MartyParty – Pound of Purp

By starrymag | September 11, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) Purple music – I use this genre to describe the merge between a hip-hop beat and a melodic synth-based lead – Club Hip-Hop, Melodic Bass. But, honestly, it is hard to describe as it is unique and crosses so many genres – MartyParty music.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) I grew up in love with Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Bob Marley and the huge melodic anthems of early electronic music like Blue Monday, Grace Jones and Depeche Mode. Once I moved to the US, I became obsessed with the instrumentals of hip-hop. I’m mostly influenced by song writers, composers of great arrangements that become timeless and classic songs. Not too influenced by the relevant and latest things, more those things that are always listened to and get stuck in your head.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Pound of Purp.”

 

A) Classic MartyParty arrangement – hip-hop verse, electronic verse and back and forth between the vocal and the melodic interpretation. This is where I am most happy and this song came out perfectly.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans will connect to?

 

A) My fans tend to be stoners. [smiles] We have always connected over trippy electronic and hip-hop stoner themes and this is a classic. It’s a feel-good song that you can listen to on repeat.

 

Q) For your songs with lyrics, what is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics? 

 

A) My process always starts with a single element I like, either a sound, a vocal, a melody or a syncopation. It’s always different and unpredictable.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music? 

 

A) Both hands. [smiles] I write, engineer and mix all my music.

 

Q) You’re out on a headlining tour right now. What can fans expect from a live MARTYPARTY performance?

 

A) I’ve always had a unique style of live performance where I use a four-channel setup in Ableton. This allows me to mix my songs and random acapella and one-shot effects in a captivating way.

 

I’m not a hands-in-the-air type DJ. I prefer to dance with the music and interpret the feelings. On this run I’m bringing Minx and we dance on stage the whole set. It’s a lot of fun. There is an abundance of shows where the crowd nods heads or fist pumps, I prefer a dance party and that’s what I bring. More of an intimate affair with maximum connection with the audience.

 

Q) Will there be a full EP or album coming in the near future?

 

A) I wrote the Spectacle collection as an album but decided to release it differently as a song at a time each week – I call it the drip – I drip the songs. At the end I will release the album, which is the drop.

 

Q) You’ve played some of the most prominent music festivals. Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you? 

 

A I love classic intimate music venues that cater to the artist and the show and don’t rely on LED’s and effects – venues that focus the audience on the performer and less on the dramatic special effects. The Mid, Fox Theater, Webster Hall, 1015 Folsom,  Wonder Ballroom, The Aggie and similar – I also love the festivals that cater to the artist like Lightning In a Bottle.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) I’m a huge hip-hop fan so either Mike Will, Scott Storch or Zaytoven would be dreamy. For artists Post Malone, Gucci, Wayne, Miley, Nicki – those would be tight. For other producers in electronic music, Riot Ten and Herobust seem like a riot.

 

Q) What album/band/artist are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) Mike Will, Kiasmos, Nils Frahm and Post Malone and Nicki Minaj always on rotation.  I listen to ambient music in the car on long drives and hip-hop pop radio on short ones.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) That is the way – it’s a direct connection. Feedback is great, sharing my life and the journey that produces the music is terrific. I especially love snaps and videos that are funny and educational – in the studio, cooking and boat life.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) Thanks for the support and for sticking with me through the years. My core fanbase are DIE HARD and I know their handles so well they are always supportive and friendly. I hardly ever get hate, which is so special as that is the worst part of social media and luckily my fans are good folks. We like to dance, so I see my community of fans as the dancers. I make music for them. Keep dancing and love yourselves.