Marcus’ passion for music was born in his native Manchester, where he experienced first-hand the energy of the nascent dance music scene as a regular on the dancefloor at the legendary Hacienda club. His interest for the music grew as the scene developed and, after landing his first professional DJ gig aged just 17, Marcus went on to work at the infamous Eastern Bloc record store. From here he established himself on the Manchester scene and began producing tracks together with fellow Mancunian Mark XTC as Da Intalex, appearing on Flex Recordings.
A chance meeting in the early 90’s, through Flex boss L Double, led to Marcus pairing up with producer and engineer ST Files and gave rise to the partnership we know today as MIST. In 1999, the pair’s ground-breaking release ‘How You Make Me Feel’ on 31 Records began a new soulful movement in drum & bass at a time when the scene was driven by predominantly dark and aggressive sounds. Following up their success with a series of high-profile remixes for MJ Cole, Un:Cut, 4 Hero and Solid State, MIST duly established themselves as leaders in the field and, together with Calibre as Mist:ical, turned heads with their debut LP ‘The Eleventh Hour’ in 2007.
Since 2001 and the set-up of Soul:r label, they’ve released their own music and that of like-minded artists including Calibre, High Contrast, DJ Marky, dBridge, Alix Perez and Lynx & Kemo. The stable has grown to be amongst the most respected in drum & bass, reflecting Marcus’ own strong personal belief in innovative music with integrity and a life beyond solely the dancefloor. Sister label Revolve:r provides exposure for more experimental sounds, with Dutch dubstep don Martyn back in the frame for the latest release 'After Seven', in collaboration with Marcus on the imprint where his career began.
In 2008, the DAT Music project has brought together fresh sounds and inspirational sounds from the likes Instra:mental, S.P.Y and Lomax over 2 CD compilations. In May 2009, the debut album from Lynx & Kemo ‘The Raw Truth’ was released to critical acclaim, achieving a nomination for Best Album at this year's D&BA Awards and helping to further Soul:r’s reputation for pushing boundaries in drum & bass.
The highly successful Soul:ution residency at London superclub Fabric continues to go from strength-to-strength, with S.P.Y now added to a core that includes Calibre, Marcus and the ever-reliable MC DRS. A new residency for Soul:ution has been established in 2011 at Berlin's Icon Club, and guest Soul:ution events across the UK have continued to be as popular as ever, setting the standard for musical variety within the Drum & Bass scene. Marcus’s Fabric Live 35 mix CD highlighted many of the reasons why, proving that music with lasting appeal and a diverse selection are among the key ingredients. The Soul:ution Radio sessions for Red Bull Music Academy give worldwide reach and remain a focal point for the forefront of the drum & bass scene, keeping Marcus Intalex in constant demand as a DJ across the globe.
Regular appearances for the likes of Metalheadz, Ram and Renegade Hardware have helped Marcus to avoid the obvious tags and pigeon-holes like ‘liquid’ and ‘minimal’ and reinforce his versatility as a DJ. Techno sets have also seen him draw from labels such as Kompakt and Wagon Repair and explore his own roots and influences, whilst bringing something different to the dancefloor.
His remix of Douglas Greed’s ‘Frame’ on an EP for Combination Records in 2008 demonstrated he’s a more than capable techno producer too and tracks like ‘Sark’ (alongside ST Files), ‘Debbit’ and ‘4-4-2’ saw him crossing styles again, with support DJ ranging from Appleblim to Goldie. Currently working on several new projects that explore different tempo's and styles, Marcus has been the name on the lips of electronic music luminaries like Loefah and Oneman as he continues to spread his musical wings and use his sharp ear to new stylistic approaches.
One of Drum & Bass music's true visionary's, Marcus continues to set the pace and champion new artists wherever he travels. His debut solo album '21' has received critical acclaim across the globe in 2011, and has also seen Marcus showered with numerous accolades from distinguished members of the electronic scene. The album contains a brave, and well received reinterpretation of Radiohead's 'Climbing Up The Walls' co-produced with Lynx and featuring Danny Fierce on vocals. '21' is a cohesive collection of the Marcus Intalex approach to music, and ultimately one that sets new standards for artists in not just Drum & Bass, but electronic music as a whole. In 2011, we can look forward to more from Marcus and Soul:r, including upcoming collaborations with S.P.Y and releases from the top tier of Drum and Bass' new and old blood.
