Montoya has been on my radar since 2022 and has appeared on the pages of this blog many times under various aliases. I've been a massive fan of his music since his first album "Paradise", so it's a privilege to chat with him about his beginnings, music, inspirations, and future plans. Definitely check out his socials - Bandcamp has a ton of stuff you can buy to support him directly. All his links are listed at the end of this interview. Montoya has also created an exclusive mix for Mutant Zones titled "BloodOnMyNikes". It's packed with rare and ill tracks, and fans of his music will know exactly what to expect. For everyone else - strap in.
I came across your music thanks to Pharmacist, who shared a link to the All Blurred Out Vol. 1 compilation with me back in early 2022. Your bass-heavy witch house remix of Katy Perry intrigued me enough to start following your work ever since. How did you end up on that AOB album/link up with that crew?
Montoya: I was in the Salem server and my homie sent it to me so I just said fuck it n sent some shi out that I already had just laying around.The next ABO compilation offered yet another remix from you, further crystalizing your own style - the echoes of guitar strumming will soon become synonymous with your production. Do you play the guitar (or any other instrument) yourself?
Yeah man, thank you and I play the drums here and there, that's really about it.Oh cool, were you ever in a band of any sort?
I was in this band called Reef. It was me, Celina, kids creation and one of our best homies Brandon, but I just had to focus on my own music so I decided I had to depart sadly, but they got some crazy nice shit coming out soon I think.Your first two EPs "Fades Away (永遠に)" and "Visions of Us" arrived at the end of 2022, consisting of remixes of indie rock and French house/electro songs. Was that the stuff you grew up with?
Oh yeah I grew up heavily on that stuff when I was a kid, my uncles and dad put me onto all that shi I think my first couple artists were Justice, SebastiAn, xxyyxx and Mr. Oizo n then growing up I got super into Neon Indian, Phoenix, Strfkr and super early Flume when he dropped his first album in 2012.You mentioned Salem before, what are the artists that influence you the most these days?
Oliver Francis, xxyyxx, lapalux, and that whole early thraxxhouse/GBC era and especially Døves Springs Eternal.
2023 saw the release of "Paradise", your debut LP. How long did it take you to write this album, what was the process like and what inspired you at the time?
I completely forgot how long it took me, I think it was probably songs I made in a span of 4 months and I was super inspired by SALEM, Whitering, dopecellar, cvltshit and Doves Springs Eternal along with a lot of shoegaze/slowcore shi.The album also marks a clear shift from using acapellas to you rapping with a unique drawl effect, giving those songs your own stamp. Were you part of any hip-hop projects prior to this?
Nah I never was, I just gave it a go n said fuck it we ball.Since its release, you have pulled most of its tracks from all platforms. Do you plan to ever bring it back to Bandcamp or Soundcloud in its original format?
Probably not, I'm just not super proud of that stuff it was fun while it lasted though.Soon after the release of "Paradise", you changed your name to Montoya. What prompted you to drop VeXe?
VeXe was a lot of fun but I didn't wanna be known for remixes anymore, it was my first time approaching music when I started VeXe but I never knew I was gonna take it serious ever, so I just quit doin the remix stuff and wanted to be known for different stuff. Plus the name for Montoya just fits me a lot better. I got the name VeXe from this quickscoping/trickshotting clan I was in on MW2 when I was like 11.You also have two other projects called Valery and Loafer - can you tell me more about them and how are they different from Montoya? Are there any other side-projects in the wild?
Valery is super inspired by stuff I grew up on and it's all remix stuff too. I love making stuff for Valery, it's endless fun. At first I didn't even take it too serious and still don't, I let a lot more loose with that project and it's super indie electronic inspired stuff. Loafer was just a throw away project I had, it was more trap remix influenced stuff, basically my production on Montoya, but just remixes. And for any other side projects in the wild Celina n I had a two man side project a while back called Wirel. I think I would 100% be down to start some stuff up like that again with Celina. Without Celina I wouldn't be where I am today.Who's Celina? You have a few tracks together, if I recall correctly?
One of my best friends, we grew up together skating and he got me into making shit before I ever even approached music. I'd be at his crib while he's just making shit and when I started to pick up music he helped me a lot with feedback and with mixing man all that good stuff. I really wouldn't be where I am without Celina, genuinely one of the most talented people I know.Can you tell me more about the place you're from? Is there a local music scene there?
The people i have around me friends and family 100% make up for the place i'm from but as far as that goes its just like any other city but the nature is nice here in the spring/summer time you'll be outside.
As far as I can tell, most of your collaborations happen online. One of the first collabs I came across was "Fire Out" with the Swedish producer Pale Palce - how did you two connect?
I think it was Inersha that introduced us back way when and ever since that he's been a good friend of mine he's super talented we have a lot of ideas about future projects to come for sure ill never stop making music with that foo.That's sick! And what about Inersha?
Yeah Inersha and I linked up through a mutual friend we both had at the time, he texted me for a beat and after that we became super close homies. We met in real life when I went over there in the summer of 2023 along with MDPOPE, Thirty Three HZ and the homies Sam, Jakub and Lux. It was a time I'll never forget and the first time ever in the UK and Wales. I'm going to see them again in a few months.How would you define your current music style? There are obviously elements of witch house still lurking in the background, but shoegaze and horrorcore hip-hop seem to be front and center.
That's a good question lmao I don't really know to be honest man, there's a lot of different stuff u could call it shit man I don't even know what to call it.What's your creative process when making beats? What's your set up?
I usually just break down the sample and make a sub with it first to feel it all out, or if I'm recording first I'll just record on the original sample n loop it. I got a super old 2011 Mac that used to be the family computer that I got FL 20 on, and I got a AT2020 with an old ass Saffire interface I got from my bro Lucas lmao.
Your second album "Always & Forever" feels like a natural continuation of "Paradise" - taking some elements from its predecessor and further evolving the sound into a distinctive blend of slowcore and emo trap. How different was your creative journey when writing this record?
When I wrote "Always & Forever" it was very first time I ever tried singing and the rest kinda just was like any other process of stuff I make, it was super fun and felt refreshing doing it. Plus it was the first time I started to make real life music videos. I started to take things a lot more serious. It was also an album for my cat that passed, she was my day 1.Who helps you shoot your videos?
That's my main man Rodrigo. We went to highschool together n grew up together. Without him I wouldn't have these music videos.We talked a lot about the past and present, who are the artists you'd love to work with in the future?
I honestly never really thought of that. The friends I've made through music are so talented I never even thought of someone else outside of my circle. The only person I can think of right now would be Doves Springs Eternal or Wicca Phase Springs Eternal but maybe one day.What are your plans for the near and more distant future?
100% gonna be dropping a full length album this spring/summer, and going to be dropping an EP soon before that album, more collabs with Left, TWOSICK Inersha, 6SEANCE and stairtown as well as all the Crystal Lake guys. Shout out my homie Kenta, we got hella new shit on the way as well as me and oneoxy. Both those 2 guys are super talented, we got dope shi on the way.To wrap up, would you like to give any shout-outs?
S/o diseaser__, MDPOPE, Celina, Lucas and Julian and all my real life homies i love all yall (If i put all of you this list would explode)S/o Left, Beretta, Inersha, 6SEANCE, TWOSICK, Scarecrow, 901Krueger, stairtown, Pale Palace and all of BloodMoney
S/o Crystal Lake and Pharmacist
S/o my mom and dad
S/o Sky
S/o Alan
Make sure to follow Montoya on Instagram @motheralwaysss, Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/montoya411xx and Bandcamp: montoya411.bandcamp.com