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T


he last time we met inimitably ambrosial DJ/ producer Justin Martin, he was mere days from locking himself away in his parents’ Hawaiian homestead to record his much anticipated debut


artist album. Now, some 18 months later, we meet again to discuss the fruits of his labour, ‘Ghettos & Gardens’ — a fascinating caboodle of disparate musical impulses that have collided, somewhat beautifully, to form a body of work that will no doubt be played loudly and repetitively for years to come.


The first seeds for this musical hot-house were sown way back in Justin’s Buzzin’ Fly days, when UK label boss and ex-Everything But The Girl producer Ben Watt tasked the then-rookie producer with putting together an album. “It was an amazing opportunity but I wasn’t ready,” sighs Justin with obvious regret. “It’s always been in the back of my mind as this thing that I didn’t accomplish… I’ve thought about this a lot, though, and I really think that my sound back then hadn’t fully evolved yet.”


Indeed, it turns out that Justin hasn’t been entirely satisfied with the music he’s been both playing and producing up until fairly recently. Having cut his teeth concocting deep house grooves like ‘The Sad Piano’ and ‘The Fugitive’, there’s no doubt his style has come a long way. “I guess I was just finding my place in dance music and finding the sound that I really wanted to create. I don’t think I took as many chances [back then], I was trying to fit into what was out there as opposed to trying to make music that stood out.” You certainly couldn’t accuse him of that these days, however. Justin has most definitely flourished in Claude VonStroke’s San Fransisco-based Dirtybird house to become a serious force on the electronic music scene. In conceiving his signature sound, he has displayed great delight in taking a gigantic eraser to the lines


that separate the various genres. Who says drum & bass


can’t have a sexy ménage à trois with techno and house music? Not he. So what’s to be expected from ‘Ghettos & Gardens’, then?


In short: the unexpected. If you were imagining a compendium of non-stop bass-bothering booty tracks, you’re in for something of a surprise — for this is an album that wants to whisk you off on a fantastical audio road trip, full of surprising diversions and motley detours. Ask Justin to prepare you for said journey, and he’ll tell you to “drop your pants and get ready for some fun… it’s going to be a very loving, very freaky ride.” Now if that didn’t just give you the dance horn, nothing will. “I wanted to make an album that had a little bit of everything I love in it,” elaborates Justin. “There’s a lot of different sounds on here that I’ve never done before.” True dat. For a start, there are several downtempo tracks — “I love that afterhours Soul Clap, Tanner Ross, Maceo Plex kinda sound,” he raves. “I think people think of Dirtybird and they automatically think bass music, but I didn’t want to just make a bunch of booty tracks.”


“I think people think of Dirtybird and they automatically think bass music, but I didn’t want to just make a bunch of booty tracks.”


GRIMY ‘N’ GRACEFUL If you’re having a bit of a panic attack at this point, thinking that perhaps the filthy Justin Martin sound you’ve come to know and j’adore isn’t going to be putting in much of an appearance, fear not, there’s plenty on here to keep you well and truly entertained. As the title


suggests, this is an album of extremes. A bitch- slap wrapped up in a hug... a double shot of tequila thrown in a mug of warm cocoa... it’s got the muscles of Arnold Schwarzenegger and the charisma of Danny DeVito... it’s basically Twins. No. Wait. What? “People have always said my sound is quite ghetto, but I’ve also tried to keep it very melodic and have a lot of deeper musical elements in it. I wanted to make an album that juxtaposes those two things: the really gritty, nasty basslines mixed with the really serene, beautiful melodies. And, you know, I’ve always been inspired by so many different types of music, so why make something that’s just tech house? Why not combine two totally opposite things, or put an element in a song that completely doesn’t fit in but make it fit? It just makes music a little more fun. I guess that’s what I’m all about, I’m all about fun.” When you put ‘Ghettos & Gardens’ under the proverbial microscope, things really do get rather interesting. Listen closely and you’ll discover all kinds of musical Easter eggs. The title track, for example, is a love letter to the kind of mid-’90s drum & bass pioneered by the likes of LTJ Bukem and Goldie, who Justin clearly idolises. “‘Logical Progression’ and ‘Timeless’ were among the first records I ever bought. Those are really special albums for me. This track has that intelligent drum & bass sound but put into house form — so you’ve got these really nice strings and sweeping chords, but then it goes into a typical bass drop. That track pretty much sums up my sound right there.” And there’s more Metalheadz love to be had later on, with Justin’s remake of Goldie’s ‘Kemistry’. “‘Kemistry’ is one of my favourite tracks of all- time and I always wanted to do a remix of it because the vocals are so beautiful.” Somewhat handily, Barclay Crenshaw (CVS) is a friend of the d&b supremo and before anyone could say Bob’s your funkin’ uncle, Goldie had


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