Justin Martin is a name well known within the world of EDM. For the better part of a decade Martin has etched out his place among producers and DJs worldwide with his ability to blend together contrasting styles of music that seemingly would rather clash than cooperate.
It’s a fondness for juxtaposition that is self-evident on the San Francisco musician’s 2011 debut album Ghettos and Gardens, which was released through his own label Dirtybird Records.
Now Martin is headed to Australia with fellow Dirtybird co-founder Claude VonStroke and new label mate J. Phlip for a Dirtybird Australian Tour over Australia Day Weekend.
Hitting up Melbourne, Sydney and Perth in the span of 3 nights, the tour promises to be as torrid and wild as the San Francisco parties and club nights the crew was once forged from.
Shortly before heading our way, Martin wrote back to Music Feeds’ questions to give a little insight into what it is that draws the American DJ to EDM and what fans can expect from Martin and Dirtybird in 2013.
Music Feeds: From your music to the title of your album, Ghettos and Gardens, there exists juxtaposition to your work. Were does your penchant for contrast come from?
Justin Martin: When [it] comes to sound I love extremes, and I love blurring the lines genres. I am influenced by a wide spectrum of genres so I find it a fun challenge to squish these different influences into my productions. I have also always strived to make music that you can listen to at home in the headphones but still play to a dancefloor packed full of people.
MF: Within the overarching genre of electronic dance music there seems to be countless sub-genres. Was it the opportunity for contrasting styles within the same field of music that attracted you to EDM?
JM: I dont know if it really goes that deep… what first attracted me to dance music was simply just going out and dancing to it. I was a partygoer before I was a dj… and a dj before I was a producer. I think after years of going out I just started to figure out that I wanted to hear something different than what was being offered, and that’s when I started making dance music of my own.
MF: When it comes to EDM there always seems to be a battle between song structure and production. For you which element is paramount?
JM: I think they are both equally important. I personally am a bit of a freak when it comes details in production. I try to get everything to sound as good as I can before it is ever sent off to mastering and with structure I always have my dj sets in mind when building a track. I try my hardest to treat every song differently and if its a tune I’m gonna be playing I want it to be as fun to mix as possible. Not every song has to be structured the same way, and I get bored really easy so I am always trying to find unique ways to make my music dramatic and exciting without following a set blueprint.
MF: You’re well known for switching up your BPMs but if you had to work to a fixed BPM for the remainder of your career what would it be and why?
JM: haha… 125 maybe? I don’t think I can answer this.. I would find a way to break the rules 🙂
MF: You’ve been on the electronic music community’s radar for a decade come 2013. In that time you must have played every conceivable kind of show known to man. What is your preferred setting to perform?
JM: I love playing outdoors… on a good sound system music resonates so beautifully when there are no walls or ceilings.
MF: During the last 10 years you’ve probably been asked every single annoying question a DJ can be asked. Do you have favourite or perhaps a favourite way to respond to a particular question or request?
JM: I get asked what my favorite type of pizza is a lot these days… I love them all:)
MF: What in store for Justin Martin in 2013?
Lots and lots of exciting stuff.. I am working on a new, exciting project with Eats Everything… so this year we are trying to get into the studio together as much as possible. Aside from that Dirtybird is launching its “players” tour and we are going to be doing loads of fun events with the many talented artists that make up the dirtybird sound. this is by far the most exciting year of my career and there are lots of big surprises ahead I can’t really speak of just yet so keep your ears pointed at the sky because dirtybird is gonna be flyin’ high! :))))
