Devil In The Distance came out 1 year and 2 days ago...

Yup. I never actually popped champagne on my album. How crazy is that? We said we were gonna do it when we got the deal first deal with Universal, then the second deal with Universal, then when the album was done, then we the album dropped and we never got around to it. So we're planning to pop a bottle next week in honour of my debut album. My favourite album of all time. The Universal released rap album by me. The Champers is already on chill waiting for next week when we can actually toast what we achieved. Fuck thinking about what we could have achieved, the album is perfect as I see it and as I wanted it. The next one will be as perfect.

To mark the anniversary of it, a small thing in a lot of people's eyes but a big one in mine; the link on to the album on the right of this page will no longer take you to iTunes but instead it will go straight to Spotify where you can listen to the album for free. When Apple sign off on the Spotify app for the iPhone the software will be available for pretty much all next gen smart phones and Spotify will be the way that the large majority of us consume our music for better or for worse. Who am I to stand in it's way? I was in the Westfield HMV a couple of weeks back and started playing with their download machine thing, I actually stumbled across my album for sale in their system, it kinda shocked me like, why would anybody pay for an album like this? I was in HMV buying CDs, don't get me wrong, but honestly I still don't get why anybody has ever paid for an MP3. Neil Young said "When this digital age is over, people will ask 'I wonder what the music really sounded like?'" I'm paraphrasing but the point remains.

Rather than worry about all that bullshit though [I really can't be bothered any more. Take my music for free, then one day, when this thing makes sense again, I'll make money off it] I figured embrace the bullshit.

LISTEN TO DEVIL IN THE DISTANCE ON SPOTIFY BY CLICKING HERE

Ads

With 'Devil In The Distance' having been here over a year, It's now ads time. Check the advert to the right and below. If this isn't the top story on the page any more than ignore those directions. You guys should totally come to my site a lot and allow my ads to influence your click through decisions. For serious.

Devil In The Distance On Spotify

All my Spotify thugs should know, you can listen to the whole of my debut album 'Devil In The Distance' by clicking here [if you don't have Spotify downloaded, then you probably should. As much as it pains me to admit it].

Devil In The Distance is 1 year and 11 days old!

I've been blogging on Devil In The Distance for 1 year and 11 days today. I told myself to remember the 1 year anniversary but of course I forgot because why wouldn't I? What a stupid thing to remember. Devil In The Distance was set up primarily to continue my MySpace blogging in the Facebook age and to keep you close to the promotion of my debut album 'Devil In The Distance' which came out July 29th 2008. This blog has seen two exclusive mixtapes ['The Blogspot Mixtape' and 'Somebody's Watching Me' still available for free down the right hand side of this page ->] and 635 posts. I have no intention of stopping blogging on DITD and infact have many new treats for my realest fans coming in the next few months including MP3s, Podcasts, mixtapes, videos and more.

So here's to 1 year and 11 days of DITD! Let's celebrate by watching the video I posted in my first post...the 'Nimble Mix' of 'Superhero'.

Devil In The De-De-Devil In The Distance Devil In The Distance

I had a bit of a Devil In The Distance day yesterday. I was in the studio recording a brand new heater fajita when Tego came in having just listened to 'DITD' in the car driving around Clapham and Wandsworth and such places, we reminisced a little bit. Then we finished the recording and played about on Spotify for a few minutes, listening to Flight Of The Conchords songs and 'Never Scared' by Bonecrusher. Then we watched the trailer for 'Where The Wild Things Are' and that Twitter cartoon Akira linked yesterday. Damn that was funny. As we ran out of things to do on t'internet we thought "Let's see if 'DITD' is on Spotify?" and of course it was. Fucking leaching thieving tarting plebs that you are! I hate you! All of you. Stealing from my kids! My kids! They can't eat broadband speeds you bastards! They can't drink those Sony adverts you get every 45 minutes or whatever it is (although...). I kid of course, fucked if I'm making a penny off my album -Watch, I'll have a hit one day and my backsales will go through the roof- so I listened to some songs and reminded myself why I love the album. Not in an ego kind of way, but I was reminded how much I focused on it and how much heart actually went into it. Then this morning I got this email from my "Piff Co-D" (word to The Sun's slang break down a few weeks ago) from my uniform days Olufela...

"Just a quick note to say “Firstborn” is a CHOON!!

I think u should make it a single.. video and everything. A lot of folks will relate to the lyrics! Me thinks...."

We were going to do 'First Born' as a single instead of 'Superhero' but there was panic about me releasing two consecutive singles with pure crippling honesty back to back. Not from the label, we all wanted 'First Born', we never wanted to play the "Urban" game but outside forces weighed too heavy in the radio race and the decision was taken before we even had a chance to fight. I love 'Superhero' I really do, I love all the remixes too (especially the ones the label forgot to release with my homeboys Akira, Example, Skinnyman and that dude I've never actually met Jammer) but how amazing would 'First Born' with a video as crisp as the one we gave 'Superhero' be? Ho hum. I sometimes think about finding some renegade young bucks with cameras to film some videos for me from 'Devil In The Distance' but the way the industry works these days, an album could never have the kind of life-cycle I wish mine had. I'm just proud of what I did manage to do, and knowing that songs like 'First Born', 'Carry Me', 'Get By (Be Good)', 'Goodbye' and 'Devil In The Distance' really did reach some people. Not as many as I'd have liked but those it reached seemed to like it.

I still don't want to play the "Urban" game. I don't really want to play any game with my music, which makes it hard to compete, but the time I've taken since the album has allowed me to record a lot and discover exactly which direction I'm going to go in with my second record. I don't know if I'm 100% there yet but I know I'm close. So many stupid trends have come and gone in the time I've been putting out music and I'd like to think I haven't jumped on any of them (Grindie jumped on me). So with the current, tight clothes, funky-house, dub-step, dance routine, autotune pop try-hard shit controlling playlists I feel as out of the loop as I ever have done. I think that's a good thing. I know I'm better than those guys on a purely technical level, I just need the success to prove it, and I won't prove anything unless I do it on my own terms. I owe you guys everything so I'm going to keep you fed with mixtapes (I think I'm working on one now, not fully decided yet, it's all original material but I think it might be a tape) and I'm toying with the idea of doing a Saigon style 'Album In A Day' type thing with Jack and throwing it on iTunes but rest assured I'm sitting on at least 20 new songs that you've never heard. This blog post kinda went off on a tangent didn't it? I really just wanted to tell you my album's on Spotify and those of you who haven't bought it (either because you're cheap or because you hate iTunes- I understand) you can now listen to it completely on Spotify. I urge you to do so. You may have as much fun listening as I did.

(That's one of my alternate 'Devil In The Distance' covers by the way. I think it's kinda decent)

Devil In The Distance Promo

So since opening the Marvin [The Martian] Shop... I've had emails, Facebook messages and MySpace messages asking if you can buy a Devil In The Distance album promo. I have very few of them. Very, very few, but I did find a bag on Friday filled with envelopes which had been stuffed with album promos and 'That One Time' Promos set to go out to press, radio and promoters in the summer. So I technically have more than I thought I did when I set up the shop. Does that mean I'm going to sell them? Maybe. I'm technically not allowed but having attempted to arrange a physical release of my album for the last few weeks I'm on the back foot somewhat. You guys want the album, I want to give it you, you guys don't trust iTunes, and so you shouldn't. I'm not going to say how many copies I have but it's a seriously low amount. Like I doubt I could have it up for sale for anything longer than 24 hours.

I'm thinking about it. Maybe a package deal, you can get 'That One Time EP', 'I Hate My Job' and 'Devil In The Distance' for £14 or something. That way I can definitely shift this excess stock [which has been moving nicely by the way. Thanks to everybody whose bought].

Interview In The Voice

I just got sent this. Thanks Nienke. I will return to proper blogging soon. This mixtape business. I will explain. I'm away from internet at the moment. Well not at the moment literally, but at the moment as in, generally.

Thieves!

When I was recording This podcast with Akira a few weeks back we had to find a copy of my album on the internet so we could play the songs and talk about them. I was shocked at how simple it was to find my album. So a few weeks on I tried it myself, today; it was even easier! My album is all over the place! You dastardly thieves! I'm not too mad though to be honest, have you seen that Estelle took her music off iTunes? Because the back end is so low? Yeah. That's pretty much how it is now. Having an album on iTunes is basically as good as giving it away. From the label and the artist's perspective.

I'm not telling you to search "Marvin Devil In The Distance" and download my album for free. Heaven forbid, but you know. Better that than you buy the promo on Ebay. My next album will only be available physical. How do you like that? Revolution!

PLUS: I'm aware that most of you have never seen the back of my album. Well there it is above. Nice.

Joell Ortiz on the perfect debut album

Joell Ortiz has been talking debut albums on his blog. I'm particularly drawn to Rule Numero Un and Rule Numero Trois... Rule Numero Two was particularly difficult for me as I basically had 10 weeks to write and record my record. But I had a life time to prepare for it so I'm good.

Rule Numero Un: Do write about what you know and not what you think you know. – Self explanatory niggaz! There’s never a future in yo frontin’ mang!

Rule Numero Two: Take your time and do it right baby. Nothing fucks up an album more than weak mixes, tinny beats, or rushed herky jerky content. You only get to make a first impression once simpletons. It’s either you sink or swim doggy so make sure you come correct off the rip. Otherwise you get what you deserve! Rule

Nombre Trois: Just let it go. Don’t hold back now sunny, you’re there. It’s up to you. Seriously, all the preparation and long days and nights that you put into your craft have prepared you for this point. It’s up to you now. Don’t hold back and end up regretting shit. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.

LINK: Joel Ortiz talks perfect albums

The image above is one of many early artwork options for 'Devil In The Distance' by the way. It's actually not that early. We were almost there at that point. I still really like it though. I'll show you some more pretty soon.

Artrocker review of Devil In The Distance

This is from the current issue of Artrocker Magazine.

BUY THE ALBUM: 100% Life changing results guaranteed

Music-News.com gives Devil In The Distance 5/5

There's always something about Brit rap that makes me wince. There have been too many braggers and losers, rappers with half a decent song and an album full of half rubbish songs. So Devil in the Distance by Marvin would have a lot of prejudices to overcome to please me.

From Brixton, some of Marvin's songs explicitly reference London (A track called Trocadero being an obvious example), though they could be about an inner city, any secondary school or any council estate. His lyrics, though a little broad, are clever and cleanly delivered. He raps about what's around him and has an eye and ear for the intricacies relationships and speech. The music is polished but also has the rough influences of grime and dirty beats.

What I like is Marvin takes his ego out of his work. He makes political statements without being polemic. Get By (Be Good) is a list of ills (from education to CCTV to housing) without forcing the issue of how hard it is, nor does it offer any solution. Goodbye is about gun crime, without judging if it's a good or bad thing but about why it is.

He's also effective at building ideas from lots of tiny details, and this is not better demonstrated than on Richard's Nan . This song is a hundred flashing camera phone photos, burning an image of community one mosaic at a time. The raft of Marvin's community are represented: the boys, the girls, the gangs, the racists, the gays; a reflected conscience made of the sum of it's parts.

Devil in the Distance is an intelligent album that tells its own story. It is confident enough not to ask for anything from you as it has its own energy to survive. I am very pleased.

Kwok W Wan

LINK: Music-News.com

BUY FROM iTUNES: JUST £7.90

Doncast 13. Interview with Me!

Me and the dude Akira sat down this week to talk about my album which is out now. As you know. You can download the conversation in Podcast form by right clicking as saving as the link below...

Akira The Don Feat. Marvin: Doncast16 (right click and save as).

To stream live go Here.

Buy the album on iTunes HERE

Devil In The Distance Sampler on MySpace

It's my second release date today. In the music industry you sometimes have a few release dates, one for radio, one for online, one for press, well last week was really the online and official release date, this week is the everything else release date. To celebrate (crap celebration) Jack made a little sampler of the album for us to put up on the MySpace for you to download. It's the first verse from every album track, some with the chorus, it's all mixed with sirens and glass smashes for your listening pleasure. So if you haven't decided whether or not you're going to part with your £7.90 this fine day, check out the sampler on the MySpace...

LINK: MySpace.com/MarvTheMarsh

Or you can download a slightly higher quality MP3 from zShare

BUY FROM: iTunes

Marvin- Get By (Be Good) [Track 4]


Marvin- Superhero [Track 9]


Marvin- That One Time [Track 5]

MusicOMH reviews Devil In The Distance

****
Devil In The Distance has been quite some time coming; succeeding the 2006 releases of The Hoods And Badges EP and single I Hate My Job which introduced the genre-defying amalgamation of indie and grime - grindie. Arguably the groundwork put in by Marv the Marsh set the stage for the reinvigorated Dizzee Rascal's sound.

This digital only release isn't a million miles away in style from the Hoods And Badges EP that set some tongues wagging and probably one or two unintentional hits on the Looney Toons website. Although this album is infinitely more polished than previous releases there is still a bedroom studio quality to its contents. It gives Marv's observations the same air of authenticity that The Streets' Original Pirate Material benefited from, as well as that same retrospective, almost nostalgic, perspective.

Despite this, the content and issues are current and pertinent, for example Goodbye's line "MP should stand for mostly pricks". You can't argue with logic like that. The team of producers DJ Jack Nimble, Bob Locke and Andy Jenkins has resulted in a mash-up that takes grindie one step further by throwing a generous measure of Roots Manuva-style bashment into the equation.

The production team are clearly adept at innovating with Fight Or Flee being the prime example on Devil In The Distance. Less house than Wiley's Rolex search, and less ridiculous than Dizzee's Dance Wiv Me it's just one display of how this album finds boundaries and preconceptions before smashing through them.

The actual content of Marv's tracks are not unpredictable; violent crime, drugs, poverty, desire and anger. What is unpredictable is the calm eloquence of his delivery and the manifestation of that anger. It's an empathetic anger with no recourse and no outlet beyond itself, which is perhaps the strongest message Devil In The Distance can offer, but there's a real sense of apathy at times: "And maybe I'm just a paranoid dude/ but at four pound a ride I don't feel welcome on the tube... why bother? You can just get by."

There isn't something for everyone of Devil In The Distance, and its appeal will be limited but hopefully widespread enough to push Marv's music towards a critical mass of at least awareness. This is the antidote to unintentionally self-parodying hip-hop - but for fans of the genre it's harder to appreciate substance over style. If you can appreciate the substance then recognising and falling for the style becomes incredibly easy, and equally worthwhile.
- Azeem Ahmad

Marvin- Devil in The Distance [MusicOMH]

BUY DEVIL IN THE DISTANCE HERE

Nuts Magazine reviews Devil In The Distance

Nuts know what's going on. Don't try and say they don't because they do.

BUY DEVIL IN THE DISTANCE HERE

Previously: Nuts Magazine reviews That One Time

Devil In The Distance poster

Devil In The Distance Out TODAY!!

It's here. My debut album is here. It's only £7.90 this week on iTunes and it's great. You need it in your life.

BUY NOW!!

Tracklisting..

1. Goodbye
2. Trocadero
3. Firstborn
4. Get By (Be Good)
5. That One Time
6. Richard's Nan
7. Fight or Flee
8. Devil In The Distance
9. Superhero
10. Carry Me

Check some reviews... Here.

But you're going to need to BUY FROM RIGHT HERE!!!

RWD review Devil in The Distance

Beats go hard. Swear down.

The Voice review Devil In The Distance

Just in.

PREVIOUSLY: Interview In The Voice

Another Devil In The Distance review

I don't read my own reviews I promise. I get sent these and I put them on my blog. Okay I read this one. I like when people get the point of my music. Not to sound pretentious but I like to think it's a little deeper than your average. Subba-Cultcha know what time it is though.

Lyrically subversive, promising debut from Brixton Hip-Hopper

The commercial successes of British Hip Hop acts has been slim over recent years; more so for those who have avoided the cliché bombast of gangsta rap. Dizzee Rascal, of course, has been the leading pioneer of the genre, but for most it has been a case of re-inventing yourself to make dance floor music (compare Wiley’s ‘Wearing my Rolex’ to some of the tracks from his album ‘Treadin’ on Thin Ice’) or accept that a cult underground following is your most likely outcome (Lethal Bizzle, Taz, Prof. Green, the list goes on). ‘Devil in the Distance’ is the long awaited debut album from Marvin.

‘Devil in the Distance’ is an album that, for the most part, stands up well to comparison with any of his genre peers. The likes of ‘Goodbye’, a song about youth violence that feels particularly pertinent in the current climate, recalls the likes of ‘Can’t Contain Me’ by Taz, whilst ‘First Born’ shows a maturity in Marvin’s approach to lyrics; a frank honesty without the bravado some would inflect upon such a topic. Marvin also shows himself to be capable of great lyrical dexterity on the likes of ‘Fight or Flee’. There are a few blemishes upon ‘Devil In The Distance’, ‘Trocadero’ feels a little gimmicky whilst carry me seems like a compromise with the rest of the album; it’s piano accompaniment belying some frank lyrical content. However, the production on the album is first class (see the likes of ‘That One Time’) and ‘Devil In The Distance’ has enough strength to survive any critical savaging. Whether it has any crossover singles is debatable; unlike Dizzee Rascal’s debut it’s difficult to see which songs could bother the charts and it’s similarly difficult to pick out a song with the dance floor appeal of Wiley’s recent single, all of which suggests that Marvin is destined to be confined to his cult fan base alone. This would, of course, be a great shame as ‘Devil In The Distance’ is a mature, lyrically creative album that shows that British Hip-Hop can be creative and not rely upon well trodden rap conventions. He might not become a well known name with this album, but Marvin has created a debut that potentially sets the bar for all future British rappers. Innovative and surprising at every turn, this is a very strong first offering.

By: Lewis Morton

Out July 28th as I may have mentioned.