Mrk Grim on Primordial Darkness, Cosmic Demise, and a New Vision
A Deep Dive into a Narrative of Sound and Soul
Marco Hidalgo, known as Mrk Grim, is a techno DJ and producer from the Dominican Republic. His sound is heavily influenced by old-school Detroit and European techno, featuring minimalistic and atmospheric vibes, deep grooves, and powerful kicks.
His passion for music began early, leading him to front an extreme metal band as a teenager. He later moved into DJing in 2013 and started producing music in Montréal, Canada, in 2019. During this time, he collaborated with various artists like Atroxx and VIL.
In 2020, he released his debut album, "Parabellum." His music has been released on notable labels, including [R]3volution Uncoded, Konsequent Records, and Modern Minimal.
Mrk Grim talks to 6AM about the story and concept behind his album From Primordial Darkness To Cosmic Demise, his inspirations, label collaborations, creative evolution from his debut Parabellum, and the lasting influence of his early metal background on his techno sound.
Hi Mrk Grim! Thanks for talking to 6AM How are you doing?
I’m doing great, it's exciting to chat with you guys and share a little bit of my vision.
To get things started you had a new album release come out Sept 3rd From Primordial Darkness To Cosmic Demise out on Diffuse Reality. The title feels like it carries a whole story in itself. What’s the narrative or idea behind choosing those words for this album? How do you see listeners engaging with From Primordial Darkness To Cosmic Demise?
This mindset has been with me for quite some time, so it definitely carries a story. I’m thrilled that you mentioned the word ‘narrative’ because that is exactly the core: to tell a story and share a concept that is intimate and abstract, but at the same time it is so present in all of us. I’m convinced that people can connect with this whole sonic journey and discover a part of themselves that they didn’t know existed, maybe even in their subconscious.
You’ve released on a wide range of labels, from Konsequent Records to [R]3volution. This particular release is coming out on Diffuse Reality. What made this label the right fit for this project, and how did that relationship come about? Does the label you pick to release on, influence the sound of the tracks?
Actually they chose me this time, and this is one of the things that makes this release so magic. It's a label that I had planned to send demos anyway. I wouldn’t say the label influences my sound but I always look for the labels that resonate with me, my sound and style because I’m not trying to fit.
When you started putting this project together, did you already have a clear vision of what you wanted it to be, or did the concept reveal itself as you went deeper into the process? What were some main inspirations for this album and how do they show up in the series of tracks? What are some general inspirations for you for your music in general?
Honestly, I didn’t even plan a full album. It was me and Mariam from DR who agreed to make it an album and suddenly everything clicked as a whole story and the concept came out naturally. And it makes sense because the music I compose has always expressed the darkside. Every track connects to the title of the album. It took me a day to come up with the name and magically it turned into a solid concept. To resume my concept of Darkness it is a combination of the metaphysical world, a bit of astronomy and my philosophy of life. Even science explains that the Dark energy was always there and that the light or cosmos emerged when “The Broken Vertex” but we will return to it when the universe collapses at some point. So that’s my vision and inspiration in general.
Your debut album Parabellum came together during the heavy global lockdown period in 2020. Looking back, how different was the headspace for From Primordial Darkness To Cosmic Demise compared to Parabellum? How does From Primordial Darkness To Cosmic Demise reflect where you are now, both creatively and personally?
It was totally different because back then life felt paralyzed, we were uncertain of what was going to happen so I kept doing what I love the most since I wanted to leave my craft as a legacy that permeates with people and they can be one with it. I promised myself that if I didn't survive the pandemic, at least I would be able to transmit the message through music. From Primordial Darkness to Cosmic Demise reflects my “Resilient Mind” after everything I’ve gone through in my life personally to be where I am but also the chance of expressing myself in way that only through music is possible it allows me to meet the listeners subconscious and spark that curiosity and mystery. Creativity happens in such a natural way that everything connects magically at its own pace.
For those that don’t know you started your creative path fronting a metal project back in Santo Domingo. When people hear your techno now, do you feel that early metal influence still finds its way into the atmosphere, the aggression, or maybe the storytelling? Is there still an influence in the latest project?
Absolutely it does find its way and always will. Metal has a special place in my heart and it definitely played a big role in me finding myself and everything that shaped Mrk Grim sound until now musically and the way of living. So yes you will hear the aggression and atmosphere but also the storytelling.
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk at 6AM Is there anything else you’d like to add?
To everyone out there that is passionate about something; work hard to get where you want to be, don’t listen to people that don’t inspire you. Be persistent and very patient because everything will come to you at the right time. Thank you all!