There’s a new male voice that’s been taking the underground scene by storm. Enticing and entrancing, ethereal, divine, hypnotizing, airy and even angelic, spellbinding and most important SEXY … it’s Forrest. aka Zacharie-Jos Montpetit. Zach, who you may already know as half of the infamous duo Prince Club, launched his dreamy sound under the Forrest. moniker just this last year working closely with Montreal producer/sound engineer Jonathan Doyon. In no time at all he has been making a serious name for himself with that enigmatic unique and original sound that rides high on his godly vocals and the perfect balance and blend of all things deep and dreamy. This mix embodies that Forrest. vibe and is seriously sexy and addicting.  We were dying to learn more about this handsome fella … take a deeper glance into all things Zach …

 

 

 

You’ve been playing with Max as Prince Club since 2010 throwing out some of the dopest tech to hit the scene. When did Forrest. come about? What sparked the solo project?

It all started when I was living in Berlin last year where electronic music is such an important part of life, I felt I needed to do something a little more personal and the name Forrest. was something that kept coming to me over the years. I started writing tracks that made my first “Trinity” EP. As I was making music I didn’t feel I could accomplish it all by myself as I lack interest in technical stuff. I went to see my old sound engineering teacher Jonathan Doyon and the music just went to another level. He provides the foundation, I provide the vocals that bring it home; that, in a nutshell is Forrest.

 

Your style is so different from Prince Club to Forrest., definitely a lot softer of a sound and sexier of a vibe to your solo work, the tracks are all vocally and lyrically so beautiful, what inspires you? What makes that solo sound?

It’s hard to say but inevitably the vocals are a key element. it’s a bit like fashion; some take it really seriously and it doesn’t take anything away from the art itself. There will always be an underlying depth to everything I do, but I still want to have fun with it. I’m just trying to find a place in this music/artistic industry for everything that is within the Forrest. brand.

 

What sound do you feel is more you? Or does it just depend on your mood?

Absolutely, music for me is all about the mood. Depending on where you are, what time it is, who’s around you I enjoy everything from Guy Gerber to american R&B like The Dream or more “mainstream” indie rock like Interpol, and of course everything from House to Techno and it’s endless sub-genres.

 

You’re based in Montreal but seem to spend a lot of time in London. Where do you spend most of your time creating and Do you think this has an influence on your sound?

Well, I live in London now, I moved here last October. I also lived in Berlin last year so Europe has definitely deepened my love for electronic music. I love the European lifestyle. Change is a really good thing; it’s inspiring  I’m sure if I was born European I would’ve moved to America for a while.

 

Your first EP came out on your own label Amadeus, you’ve since released on MEXA, Play It Down, Petfood, and now it seems you have tracks coming out on Visionquest, Mobilee, Souvenir, Noir which is a pretty big deal, are there any particular labels you would like to release on in the future? Any favorites?

Yes! I am very very very excited and looking forward to a great year of releases. I’m fortunate to have releases coming out on labels I respect and to work with artists I’ve looked up to. Visionquest is a label that inspired me to start the Forrest. project in the first place. The track is with Eric Volta, I did the vocals and we’ve collaborated on others since then. I also had the opportunity to work with one of my favorite artists, Avatism, something I would’ve never thought could happen so quickly. Also, Re.You, an incredibly talented german producer with whom I’ve worked with as well on some upcoming tracks. Tom Budden is also someone I really enjoy working with, have finished two EP’s with him. The first, “Lady Is Trouble” comes out at the end of the month on Audiojack’s label GRUUV.

 

Are there any specific artists you’re hoping to collaborate with? Make some magic happen?

Fortunately, that’s already happened a few times! Guy Gerber would be unreal. I have much respect for everything he’s done. There’s an infinite amount of producers I would like to work with. At times the best collaborations comes from really odd combinations, so I am open minded when it comes down to working with producers.

 

So, Amadeus is self-procliamed as “A label dedicated to the freedoms of expression, the delicacies held above genre stereotypes, and the overall pursuit of unorthodoxy. We are a collection of artists, neither here nor there; visionaries who believe in the subtle nuances that are frequently overlooked in today’s cluttered electronic spectrum. We are devoted to the imperfections of contemporary dance music and the 4/4 pulsations of a universal language.” Which I absolutely LOVE … is just your own project? or are there others involved?

Amadeus is a label founded by myself and Taylor aka Urulu after spending a few weeks in LA a year ago. I also asked my friend Alex to join in, he handles the logistics and designs for the releases. We have some very strong releases this year, starting off with Cassio Kohls’s EP which we are really proud of and is doing very well.

 

Tell us more about the label …What was the inspiration/inciting moment where you realized that you wanted to start the label? What brought about its birth?

We are determined to bring new faces to the limelight. We want to continue to develop a strong roster of artists. Our current roster is a group of talanted producers/djs who compliment the label, but still bring their own flavour and sound. We believe in longevity and everything running pretty smoothly in the Amadeus camp. So yeah, as I said keep an eye out on our roster, lot of love for them: Chaos In The CBD, Steve Huerta, Cassio Kohl, Urulu, Prince Club, Savile, Tomas Rubeck and myself.

 

Three words to describe the label?

Up-And-Coming. We are doing this out of passion and our main goal is longevity as we are doing our best to make our beloved label grow to it’s fullest.

 

What’s coming up for you as Forrest.? Any exciting news you want to annouce?

I have releases and features coming up soon on some of my personal favorite labels: Visionquest, Mobilee, Souvenir, Noir, Gruuv as well as tracks in the making with Avatism and other talented artists.

 

You seem to regularly post photos of some very sexy women, we all appreciate it and we all lust for them ….

Yes, there is no other way to say it, even if it sounds cliché: I appreciate, am a fan of, and infinitely grateful to women and their beauty.

And women are infinitely grateful to you for your beautiful music, trust us, we’ve heard from plenty …

Last thing, What’s your favorite vice? What can your female fans buy you at the bar if they wanna get in good with the DJ?

Jack and coke with just a little coke (as in Coca-Cola).

You heard it ladies … now, go get the man a drink!

-Minxxx

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