Influences: D’Marc Cantu

Music

D'Marc Cantu remains an underrated force within dance and electronic music – a figure whose music has been played and championed by dj's across the globe yet has never been one to engage in the hype and bulls**t often associated with the scene. His tracks have done the talking and since 2000 he has released a steady and prolific array of material on the likes of Crème Organization, Forbidden Planet, M>O>S Recordings, Altered Moods Recordings, Nation and many more.

In 2005 D’Marc teamed up with revered house music producer JTC to form the duo 2AM/FM – this was then later elaborated upon by the addition of Melvin Oliphant, aka Traxx ,as the two became three in the form of the group X2.

Establishing a sound which embodies the early roots of jackin' beats, Chicago inspired drum workouts and rough and ready acid – D'Marc Cantu is a producer whom has become an unsung, enduring hero of modern day house music.

In October he will appear on Tuskegee Music, a record label run by Seth Troxler, for the first time. It demonstrates the far reaching versatility of his own music and the value placed upon his tracks by a sprawling assortment of dj's and tastemakers.

In line with this we asked him to nominate some of the music and sounds which have helped broaden is own perspective and enchanced his take on production. These are his influences and the stories behind them…

Buy the new EP HERE and follow him on Facebook HERE.

LISTEN

Silver Apples - Oscillations

Oscillations was one of those tracks that makes you think ands it’s with you. Take a moment to realise that this was made in 1968. The Silver Apples really drove me to experiment with new and weird ways to make noise. It’s crazy what they were doing in the late 60s…

Silver Apples - Oscillations

Oscillations was one of those tracks that makes you think ands it’s with you. Take a moment to realise that this was made in 1968. The Silver Apples really drove me to experiment with new and weird ways to make noise. It’s crazy what they were doing in the late 60s…
Unsane – Scrape

It was a track that was a big influence in my early work, this was around the end of my time skating and musically trying to find that edge which was in heavy rock was elusive. I settled for hard clipping bass drums and distortion.
The Jesus Lizard – Killer Mchann

It was an odd time when I first started listening to electronic music. I had started out playing drums and was really into finding ways to bring that raw energy from music like this to my productions.
Ween – Mutilated Lips

Ween’s influence on me is pretty hard to miss. The way they weaved stories and tales, the odd and the strange embraced whole heartedly, really stuck with me. Spent plenty of nights grinning ear to ear while this album was on.
Heckmann – Satan & Deibel

JTC gave me a copy of this release in early 2000, spent years trying to mimic the productions of T.P Heckmann. Classic.
The Advent - Let Us Take You

Some of the first electronic music I listened to. This release took years to understand from a production stand point. A bit hard not to dance to this.
Reuna-Alue

The earliest collab with JTC was actually closer to this than anything else. It was likely the hours of listening to soundscapes and experimental music like this that shaped 2AMFMs sound. The melding of dance music and cosmic headiness is kind of hard to miss.
Sleezy D - I Ve Lost Control

Techno was meant to be a sound of the future, a portal to another world. When I first heard I’ve Lost Control it was like finding a transmission from another dimension. My mind was blown, my love of this music was cemented. Its one of those tracks that either flips my 100% to dance music or makes you scratch your head…
Bam Bam, Where's Your Child?

Another track that changed my world, I still remember the day that JTC gave me this beast. It’s still on my regular listening play list.