D’Marc Cantu, basé aux États-Unis, est une figure constante de la scène acid house et techno depuis la fin des années 2000, avec une discographie parue sur des labels tels que Crème Organization, M>O>S Recordings, Nation, Altered Moods et Spectral Sound. Connu autant pour ses projets en solo que comme moitié du duo 2AM/FM aux côtés de Tadd Mullinix (JTC/Dabrye), Cantu a développé un son distinctif, ancré dans les textures brutes et analogiques de la house, de la techno, de l’acid, de l’électro et du hip-hop. Sa relation étroite avec les machines et le hardware, combinée à des techniques de sampling précises et une esthétique rugueuse, a contribué à façonner ce qu’il a appelé le mouvement Jakbeat, lui valant une solide réputation dans l’underground.

Coming across many genres, one that’s worth mentioning in the local industry is non-accessible music. In Mauritius, the ones behind the decks are often holding on to artworks that would be considered ‘too bold’ or inaccessible for the audience. It could be described as a fragile dynamic between the audience and the DJ—a dynamic that flourishes best when both are taking leaps of faith in one another.

As an audience, it’s quintessential to be open to music one doesn’t understand—a sound that one cannot mentally define or label. Expecting familiar genres or specific tracks to come up is like waiting for your usual tube to arrive, while countless other trains pass right above your head. Your all-time favourite music was once a tune you heard for the first time. Ask yourself: what brought you to love it that much? Was it your mental aesthetic and its mechanisms—or simply that you were having a special moment when you heard that music?

Being absorbed in the moment can make unfamiliar music feel familiar the next time you hear it, however odd the genre might be. That might be one of the main reasons this blog doesn’t negatively criticise music. It’s just that some tunes are better honoured from different perspectives. Your experience with a specific piece of music will be different from mine, as is your experience with life.

An album that evoked such bunch of thoughts is True Nature by US based D’Marc Cantu who has been a steady presence in the world of acid house and techno since the late 2000s, with a discography landing on labels such as Crème Organization, M>O>S Recordings, Nation, Altered Moods, and Spectral Sound. Notable for both his solo work and as one half of the 2AM/FM duo with Tadd Mullinix (JTC/Dabrye), Cantu has developed a distinct sound rooted in the raw, analog textures of house, techno, acid, electro, and hip hop. His deep relationship with hardware and analog machines, paired with sharp sampling techniques and a gritty aesthetic, helped shape what he dubbed the Jakbeat movement and earned him a solid following in the underground music scene.

True Nature is and experimental project that would initially feel more proper for home listening purposes that the dancefloor. Yet the featured track “The Will and the End” has more potential. It’s an interesting take on acid and I believe it can also be a timeless piece to use within your sets. 

Album and individual tracks are available for sale on the website that supports artists the most, and you’re just one click away.