Multi-instrumentalist Martin Strang is here to spread his colorful and eloquent style with his new single, "Out of My Window". Currently residing in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Martin Strang is known for his abilities as a composer and music producer. Already working within the industry for over 20 years, Martin Strang has always had that burning passion for creating music. Whether he was playing the keyboards at 9 or recording his very first music at 17, the innate desire to construct and design sound has always been present within Martin. Now, Martin Strang has released his first single, "Back in Time", as well as his latest single, "Out of My Window", which highlights some of the articulate aspects of Martin Strang as a diverse instrumentalist.
"Out of My Window" begins with an expressive array of instruments, ranging from the use of the trumpet, drums, trombone, as well as the electric guitar. Martin Strang knows how to craft his songs with a highly groovy rhythm, all stemming from the collective combination of vibrant instruments. As we surpass the halfway point of "Out of My Window", we're introduced to a high-pitched and highly equalized vocal sound. The delicacy that the vocals add to the overall melody of the song is unequivocally observable. Martin Strang showcases his ultimate instrumentalist dexterity within "Out of My Window", and with the techniques of Martin Strang and his various apparatuses, we receive a certain kind of richness and quality with his musicianship. As we wait patiently for more material from Martin Strang, "Out of My Window" and its vivacious nature will keep us occupied.
Discover Martin Strang in "Out of My Window" here.
Hello, Martin Strang! Welcome. With the release of your single, "Out of My Window", how did you feel that you expressed your artistry with this particular song, compared to your last release, "Back in Time"?
Hello, Thank you, happy to be here chatting with you today! My project demands from me being usually the sole performer in every track. I use mostly live instrumentation in the studio and with "Out Of My Window" I had to step into my role as a producer first and do what is best for the song. Sometimes that means not being me in certain roles. So I asked my friend Mercedes Marcalle if she would like to track vocals for this song, I was already sure her voice was one of the elements the song needed. After that, I wanted a solid post-production treatment. So I got in touch with Grammy Nominee engineer Beau Vallis (Beyoncé, Pharell, etc.) to let him do his magic. It's a beautiful thing when your compositions take a new life by assembling the talents of the right crew. Session drummer Daniel Gallardo also did a fantastic job with this song that is quite demanding in his instrument. So in the end, artistry came in a different form for this song, by being a producer before a performer and a songwriter. With "Back in Time" things were different. My music style is very eclectic and showcases my passion for different genres such as funk, soul, jazz, rock, hip hop, rock, and pop. If you listen to both songs you will hear how different they are one from the other. But, still maintaining the style. The kind of cohesion I have been working on for a long time. In this song, which actually was my debut, I performed on guitars, bass, keyboards and vocals paying tribute to my origins: Alternative and grunge music from the '90s with a twist reflecting the genres I'm more interested nowadays. In the end, artistry takes different roles for one same goal, let others hear the music inside my head.
What were you hoping that listeners would extract from the strikingly articulate soundings in "Out of My Window"? Do you go into the creating aspect of a song with an intent in mind of how you want your listeners to feel?
To me, each song is a new beginning and a different story. An empty canvas if you get me, and that is exactly the way I compose my music. When I sit in the studio with a new song in mind, preparation comes from ideas gathered by carefully listening to different examples of musicianship from other artists I stumble upon. But my expectations are nonexistent. I just start writing line after line guided by my ears. Then, rinse and repeat. It's an entire process of polishing the song several times over until I'm satisfied with it. What I do, is telling the story of how I perceive the world. My only intent with my listeners is to provide them with the platform for their own interpretation, to accept each song in their own vivid experiences. They will be the ones deciding what my music means to them and how it makes them feel. One way or the other, I hope each note brings joy, relief or any emotion needed in their lives. I make music with love and I just want to share it.
Living in Buenos Aires, Argentina, can you walk readers through the day-by-day music scene you experience, and how/if it stimulates the manifestation of your music?
Buenos Aires is a vibrant and artistic city, there is a gig going on every single night in several different venues. There is something for every taste. Just for you to have an idea, Buenos Aires is one of the top 5 cities in the world with most active theaters, so only with these two examples in consideration you might understand that there is plenty of room for inspiration. I live in Palermo, a neighborhood well known for its a bohemian vibe, and luckily for me, I live next to a Jazz club. That means opening my windows four nights a week to enjoy the show. On top of that, I really enjoy street musicians in different corners of the city and especially in the subway. From urban rappers to tango singers. We live in a bubble ruled by algorithms whom ultimately decide (based in our preferences) the content we are exposed to, and complex creations such as a song, get lost into oblivion by scrolling down in one second with the same treatment we give to any given post or ad. And still, many artists are running into this frenzy creating "content" like maniacs to try to have a chance. I like to remember that this is art, it takes time to create, it should take time to digest. When I'm exposed to the local music scene, time becomes relevant again and I'm able to enjoy an entire show before jumping into conclusions. A much-needed break from deciding if I like something or not in the format of a 15 seconds ad.
Where do you see your personal music career taking off to after the release of "Out of My Window"? Are you planning on balancing your time with your own music, as well as your time in your music duo, "Opium"? Life itself means balance. Besides being a musician I'm also a digital marketing professor, an entrepreneur, a husband, a friend. In no particular order. With this in mind, the actually available moments to create music are less than optimal but with discipline and organization, there is time to push all projects in harmony. Might take more time in the end but sometimes, going slow is the best route. My next release will be in a couple of months with a third single, and after that, I will release my debut album "Duality" which is a fantastic project in the making since the end of 2018 with eleven songs each of them with their own personality. No fillers here, all songs are single material! I've been working very hard to provide this experience to my listeners and I'm sure it will have a warm reception by them. Opium is a side project of electronic music with my best friend. It all started ten years ago recording 4 songs that we never published. We are currently working on delivering our first EP hopefully in 2020. I compose and perform all melodies and structures and Santiago is the beat master. Even while we are in different countries, technology gives us the opportunity to do music together like we used to do. Music must include feelings you know, not only marketing goals.