House from the Caribbean: David Marston
David Marston is a producer, DJ, musician, and guitarist hailing from the vibrant Caribbean island of Jamaica. As a performer, he has impressed crowds and party-goers with his captivating live-set that incorporates live guitar and on the fly sound manipulation. He is also a skilled DJ and enjoys playing an eclectic array of songs in his sets. David is continuing to evolve as an artist and strives to expand his already impressive music catalogue with songs that are imaginative, soulful, and that move people both literally and figuratively.
By Bob Juburi
I first met Dave in the winter of 2018 when mutual friends introduced us in a taco restaurant in Brooklyn, New York. I’d already listened to his music and considered myself a fan, in awe of his consistently bouncy catalogue, which oozed with the production chops that tend to swoon keen-eared fellow musicians like myself, and universally emotional grooves and charm that could move (quite literally) any and all sentient party-lovers. I was so impressed that his tunes had been featured in hit TV shows and that he had garnered a fanbase on the New York live scene that I pestered him with industry questions and technical queries, not unlike a child.
His music, for readers who haven’t yet heard it, could be described as straight-up House in its most fundamental building blocks: looping uptempo hi-hat grooves, soft claps, sample chops and just enough progressiveness to make it fit in plumply at a twilight beach jamboree without alienating neither avid audiophiles nor passive hedonists. There’s also a Caribbean essence (on ‘Ochi to Mobay’ and ‘Feel Me Running Away’, for example) which both reminds us of Dave’s Jamaican roots and introduces us to frequent collaborator Sarah Couch, with whom he releases music under the moniker DejaVilla.
What makes Dave’s music unique is the harmony that accompanies these characteristically House elements. Guitar is his primary instrument and finds its way into almost every track in unassumingly humble and effective ways, often accompanied by female vocals, sine wave bass stabs, foundational synth chords and a lead instrument that on the track Summertime, for example, is weaved by Panamanian free-jazz trumpet maestro Aquiles Navarro (who would, two years later, kindly feature on my song Saudade da Festa). Jazzheads may consider their temple worthy only of the harmonic tensions that differentiate it from contemporary blues-based music, but to the average listener, the tone of a horn instrument laced into looping party music has the same desired effect: nostalgia. It encapsulates moments and throws them back at you with emotional force. This is what it felt like to see Dave perform at Black Flamingo a few days after our first meeting in that taco shop, where it became immediately obvious why the venue was teeming to the brim with human bodies: they were there to create memories; and what better score to one’s recollections than the debaucherous bounce of House music peppered with the soft-touched sentimentality of jazz?
The person I met was not only as delicately likeable as his tunes, but also thoughtful, well-spoken and genuinely interesting, and I was thrilled that he agreed to let me interview him for this edition.
Hey man, how’s life in the rural UK treating you since your move from NYC?
Greetings! Life has been good. It’s felt like a bit of a rollercoaster ride since leaving New York. Mainly because there have been fairly significant changes during the pandemic. That being said, overall, I have enjoyed life in the UK—I live near the seaside in a southern coastal town and it’s a pretty relaxed and calming environment. It’s relatively close to London, so the cosmopolitan big city vibe is accessible when one needs it.
I bet you miss gigging. Any plans to perform soon?
I do miss gigging, but I also feel that my time away from performing has given me more time to focus on honing my production skills, which has been constructive. I have been exploring some opportunities to play again, but I am happy to get back to gigging when the time feels right. For me, it's still a bit too soon to be playing parties, especially because I’m based in the UK. So, in short, no concrete plans at the moment.
Your song “Pussy” was featured in the hit TV show Broadcity—how did that feel?
It was a cool development that came as a bit of a surprise. Another one of my songs was also featured in the same season, so it was awesome to have two songs associated with that popular show that is very much rooted in New York culture.
Did that achievement add extra pressure on your creative process or was it just a positive boost?
The Broad City placements didn’t add extra pressure, but they did make me feel more motivated in my music-making.
David Marston
What are your daily routines these days, what’s your creative process been like? Has it changed at all over the years?
It may sound a bit banal, but recently, my daily routine has been to go for a walk by the seaside in the mornings and also in the afternoons. It gives me a chance to sign-off from work and clear my head. It’s a time for me to just think and admire the scenery. Sometimes I’ll add coffee to the mix as well.
My creative process wasn’t very well mapped out in the first place, so it is a little bit hard to tell how it has changed. Nonetheless, I would say that nowadays, the process is more focused and deliberate (for better or for worse). Recently, I have been concentrating primarily on finishing old songs, rather than making a lot of new music. I have a sizeable backlog of songs that I am working to finish, but I want to get back to a point where I can just jam out and make new music everyday.
What’s your studio set up? Any gear you’re excited about buying any time soon?
My studio set up is fairly simple, but there is way enough range and variety for me to be creative. I use Ableton Live and Ableton’s Push is an integral part of my studio set up. I’m also a guitarist, so the guitar plays an important role in my writing. My go-to guitar is a Fender Strat. I recently purchased a Novation Peak and AFX Station—both are powerful synths with interesting capabilities!
In terms of gear that I am looking to purchase, I am excited about buying the Teenage Engineering PO-33 Pocket Operator KO. The device appeals to me because it is something I can use to make music spontaneously. It is usable in many different environments and settings because of its portability.
A lot of your tunes are collaborations with vocalists, do you collaborate because you prefer making music that way or is it because you would rather not have your music be entirely instrumental?
I greatly enjoy the energy of working with another person or group. The team-work factor inspires me and gives the music an added layer of meaning. The first songs I made when I started producing were pretty much exclusively instrumental. I started working with vocalists a little later down the line, and now most of the songs I release are vocal tracks.
Please do let us know about all your upcoming projects that you’re most excited about!
I have a project called “DejaVilla” in which I make music with a Jamaican vocalist, Sarah Couch. We have a new single that will be coming out in the next couple of months, as well as an album dropping soon after. Also, I have been working on some music with an amazing group of artists from Panama (Pash, My Name is Alex), which I am excited to release soon.
Stay tuned!
David Marston’s approach to music is multifaceted. In his own productions, David works to achieve a sound that is a fusion of various genres, including, but not limited to: house, soul, disco, jazz, as well as reggae and dub.