Introducing the Machine: Soundtracking Womanhood, Humor, and Rebellion in the Pacific Northwest
Introducing the Machine carves out space for a powerful voice rarely spotlighted in music - one shaped by experience, sharp wit, and the layered reality of womanhood. Formed in 2023 by Vancouver, Washington-based musicians Sarah Arslanian and Eileen Cowen, the duo brings together a decade of creative collaboration into a project that’s equal parts heart, humor, and rebellion.
With roots in country-folk harmonies and a rock-punk mentality, Introducing the Machine creates original music that delves into disillusionment with societal expectations, the unattainable standards placed on women, and the hilarity of simply being human. Their performances blend genres: original songs, pop and country covers, even the occasional DJ set—with witty banter and thoughtful commentary that turn every show into something more than just a setlist.
A Friendship Decades in the Making
Arslanian and Cowen first connected more than a decade ago over a shared love of harmony and classic female powerhouses like Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt. Though their initial jam session yielded just one song, their creative paths aligned again years later with a renewed purpose: to explore the full scope of womanhood, not in metaphor, but in messy, hilarious, and often heartbreaking detail.
What began as a musical project quickly evolved into something more multidimensional. Introducing the Machine became a platform not just for songs, but for satire, protest, and performance. The name itself sets the tone: any emcee introducing the band must say, “Introducing Introducing the Machine.” It’s a playful disruption that hints at the duo’s layered approach to art and identity.
Music as Medium and Mirror
Described as part concert, part performance art, Introducing the Machine is known for its immersive shows and subversive humor. Their latest record, Independence Day, takes listeners on a conceptual journey—beginning in melancholy and culminating in liberation.
“This album in particular is like, we want to run, but why do we want to run?...Are you running away from something or to something?” The duo says.
The album blends folk and Americana with layered vocal harmonies, poetic lyrics, and satirical edge. Songs wrestle with grief, menopause, societal invisibility - but it’s not all solemn: the duo often integrates humor into their work, from T-shirt slogans born out of rehearsals to characters who represent oppressive forces (like “Glenn,” their recurring stand-in for the patriarchy).
From Portland’s Shadow, a Scene of Their Own
While Portland often dominates headlines, Vancouver is growing a creative identity all its own—and Introducing the Machine is at the center of it. Signed to the rising indie label Ronald Records, they’re the label’s first act and its only female duo.
“This community has grown in ways that I don't think it really has in a long time. There's a music scene, but there's never really been, like, a kind of a cohesive, rallying point in some ways.”
Beyond the band, both artists are active in local organizing, arts education, and feminist advocacy. Their creative output spans from pop-up art shows in U-Haul trailers to community radio: they host a monthly show called Women of a Certain Age, giving airtime to overlooked perspectives and showcasing women artists across generations.
What’s Next for the Machine?
Following the release of Independence Day, Introducing the Machine will host their album release show this Saturday, July 19th at Full Heart Irish Pub in Vancouver.
We’re hoping for potential tour plans, with a strong interest in reaching more of the Pacific Northwest, including Spokane and surrounding communiti
es. As the band continues to build bridges between art and activism, local and regional, serious and satirical, one thing is certain: Introducing the Machine isn’t just a band name. It’s a mission.
Follow Introducing the Machine:
Instagram @introducing_the_machine
Listen to Independence Day on all major platforms
Radio Show: Women of a Certain Age
All their links here
