Dominick Martin, better known by his stage name Calibre, is a Northern Irish drum and bass music producer and DJ from Belfast. He started producing at a young age. He is a classically trained musician, playing a variety of musical instruments. Martin started producing Drum and Bass in 1995 and his first signed release was credited under the now defunct Quadrophonic record label. He soon came to the attention of drum and bass DJ Fabio, who signed Calibre to his record label, Creative Source. While studying Fine Arts at the University of Ulster in Belfast, he became interested in the music of John Cage whose work was influential in titling Martin's first album release Musique Concrète in 2001. Since his initial releases in 2001, Martin has been known for his consistent signature style and sound. Short Circuits Magazine refers to him as "one of the quietest people in drum and bass". Although one of the scene's most prolific producers, he shares tracks with only a small circle of friends and many of his works remain unreleased. Beginning in 2007, the 'Shelflife' series of albums were created as a way of sharing previously unreleased productions with his fans. Over 20 years of music production, he has self-published over 60 singles and 10 albums. Also, according to UKF as of 2014, none of his original productions have ever been officially remixed.
In 2003, Martin decided to launch a self-published record label, Signature Records, which became his vehicle for publishing his music. Martin states, "There won't be any other artists on the label for the foreseeable future". For a few years the label's website ran of the back of Soul:R, the record label he ran alongside Marcus Intalex. With the Soul:R website receiving very few updates since 2006, Calibre published most of his work and news through his own MySpace page however he deleted this in early July 2011.
2005: ''Second Sun''
November 2005 marked Martin's second full-length album release, through the Signature label, entitled Second Sun. Second Sun was released after much anticipation following his 2001 release. He stated, "I look upon my move to Logic as a process in the studio to be a second part of the story. But having said that, the 22nd is my birth date, it's my second album, I'm the second son in the family, this is the second phase production wise but for me its nothing to do with numerology, its more to do with reinvention, a new life." The album Second Sun is regarded by those working in and those listening to Drum and Bass as a landmark release for the genre. On 17 September 2008, BBC 1Xtra Drum and Bass DJ Bailey gave special praise to the title track of the album, noting it as the tune of the festival for Sun and Bass 2008, a dedicated Drum and Bass festival which is held in Sardinia.
In January 2009 there were final confirmations from S.T Holdings and Calibre's MySpace, Shelf Life Vol. 2 was to be released on 11 May 2009. Another retrospective album including the long lasting dubplates "Life" and "Why Time". As with previous albums, this release featured few guest artists, but there were vocal contributions from Lariman and MC D.R.S.. As with previous albums, this was a double album. It also includes many downtempo tracks. CD1
Soon after the release of Shelf Life Vol. 2, Calibre stated he would be releasing his long anticipated downtempo album, Shine a Light. In October 2009 S.T Holding announced it to be released on Monday 16 November. Calibre stated that he has wanted to release a downtempo album for the last two years, but decided to release his second retrospective album first. “I have spent over 10 years writing music, the majority of my work being drum and bass, so i wanted to write an album that wasn’t attached to a particular musical genre; to me it felt like feeling my way in the dark”
In June 2010 Calibre released Even If on his label Signature Records. Featuring predominantly Drum & Bass, Calibre said of the album, "If I wanted to achieve anything it was mainly to write something that I personally enjoyed, on an individual basis I wanted to mix some genre’s and try to transcend the DNB tag as much as I was referencing it, and hopefully in the process reach out to those out there that like my music."
Released in October 2011, Condition was described by Mixmag magazine as “a shape-shifting trove of wonders that leaps ambitiously from the serene to the brutal”, awarded Drum ′N′ Bass album of the month and rated 5/5. Calibre himself describing this album: "Condition is my drum and bass follow up to "Even If", I originally wanted to make an album that was more dance floor influenced, to have a more light hearted approach, in some ways it has that, but I couldn't stop myself from making the deeper material, for years i have wrestled with the subtle side of drum and bass, my journey has been one that tries to attain the simple groove, to keep removing the layers of this music, this album is an expression of this, and how im still feeling the underdog waiting for the cycle....... it came about as it always has and that's the way its supposed to, enjoyable and moving fast to discover the stillness."
People Never Change
Nottinghill
Who's Singing
Mirage
No More
Foreign Bodies
Ugly Duckling
Half&Half
Garbage Man
Schlager
Closing Doors
Blackhole Dub
Windows
2013: ''Spill''
In 2013 Calibre released his ninth album entitled Spill featuring collaborations with Steo and Chimpo. Of the album he states "The collaborations gave me something a little bit different and that has encouraged me to follow this path for the next lp which will be a journey of collaborations over the next year, one which I have already started. My favourite track would probably be ‘Sick Of It All’ because it feels a bit different than the rest."
In 2013 Calibre released the album Valentia under his own name, Dominick Martin. The album was titled after Valentia Island, located off of the south-western coast of Ireland, where much of it was recorded. Martin, who brought with him only a laptop and microphone, said of the location: "in one of the rooms sat a piano, and as my fingers touched the keys I knew there was a story there waiting to be told. The sound of the piano in that place was something very magical as 100mph winds battered the house and interrupted my recordings." In a 12 April 2013 interview with DJ Magazine, he described the project in more detail: "This album is like a singer/songwriter album, it’s like its own big story in itself. I went to the West Coast of Ireland and there was this big storm brewing, and I was scared to death, and I was writing out of fear, it was crazy. I wrote this album down there, I sampled a piano and it’s exactly that material that brings me away from drum & bass.” Valentia was released digitally as well as in a limited physical CD and Vinyl release through Signature records on 15 July 2013.
The third addition to the 'Shelflife' series was released in 2014, Shelflife 3 contained thirteen of his most requested unreleased productions from 1997 to 2013. Production was primarily by himself with the addition of vocalist MC D.R.S. on the songs "Fear Of Letting Go" and "Eschaton".
Released in 2016, Shelflife 4 features primarily drum & bass productions, with collaborations coming from Jazz vocalist and MC Cleveland Watkiss and fellow Drum and Bass DJ and producer DJ Marky.
Latin Ways
Space Time
Model Way
Salsoul
Down On You
Spirit Catcher
All One Call
Amen Tune
Underfire
Bottles & Airports
Justice
Hold The Light
Love Worn Soul
2016: ''Grow''
In 2016 Calibre released Grow on 'The Nothing Special' label run by fellow DJ and friend Craig Richards. Marking a departure from his label Signature Records, Grow is notable for its primarily downtempo productions and the absence of its title track, which featured as a separate release on the label.
Released in June 2018, Shelflife 5 is the fifth in the 'Shelflife' series of previously-unreleased productions and includes collaborations with long-time artistic partner MC D.R.S. and producer Marcus Intalex.
Makes Me
Leave
The Dep
Addict
City Life
Jaboc
Two Ones
Self
Deep Down
Bluesday
Funny Games
Jass
2018: ''4AM''
Announced exclusively via Calibre's unofficial Facebook group, 4AM was released in 2018 and showcased the darker side of Calibre's Drum and Bass sound. Departing once again from his own label, the album was released on Doc Scott's label '31 Records'. Scott said of the surprise release "We wanted this to be a surprise release and I think we pulled it off. Everyone seems to know everything nowadays and that sucks, sometimes secrets are fun."
Calibre released Planet Hearth in 2019. First coined in 2015, the album took four years to complete and was in his own words ‘part of a slow metamorphosis that I have wanted to do for a long time’. Inspired again by the island of Valentia on the West Coast of Ireland, the album explores Calibre's ambient persona in a series of atmospheric, narrative-driven works. The album is dedicated to a close friend.
Released at the start of May 2020, Shelflife 6 is the latest iteration in Calibre's successful series of compilations. The album features productions spanning several years previous to its release and includes many tracks played at Calibre's previous summer residency at XOYO club in London, England.
