Straight from the vaults of his solar-powered studio comes Melbourne-based producer Monkey Marc, writing sonically rugged, politically charged beats by day, and playing them on his solar rig, DIY Hi Fi Sound System, by night.

His production ranges from instrumental hip hop to dub-infused bass music and reggae, influenced by an eclectic mix of world music and boom bap style hip hop beats.

As well as being known as the mastermind behind political hip hop punks Combat Wombat, he has released a debut solo album As the Market Crashed (Omelette Records 2009), follow-up EP Monkey Marc vs The Planet Smashers (Jahtari 2013), and dystopian bass manifesto Bullets Over Babylon (Renegade Masters 2015) featuring UK powerhouse Soom T.

Monkey Marc’s passion for music and social change has also taken him far across the Australian outback. For over 15 years, he has run music workshops with indigenous youth and elders in more than 30 communities around Australia, using hip hop, reggae and rock music and music videos as an outlet for creativity in these remote communities.

Monkey Marc has produced for and mentored indigenous bands including hip hop groups Desert Sevenz and E-Town Boyz. He has recorded in makeshift studios set up in old toilet blocks, abandoned youth centres, lounge rooms of motels and even on remote beaches with crocodiles. Recent releases include compilations by Barkly Desert Culture and Red Sand Culture. Monkey currently spends up to six months of the year running workshops in remote Aboriginal communities.