Interview: Monster Machine — Stepping Into a New Era With Her Debut EP EXALTED

It honestly feels like letting out a breath that I’ve been holding for a long time — all that pressure and energy finally released. I’ve been building toward EXALTED for more than 18 months, so seeing it resonate with the community is incredibly rewarding. I feel like I’ve been trying to tell my story, and EXALTED is the final, culminating episode.

When I first dipped my toe into the writing and production journey, the intention itself opened up a lot of doors and connections to incredibly supportive and talented individuals, who have helped me along the way. The EP would not be the same without the mentorship and guidance I’ve received from my peers, and I have them to thank for how each song and subsequent release has changed in its sound. Going travelling also shaped a huge part of this evolution – being in London, Paris and Berlin this year and exploring a foreign music community opened me up to all the different ways music can be made.

I can remember the exact pivotal moment of when I fell in love with bass music – standing in the crowd at Listen Out 2015 and seeing Alison Wonderland for the first time; it truly changed me. Ever since then, I’ve been chasing a sound that can pay homage to how her music and set made me feel that day. I thought that each genre that I’ve tinkered with in this EP had the potential to give rise to that feeling – the heavy, stomping rhythm of dubstep, the dark, gritty intensity of neuro dnb and now, with Exalted, a far more restrained with 140. Each one speaks to my identity in a different way, and I want the community to be able to find a song in EXALTED that they can resonate with too.

Arky Waters is so incredibly unique. He builds worlds with his music. I’m a huge fan of the way he blends emotional depth (like in his track Holding On) with this raw cinematic energy. It felt so natural for us to come together and collaborate properly on a track, where he could teach me how to elevate a song to the next level. Our sounds are so incredibly different, so it was amazing finding that synergy.

You described the collaboration as “restrained but cavernous.” What does that mean to you in the context of where your sound is headed?
I’ve learned that sonic power doesn’t always come from loudness or chaos, but equally from space and intention. I’m super keen to explore that, and learning to let the mix breathe. I’ve been playing around with that concept in some of my new projects, which you’ll be seeing more of in 2026!

I’m heavily influenced by the Phrygian scale and I like to lean into that quite a bit to tell a story – it keeps the vibe dark and exotic, which I think is where the Monster Machine project is heading! All the vocals in each song can become an anthem, and I wanted to keep that side of the songs simple, so the technical production could really shine. Rage is about feeling powerful, Losing my mind is about desperation, Hopeless is about limerence, and Exalted is about devotion.

Your Friday Mix on Triple J showed another side of your artistic instincts. How did that experience feed into or reflect the world of EXALTED?
I wanted to hero as many of the artists that I’ve been absolutely loving recently, and they all play a huge role in influencing my sound – Hydraulix, Oski, Pao to name a few (bonus – they’re all Aussie!).

I want to tell the world that Monster Machine is here, and here to stay for a while.

The sonic world of EXALTED is heavy, dynamic, and atmospheric. What visual or cinematic inspirations shaped the way you approached these soundscapes?

I’ve always been inspired by cinematic worlds that feel both vast and surreal – like the soundtrack of Dune and Blade Runner, and the emotional gravity and exoticness you’d find in a film like Memoirs of a Geisha. 

I’m so incredibly excited to venture further into a few genres I’ve been loving recently – I want to make something high energy and fun with some melodic dubstep, and bouncy bass house. I also want to tie in my cultural roots, and draw inspiration from traditional instruments like the Chinese GuCin or flute. There’s so much more to look forward to in 2026 and I’m keen to show the world more of me.