Mons Vi is a recent discovery for us. We fell in love with his track ‘Away’ which is a beautifully mellow track that showcases Matthew Hershoff’s (The multi-instrumentalist behind Mons Vi) superb songwriting talent. We asked Matt a few questions about his craft and to put together a playlist of his influences so we could get to know him a bit better. Check out the interview and his guest mix below his excellent track ‘Away’.
 

Listen to ‘Away’…

[RP] What inspires or motivates you to make music?

[Matt] Making music is something I do naturally. If I have a moment to myself, I’ll usually end up putting down a melody or some chords or a beat in some way or another.
 

[RP] How long have you been making music?

[Matt] I’ve been playing piano since I was five, picked up other instruments along the way.
 

[RP] Is this your only project?

[Matt] This is my only musical project at the moment. I’m also finishing up my first novel.
 

[RP] Where do you record your music?

[Matt] I almost always record in my bedroom, but I have a lot of friends who have studios. Every now and then I get out to one of those to record drums or something.
 

[RP] Can you walk us through what the recording process was like?

[Matt] I sit on my bed and make stuff.
 

[RP] Did you play all the instruments yourself?

[Matt] For “Away,” and “Tangerine,” and a lot of my other songs I do. Sometimes I have friends play their instruments of expertise on tracks because they can do it better than me.
 

[RP] What does your songwriting process look like?

[Matt] I have a short little dream and try to record it.
 

[RP] Are there any themes or emotions you typically write about?

[Matt] That’s up to you.
 

[RP] Does what you’re listening to at the time of writing and recording an album influence you at all?

[Matt] Sure it does. What I’m reading or watching does too.
 

[RP] Can you tell us what were you listening to the most while writing

[Matt] Bob Dylan
 

[RP] How do you think that influenced you for this album?

[Matt] Makes me want to elevate writing-wise.
 

[RP] Is it different from what you were listing to during the first album?

[Matt] First album was more of a medley. It came out in bootleg form, so I guess it did.
 

[RP] Can you describe your approach to the mix and how you learned to do it on your own?

[Matt] I do it all myself except for mastering. I’ve had my buddies Joel Gutman and Eamon Ford respectively work on the music.
I’ve been messing around with DAWs since middle school. Then I took a class in college on one of them and kept going from there. Recording has been trial, error, and the internet.
 

[RP] Finally, I’m always curious about how other people consume music. Do you have a favorite ritual, place or activity while listening to music?

[Matt] Unfortunately, I discover a lot of music through laptop speakers, but I like listening in the car.