A passion for personal expression, in both artwork and music, is what drives Martin Vidal. The LA-based freelance artist and DJ is the subject of our latest interview. We caught up with him in his Los Angeles studio.
Hi Martin, welcome to the Constant Circles interview spot. In view of your work on Constant Circles releases, both your remix of Just Her’s track ‘Silence’ and your original track ‘Lost’, now being available as a free download, we’d like to have a chat about your influences, likes, dislikes, thoughts about the future and the way you approach your work, both in music and art.
First off, can you tell us how long you have lived in LA; how did you come to live there?
I’ve lived in LA for just about 3 ½ years. I grew up 45 minutes south of Los Angeles and it only seemed natural to finally make my way up here.
Did you actually study music in LA?
No, in fact I studied music back in my hometown.
Did you learn to play different instruments?
Yes, in middle school I started off with brass instruments. Trombone was my first instrument. The last instruments that I studied in college were cello and piano. One of the instruments that I played the longest is the bass guitar.
We understand you honed your skills playing in a variety of bands around LA. How did that come about and what type of music did you play?
It really started off when I was about 12 years-old. Growing up I didn’t have much exposure to music outside of Disco and Motown era music. It wasn’t until I enrolled in the music course in middle school where I was exposed to music I had never heard before. A lot of my friends during that time listened to Ska and so after school we would play together. Jazz really helped me to come out of my shell because stylistically it forces you to solo. Right around that time I soon realized that I wanted to play other styles of music. It turned into an obsession. I wanted to learn how to play all of my favorite melodies. My obsession with melodies took me on an interesting journey in many genres of music that I still love to this day.
When did you make the move to producing music and DJing?
I remember my obsession with dance music outside of Disco began when I was about 14. My mom always listened to Disco and coming from a cultural background, dancing was something you were expected to know how to do. As a music student the idea of DJing seemed more like a hobby and not something that I could take on professionally since I never had a liking to traditional turntablism. As the dance music scene began to evolve I became very inspired by Indie Dance remixes I was hearing in my early 20’s. So my best friend Rene and I decided we wanted to learn to DJ for fun. Producing music only seemed natural since I wanted to DJ my own music and coming from live instruments there was no way I wasn’t going to attempt to make my own dance music.
Ok your music studio; what’s in there? Do you have any favourite toys or tools you cannot live without?
Throughout the past 10 years I’ve gone through very minimal setups. In the past all I knew was the grind of a live musician. There was always equipment that needed to be hauled around. For years I toured and also played overseas. Once I started producing music on my laptop the game had changed. As a DJ I got to play my music in front of crowds early on which really helps to gauge how good your song is. My set up for a few years now has only been: AIAIAI Young Guru headphones, Macbook Pro, Reason by Propellerhead, M-Audio Axiom 61 and my car.
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How do you approach a new track? Be it an original or a remix, do you have a set workflow?
For original music I create as much of the drums and groove as possible using a minimal amount of instruments and tracks. Once I have 30 solid seconds of rhythm I’ll loop that bit for about 10 minutes. Then I jump on my midi and start to create the melodies from scratch. Remixes are a fun process because I only like to take one part from the original that I really like and then I create the rest of the remix based on the part that I decided to focus on.
How did you gain the computer skills that are very well evident in both your artwork and your music?
I’m a nerd through and through. I play Chess on a daily basis. Technology is something that fascinates me. Take that fascination and couple it with my love for art. Everything I’m doing now is a result of some obsession of mine.
We love your unique and stunning artwork, is it a result of formal art training, pure talent or, perhaps, a mixture of both?
Some of my first memories as a child are of me drawing. The same happiness I had back then is what I’ve been struggling for years to get back to. I never received any formal training in art because I never thought I was good enough and just did it out of enjoyment. Art was a medium where I could pour myself into without trying to be like anyone else. It wasn’t until I met Claire that I felt like my artwork could be taken seriously. The artwork for Constant Circles began with the inspiration I’ve gained from getting to know Claire Spooner. I think the moment I began to sketch the design for ‘Silence’ I knew right away where I wanted to take the direction of the artwork. Especially knowing how much Claire loves art and understanding her aesthetic.
How do you approach the task of realising the images that reflect each particular track or musical piece?
One we established the theme for the releases I just used the track titles to bridge the creative gap between the theme and the completed design.
You work in graphic design for a variety of clients, not just in music, Can you tell us a little about the philosophy of your company TEWC?
TEWC is a mantra for living life to its potential. Today Everything Will Change is my way of encouraging creative people out there to go after it regardless of life’s circumstances. I grew up poor and was abused as a child. I didn’t have a father figure and I didn’t always have a male role model within my own family. I feel like I have spent most of my life fighting an uphill battle. TEWC is a testament of how far I’ve come whilst facing situations that would warrant someone going down a very dark and negative path in life. I bring 10 years of experience in marketing, branding, and design. I’ve worked with massive international brands and have applied my own creative path to my design approach. When I design for my clients I look back at where they came from; their roots as an artist, then I look at where they are now, and then I listen to where they want to go in the future. Designs are an investment. They will represent you for the rest of your life no matter how long you use them. I aim to create timeless designs that have balance and simplicity. If you want to go somewhere in life, today is the day.
What about the future, Martin? What would you like to concentrate on?
I would like to focus on achieving a ‘live’ approach to performing my music. I would also like to curate an art show. If I could continue doing what I’m doing now and live sustainably then that’s all I could really ask for.
That and another dog. 3 isn’t enough!
Listen to Martin on Soundcloud here
Check him on Facebook here, Instagram here and twitter here
Check out TEWC here
