DejaVilla premieres new single “Ochi to Mobay” (Ultra Music – Feb 15) on LargeUp

Boy x girl duo brings the “Pum Pum Magic” on ethereal dance track that balances elements of dub, reggae, and R&B

Hailing from the foothills of Kingston, Jamaica, Dejavilla is the artistic partnership of musicians David Marston and Sarah Couch (daughter of the late, legendary Jamaican singer-songwriter-chef, Suzanne Couch). Their distinctive brand of music is a fluid range of sounds and styles, with roots in their motherland, and influences from their world travels.

DejaVilla’s third single, the atmospheric “Ochi to Mobay,” was released last week on Ultra Music. Caribbean music, arts, and culture tastemakers LargeUp were quick to pick up the song for an online premiere. LargeUp describes the lyrical content as an “ode to sexual independence and fierce self-confidence,” or as lead vocalist Sarah summarizes, “hot gyal nuh beg fren or run down man because Pum Pum run tings. Awoah!”

Producer David Marston’s backing track provides the perfect bed for Sarah to express the sentiment. The arrangement is characterized by rich Rhodes chords, organic percussion, a rumbling bass, and chopped breakbeat drum samples, all complemented by a breezy sax line at just the right moments. When initially crafting the beat, Marston drew inspiration from an a cappella version of Amy Winehouse’s “Stronger Than Me.” “The ‘Ochi to Mobay’ instrumental is smooth and understated, but focused and danceable,” offers the young maestro, who currently calls Brooklyn his home. “It was written with the idea that it would be utilized with vocals,” he continues.

Ultra Music chief Patrick Moxey signed DejaVilla in 2018. The legendary music label is possibly best known for its elite dance and electronic roster (which boasts the likes of Steve Aoki, Kygo, and Benny Benassi), but Ultra and Patrick (a Jamaican music aficionado) have enjoyed some of their greatest successes with Jamaican singer OMI’s international record-breaking hit “Cheerleader” (Felix Jahn remix), which has topped charts and achieved Multi-Platinum sales status in several global territories, including the U.S., where it spent six weeks atop the Billboard HOT 100. UIMP (Ultra’s publishing arm) continues to expand its impressive stable of Jamaican superstar artists and producers like Beenie Man, Rygin King, Notnice, Jeremy Harding, and TeeJay, to name a few.

DejaVilla first made impact in October 2018 with their debut single, “Suit a Rebel” (Ultra Music), which features vocals from Los Angeles-based Jamaican artist Kat C.H.R. and dub reggae pioneer Lee “Scratch” Perry. In December 2018, DejaVilla followed up with “Feel Me Running Away” (Ultra Music), featuring Kat C.H.R and co-written by producer Dan Izco, which blends smooth and sexy R&B melodies with chilled-out house undertones. The group’s debut EP is scheduled for release in spring 2019.