Jungle Legend in the North

Marcus Visionary Brings Rich History to Atmos

Over the course of three decades, Marcus Sills (a.k.a. Marcus Visionary) has played an essential role in popularizing jungle music in Canada, and maintaining its cultural relevance in the underground scene.

Born and raised in Toronto, Sills was immersed in the world of DJing just as the style known as jungle music was gaining popularity in England in the early 90s. Jungle is known as the forerunner of drum and bass, and was largely developed by disenfranchised producers in London, England, who began experimenting with faster tempos and darker basslines.

Toronto and London have long been connected through a generational web that links them both to the anglophone Afro-Caribbean culture. Sills, whose parents are Guyanese, took all of the moods and rhythms of his upbringing and fused them into a brand new genre. “That sound really kind of stuck because it was multicultural and had a little bit of everything: reggae, techno… it sounded like the future,” Sills says. “I think it’s that melting pot of sounds. It’s a fusion of everything I love.”

Sills says pioneers like Potential Badboy, Rebel MC, and artists from the label Reinforced Records are still his biggest influences.

In his own right, Marcus Visionary is very much a pioneer for keeping the sound relevant in Canada. He plays everything within the world of jungle and drum and bass, which he says has ballooned into a very diverse genre since the early days. “I’m a DJ. The more diverse you are, the more bookings you get. So I learned how to play and appreciate all the different styles.”

His knowledge of the genre and its place in history, however, is vital, and he still prefers a set that allows him to showcase that history. “I’m still really attracted to the underground jungle sound,” Sills says. “The music I find is a little more honest, cutting-edge, and a little more soulful. I love being able to play something and kids tap into it right away. They can hear where drum and bass came from.”

Marcus Visionary will be performing at Atmos on November 12 with local support from Lysis, Rhombi, and Tension.

Marcus Visionary’s music is available on Mixcloud and SoundCloud.