Date: Feb 9, 2006
Text: BPM Magazine, South Africa



Word on the global trance front is that SA psy-trance is kicking some real booty on the world stage!!

Enter DMMT, one of Cape Town’s newest and freshest acts whose debut album, Africa Bombastic, was released in November 2005. Over the last two years they have been one of the most in demand LIVE acts in South Africa, playing for every top promoter throughout the country. Their sound is a combination of full-on morning and fat progressive beats and is quite unique. Whilst DMMT may appear relative newcomers to the scene, the duo behind it sure aren’t. Dave Mac is one of South Africa’s most experienced psy-trance deejays and Martin T, aka DJ Bones, is a seasoned guitarist who has also dj’d house and drum ‘n bass before turning his attentions to psy-trance.

We caught up with them to see how the album is going and what to expect in the future;

BPM: Ok first up what’s with the name. I mean I’ve heard of DMT, but DMMT?
Dave: Ha ha… Band names. Problem with names is if your music’s well received the name sounds cool but if you suck...well then the name usually sounds pretty dorky too. DMMT – Dave Mac and Martin Treurnich – simple it’s just our initials but we dug the fact that it makes one think of DMT, cos I think our music is pretty psychedelic.

BPM: How would you describe your music?
Dave: Well I’ve been dj’ing psytrance for about 8 years so I just tried to make the kind of beats and arrangements that I like to play. It’s a little different from the “standard” trance sound but not too different – just original… I hope!!
Martin: Phat groove, musical, and no copy cat sounds!! Music to make you high…ha ha!

BPM: It’s unusual and quite brave to release an album without having released any tracks on comps first, not?
Dave: Well neither of us are strangers to the music business and our sound, we’re hoping, is pretty fresh so we’ve basically said “screw it”… let’s just do it!

BPM: Are you happy with the album? How’s it been selling?
Martin: We’re happy to have got it out. Of course now that it is released we’ve already progressed with a more evolved sound and have some great new tunes ready for 2006! The cd we are told is selling quite well, but Freefall Recs is also a new label so we do understand it may take a few releases on compilations to reach a much bigger international crowd.

BPM: You first did a Black Sabbath remix. Is it on the album? What about the one that goes “It’s a New Dawn, it’s a new day?”
Martin: The Black Sabbath remix was our first big tune in South Africa, but our production has improved so much that it didn’t make the album.
Dave: The “New Dawn” track is actually our title track from the album... it’s called “Africa Bombastic.” Lox (Freefall Recs/Vortex DJ) played it at the Glade and the Voov last in 2005. He tells us the crowd went ballistic. We actually wrote it for Earthdance in 2004…very uplifting. The title track, along with another one from the album, Passion, has also been licensed to the next GOA Vol 15 compilation on YSE Records.

BPM: So how long has DMMT been at it?
Dave: We officially decided to produce together after I got back from Brazil just over two years ago.
Martin: I was dabbling more in drum and bass at the time, but through Dave’s insistence the trance bug eventually bit!

BPM: What are your influences?
Dave & Martin: (together) Hey man we’re “old-skool… Hendrix, The Doors, Tom Waits, Gil Scott-Heron . But actually our tastes vary from psychedelic 60’s, 70’s rock, metal, jazz, classical, hip hop… basically everything except country and r’n b which we kinda dislike.

BPM: And trance influences?
Dave: Well Martin here hardly knows one trance artist from the next (big laughs) which is actually refreshing. Me… I have to say, Son Kite, Ticon, Sphongle, Dino, Deedrah, Antidote (a DMMT fave) and more.

BPM: Ok, lastly what can people expect if they buy your album?
Dave: A new sound, packed with eleven dancefloor-friendly tunes that should rock your living room too. Hopefully an album that you will listen to over and over without getting bored. It’s quite full-on but yet still bouncy and sexy… the girls seem to like it!!
Martin: Less gimmicks and more musicality…peace out!