INTERVIEW: MARBS

In the ever-evolving landscape of electronic music, few artists manage to strike a perfect balance between raw emotion and high-energy soundscapes. Marbs is one such creator, crafting music that resonates on both a personal and dancefloor level. From their journey of self-discovery in the studio to the influences that shaped their sonic identity, they share insights into their creative process, the evolution of their tracks, and their vision for the future of electronic music. In this conversation, we explore the inspiration behind their latest work, the challenges of knowing when a track is truly "finished," and the impact of running a label on their artistic growth.

1. Your journey started with rock, reggae, and hip-hop influences. Do those elements still play a role in your production?

-  Absolutely. Especially the attitude and grittiness of hip hop and heavy metal. I like my music to have attitude, while also evoking emotion, introspection, and dance floor energy. My influences are constantly evolving and growing but my roots are in the ground and will always be with me.

2. Toroidal has a powerful vocal that shifts unpredictably. How did you approach the vocal processing?

-  yeah this was fun. So the theme behind Toridal is duality ~ that feeling of finding our way only to be met with unexpected life turns that derail the feeling. I found that vocal sample and fell in love with it, but I didn’t want the drops to carry that uplifting energy, I wanted it to be a metaphor for what I described above, so when the drops and instrumental sections take unexpected turns. With those turns I made the vocal stutter, fragment, and fracture to simulate the shift between a confident feeling that’s uplifting, and the unexpected turns life throws us. The track explores this duality throughout and I hope listeners feel that when enjoying the track.

3. What role does improvisation play in your studio sessions?

- I always start the session jamming with no real framework laid out. This allows me to get into a flow state navigating an underlying intention around the track without being set into a specific goal. This also allows room for happy accidents, unexpected turns, and shifts in direction which I find fun and exciting.

4. How has your experience as a DJ influenced the way you produce music?

- On one hand it has influenced it tremendously. As I play more shows in different settings it pushes me to explore these experiences in the studio. On the other hand, as I get older I notice myself entering the studio more focused on me and just creating something that’s truly a reflection of who I am. Now I’m finding the balance between creating things that give an intimate glimpse at me behind the veil while also focusing on the tracks having dance floor energy that will connect people. I think that’s the sweet spot and it will be a lifelong journey trying to reach that area where the music expresses who I am while connecting people on dance floors and while listening.

5. With Tidal Break EP, you explore contrasts. Do you think electronic music is moving towards more diverse, hybrid sounds?

- I sure hope so haha. I think there’s a lot of regurgitated sounds and styles right now, which is natural in any type of art as it becomes more popular... some may say its even necessary to the growth of any genre... but I think we are hitting that point now where people want something more, to dig deeper, to hear things they have never heard, to explore the edges of these genres we’ve grown to love. That’s a very exciting place for any type of music to be in because it breeds the underground and fuels innovation. I aimed to do this with my Tidal Break EP, its not the conventional dance floor bangers that are made to be Chart Toppers. This one is for the heads, the diggers, the people who want to feel something different and I see a lot of my favorite artists doing that right now and ever since the pandemic.

6. If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead?

- Art. I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawing, painting, or creating. I do this now for sure, but if music wasn’t my main focus, then art would be. It was my first love and always will be. I like how it is now though, art is more just for me and personal ~ like a journal. I really love that I have a life that allows me to activate all my creative outlets and talents and I like how the division between art and music is for me in this moment.

7. What excites you most about performing Tidal Break EP live?

- With any release it feels really special when a whole dance floor is vibing to something I’ve made in my little condo studio in Oceanside, CA. When I’m making music at home its a personal thing that allows me to dive deep into myself and tap into my internal flow states... when I play it live and share it with the world it becomes something else and that shift, the feeling around it, is beautiful. People feeling something and connecting from a work that I that tends to be very personal allows the music to have a life of its own outside of me, it brings it to life and that excites me immensely.

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