek live-sets are all improvised with a set-up that includes guitar and other instruments, effects pedals and a mixer.
 
> Machinefabriek on Myspace
> Machinefabriek Website
 
Appearances:
> CTM.08 > MAGIC POND