A Chat with MARLOCK (15.12.20)
Hailing from Spain, but now based in the UK, MARLOCK became immersed in music at an early age. Trained as a trombonist and having played in an orchestra for several years, the singer-songwriter has a classical base in music; however, he learned various other instruments melding his training with contemporary sounds. Now, MARLOCK finds solace in his music and has built a reputation for engaging, moving melodies with witty lyricism. We speak with the Spanish artist about his EP The Warrior, favourite cartoon characters and future plans.
OSR: What is the backstory to the EP The Warrior?
MARLOCK: After a breakup in 2017, I started writing songs for myself. It became my therapy to deal with problems and situations that came along the way. The Warrior collects the different feelings in the rollercoaster that is love and life in general.
OSR: What was the writing and recording process like?
MARLOCK: The writing process for every song was different but they were all written on acoustic guitar. The ideas usually spark from a strong feeling I have at the time. I tend to write the melody first and work on the lyrics after that.
All the songs were produced with Olli Daffarn at Blue Dot Studios. I recorded most of the guitars, piano and vocals at home and then produced the rest at the studio; most of it over Zoom given the pandemic.
OSR: Does the EP have any significant meaning and is there a track in particular that means more than the others?
MARLOCK: The EP is called The Warrior because it reflects the effort that it has taken to bring it to life due to the current circumstances. It stems from a line in one of the songs from the EP, called ‘Enough’ which says “Life is standing still but I want to be the warrior who carries on”. All the tracks have equal weight in the EP as they all represent different feelings.
OSR: What do you hope people take from The Warrior?
MARLOCK: The idea of the EP is to take the listener through a rollercoaster of emotions. It takes you from hoping for a second chance to the constant chase for something new to a fresh start and finally to the melancholy of an experience you wish to live again.
OSR: If you change one thing about the EP what would it be?
MARLOCK: I am very happy with the EP as it is. If I were to develop it further it would be to add one more song; but, there will be opportunities to release other songs as singles next year.
OSR: If you could be reincarnated as any animal what would it be?
MARLOCK: I am going to pick a cat because they have seven lives! Again, a reference to the song ‘Enough’: “They say curiosity killed the cat but I’ve got seven lives I’m gonna use.”
OSR: Do you have any favourite cartoon characters?
MARLOCK: I was a big Dragon Ball Z fan as a kid so I have to got with Goku.
OSR: What is your favourite song other than your own?
MARLOCK: There are a lot of them! But if you ask me to pick one it has to be ‘Neon’ by John Mayer. Hopefully, one day I will manage to play it decently.
OSR: What do you think is the best way to discover new music in the current climate?
MARLOCK: I use Spotify a lot. It has allowed me to discover a lot of artists before they break through. There is nothing quite like following an artist’s journey.
OSR: What are the pros and cons of making music during lockdown?
MARLOCK: The pros are that it feels a little easier to focus your time since there are less distractions. The fact that the live industry is non-existent at the moment has made it easier to spend more time writing and producing.
The main con is that it has not been physically possible to go to the studio. We have managed to move the music forwards anyway because technology has evolved a lot in the last few years, but some of the magic gets lost in the distance. There is nothing quite like being in the same room at the same time.
OSR: Do you have plans for the future?
MARLOCK: Of course! There will be more music next year in a slightly different format. I am also planning to focus more on YouTube. I’m really looking forward to 2021.
Thank you to MARLOCK for speaking with us. For more from this artist check out his official website, Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
