DJ Marfox
Musical artist
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
DJ Marfox (born Marlon Silva in June 1988) is a Portuguese DJ best known for pioneering batida or batucada,[1] a music genre that emerged from Lisbon's housing estates. Batida and Batucada are referred to as the "ghetto sound of Lisbon",[2] and they incorporate African-influenced dance music such as kuduro, kizomba, funaná and tarraxinha[3] with house and techno.[3][4]
June 1988 (age 37)
- Afro-Portuguese
- batida/batucada
- instrumental
- kuduro
DJ Marfox | |
|---|---|
2013 performance in Lisbon's MusicBox | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Marlon Silva June 1988 (age 37) Lisbon, Portugal |
| Genres |
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| Occupation | DJ |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Labels |
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| Website | www |
Taking inspiration from a Nintendo character, 'Marfox' merged part of his first name "Marl" from "Marlon" with Star Fox, a character he played as a teenager.[5]
Career
Silva was born in Lisbon, Portugal to parents from São Tomé e Príncipe.[6] He started deejaying as DJ Marfox in 2002.[7]
In 2005, together with DJ Pausas and DJ Fofuxo, he founded DJs do Guetto[8] and a year later they released DJs do Ghetto Vol. I, a digital compilation made up of 37 tracks, onto eMule.[3] This compilation, which has since been re-issued as a free download by Príncipe Discos,[3] has been viewed as the foundational release of the ghetto sound of Lisbon.[4][7]
His first solo album, Eu sei quem Eu Sou (I Know Who I Am), released by Príncipe Discos in early 2011,[5] was described by Philip Sherburne as “an atomic field of taut drums, hiccupping yelps, zapping synths and pinprick details."[9]
In 2014, DJ Marfox released an EP called Lucky Punch on Lit City Trax[10][11] and performed on the Red Bull Music Academy in New York,[12] as well as in the Warm Up—the live music concerts curated by MoMA PS1.[13][14] According to Cedar Pasori, DJ Marfox's participation in MoMA PS1's highly acclaimed experimental electronic music series, which took place on 30 August 2014, "reinforced the accelerating spread of Afro-Portuguese dance music around the world."[11] The album Lucky Punch was listed as one of DAZED's top ten albums for August 2014.[15] In between the aforementioned performances, the Rolling Stone magazine included him in their list of "10 New Artists You Need to Know".[16]
One of the first international collaborations of the Portuguese DJ and producer was a rework of tUnE-yArDs' song "Water Fountain" featuring Brazilian band Pearls Negras.[17][18]
On 13 March 2015 the British independent record label WARP announced the release on 7 April of a new EP called Cargaa 1 featuring DJ Marfox as the central figure of what MR P describes as the "cream-of-the-crop purveyors of Lisbon's thrilling electronic dance scene".[19]
A compilation of songs crafted in the artist's bedroom from 2005 to 2008 was launched as a CD as well as free download under the name Revolução 2005–2008 on March 16, 2015.[20]
DJ Marfox released an EP in April 2016 titled Chapa Quente, featuring such songs as Tarraxo Everyday.[21]
Discography
Albums & EPs
- Eu sei quem Eu sou (Príncipe, 2011) – reviewed by Philip Sherburne/Resident Advisor[6]
- Artist Unknown (Pollinaire, 2012) – reviewed by Philip Sherburne/SPIN[22]
- Subliminar (Enchufada, 2013)
- Lucky Punch (Lit City Trax, 2014) – reviewed by Philip Sherburne/SPIN[23] as well as Joe Muggs & Seb Wheeler/MixMag[24]
- Revolução 2005–2008 (NOS, 2015)
- Chapa Cuente (Principe, 2015)
Songs featured in compilations:
- "Funk em Kuduro" – DJs do Guetto Vol. 1 first released in 2006; re-release in 2013 by Príncipe Discos.