Diamond Eyes Shares his History & Discusses “Gravity” [Interview]

Joshua Marment AKA Diamond Eyes has recently made his desired return to the esteemed NCS label in his newest single “Gravity.” The UK producer created this one with a particular soulful meaning behind it, and it stretches far beyond a simple first release of 2020. 

The track, an uplifting future bass cut that carries a juxtaposing lyrical thread, is a heartfelt reflection on Marment’s darkest time. In 2016, his best friend, American singer and The Voice finalist Christina Grimmie was killed by a crazed fan outside The Plaza Live in Orlando, Florida. The tragic incident came at the same time as an incapacitating flu and the end of an abusive relationship Marment was involved in. This plunged the British artist into a deep and lengthy period of depression, grief, and mourning. 

“Gravity’ is about hitting pause on life when everything falls to the ground. I needed to stop and take stock before I moved on, something I think is relatable to pretty much everyone. You let the cards fall, breathe and find your peace.” – Diamond Eyes

2019 saw the releases of “Stars” by Diamond Eyes, as well as his three-track feature upon Colours/ Still In Love alongside Maduk. For those familiar with Marment’s music, he boasts a fantastic array of sounds, lyrics, and rhythms ranging from drum and bass, to melodic bass synths, and to showcasing his own vocals on all original tracks.

Remaining a standout act in the electronic sphere, Diamond Eyes’ songs go the extra mile in connecting with listeners on a deeply personal and emotive level. Sharing experiences through his music, he has resonated with fans and crowds all around the world. Marment’s dedicated fan base are engulfed in his natural ability to articulate thoughts, stories, and feelings through his tracks, and he continues to surprise the industry time and time again. 

We had the chance to chat with Joshua about his past, music styles, touring, advice and more in our exclusive interview below. Read on and stay tuned for more 2020 Diamond Eyes ventures. 

Nocturnal Times: Hey Josh, thanks for joining us today and congrats on the release of “Gravity,” it’s a gorgeous track. 

Diamond Eyes: Hey guys! Thank you so much for this opportunity! Thanks a bunch, it was a labour of love.

Nocturnal Times: Do you sing vocals on all your tracks? Is it important for you to be the vocalist or are you just as happy to have someone else take the top line? Who has been your favourite vocalist to work with and what did they manage to bring to your work that no one else has? 

Diamond Eyes: For Diamond Eyes currently I’ve been the only vocalist, pretty much every release of diamond eyes is written about something personal to me so it just makes sense to carry the performance with my vocals, I feel like I can get the ‘point’ across clearly. The only other artist that’s ever shared a feature with me was my late best friend Christina Grimmie, she was completely unique. Her voice astounded me & we clicked on a fundamental level so writing music together was a breeze. She brought honesty & soul & the ability to bounce off of me creatively which is something I never experienced before.

Nocturnal Times: You first came to our attention when you knocked Skrillex off the Beatport charts. Did you ever hear from him about that or have you ever met him, played with him? 

Diamond Eyes: Currently nope! I believe if our paths are meant to cross then they will, he’s been an inspiration to me since I started producing & I have nothing but respect & love for Skrillex. Also, I got to meet his manager years & years ago at one of his shows, he was hungry & asked me where to get a good burger from, so I pointed him in the right direction.

Nocturnal Times: There’s a real delicacy to your vocal that is completely offset by the ferocity of your bass production and the rhythms – did you intend there to be such a severe shift in energy? What would you say your trademark sound is? 

Diamond Eyes: Honestly I never really think about how one impacts the other, everything I create is 9/10 times created in the moment & flows as one concept. I get that a lot though, I guess I tend to ride the hopeful/sad line without realising it. I’d say my trademark is literally that sad but hopeful/ sad/ optimistic tone backed by my vocal & track that supports the lyrical theme. 

Nocturnal Times: The lyrics themselves obviously deal with a very hard time in your past, specifically about the death of your close friend Christina Grimmie. Can you tell us about your experience with Christina as a musician? What do you think it was about her that made her so special?

Diamond Eyes: Yeah that stuff sticks with you for life, it took a long time to find peace in her passing & she’ll always be a part of my life moving forward. She was just Christina, a big ol’ nerd who was really good a league of legends & super smash bros whilst having a love of Dogs & a carefree attitude on life & people. All of that extended into her creative side too, she was herself & she owned it. A part from her incredible tone & technical skill, that’s what made her stand out. Her honesty.

Nocturnal Times: There will be many fans out there who have gone through similar bad periods, or who might be going through one right now. What is your advice and how did you manage to get through it all?

Diamond Eyes: One step at a time, intact my Dad always uses the phrase “How do you eat an elephant? One piece at a time” & as odd as it sounds, it resonates with me & when you apply that to grief or… a toxic situation, it’s not about fixing it all in one go. You must make multiple changes and that takes time. So… my advice is to reflect on your problems, seek help & surround yourself with people who love you. Then when you’re strong enough to deal with the problem you’ll feel safe enough to be vulnerable.  And that makes you stronger than you know.

Nocturnal Times: Looking forward, what’s next for you in terms of releases? 

Diamond Eyes: Hopefully way more singles, I’m so pumped for 2020 & the future of diamond eyes so I just want to build a story book worth of records for people who need support through music.

Nocturnal Times: Can we expect any live or DJ sets from you in the near future? What would your ideal live set-up be?

Diamond Eyes: I’d love nothing more than to play live. My ideal setup would be me & a few other friends who could back the live act. I’d love to get a 72 reissue thin line telecaster with some midi instruments & a keyboard to perform with. That’s the ideal.

Nocturnal Times: What would be your dream line-up and event to play at? 

Diamond Eyes: Bring Me The Horizon, Issues, Moving Mountains, Periphery, Skrillex, Joyryde & Reading (UK) or Glastonbury (UK) Main stage is the dream

Nocturnal Times: Appreciate your time Josh and we look forward to hearing more from you across 2020

Diamond Eyes: Thanks so much again for having me!