An Interview with Mortis

Dami: What inspired you to start making music professionally?

Mortis: Truthfully a compounding of things. As a kid, my dad would let me play around on FL Studio on his Windows XP PC. Eventually I was gifted a laptop for Christmas, I think my junior year of highschool. So I would just create beats for the fun of it and would make silly songs with my homie. It wasn’t until I moved into an apartment that I realized that I had the ability to create worlds and energies with the sounds of my choosing. And also at the same time being able to express myself thru the lyrics and vocals. That was enough to make me realize that I never wanted to stop creating music.

Dami: How much would you say you’ve grown creatively since your debut?

Mortis: I definitely grew into my own sound, that is still actively developing I feel. Starting out I think my influences were more noticeable, and gradually I found a union of my own personality and other music I love to listening to. Even going into the New Year, I’m learning to play live instruments just to keep evolving and furthering my skills. Evolution is key and yuck is eternal.

Dami: How would you describe this sound you grew into?

Mortis: Yuck, Yuck, Yucky! There are beats and songs that I have that just sound like an ever-morphing, sphere of an unknown material just vibrating in its own rhythmic patterns. Its very alien to fresh ears and addictively trancing at times. Just inspired by a lot of house, soul, reggae, jazz, and hiphop.

Dami: Is yuck what you title this new genre you’re developing?

Mortis: Yes, it’s a visceral human reaction to things. How people react to fowl smells, is how i react to ill sounds. “Euuugh, Yuck!”

Dami: When making music, where do you grab inspiration from?

Mortis: Primarily life events, memories and experiences, artists i work with and other artists motivate me to go crazier. Even movies, anime, and TV. Whether I’m sampling or just for concepts.

Dami: You just dropped a new project titled “Yuckedelic”. Can you tell us more about it?

Mortis: It’s my yuckiest work out to date. The album is really just an introduction to my style and energy. It’s a collection of fun songs I felt best encapsulated the genre of sound I wanted to sculpt out. I think there’s a little bit for everyone on there no matter their taste. A whole lotta bass, catchy hooks, and dance beats. Had a lot of fun creating it.

Dami: For someone just being introduced to this yuck sound, what 3 words would you use to describe it?

Mortis: Get up, dance.

Dami: Who would you say influenced your sound?

Mortis: So many. Production wise; I’d say Kanye, Pharrell, JPEGMAFIA, Monte Booker, Kenny Beats, and Pierre Bourne. For vocals, definitely XXXTENTACION, Ski mask the slump god, Playboi Carti, Smino, Maylee Todd, Micheal Jackson, and Tisakorean because everything is better with a lil silliness.

Dami: What’s your creative process like?

Mortis: For production, I like to play with sounds until I find something I resonate with and build from there. Sometimes, a foundational part of a beat will loop and flows or lyrics start coming before I finish the beat. When sampling, its when I find something that speaks to me and I’ll loop it or manipulate it how I feel fit. I like to chase textures when making beats. With songs, I’ll start off mumbling flows until it snowballs into something I really like. The spirit of the music will usually show me where to go and what words to say.

Dami: Any visuals for this project?

Mortis: I dropped music video for Yukkslide! with my sister whose into to film and photography. But I definitely have plans for videos for more songs and visualizers.

Dami: What other songs will be getting videos?

Mortis: Yucklanta and Replay fosho! Any others I’ll keep under wraps for now.

Dami: What’s next after this project?

Mortis: A lot more production for other artists, a lot more songs/verses from me. I’m part of a group of like minded individuals, we go by Collective Codes. There so many talented motheryuckers apart of that, so expect motion from that sector as well. Lastily, N/FRN0, which is a continuation of my past project Symmys.

Dami: Can you tell us more about Collective Codes. What brought yall together?

Mortis: HERU, the absolute legend. He’s been able to bridge niggas from around Atlanta to form something beautiful. Talented lyricists, singers, producers, DJs, mixing engineers, photographers, etc. The love to create brought us together. We’re everything. I’m just one cloud in the coming storm.

Dami: With the year just starting, what do you hope to achieve?

Mortis: Performing a lot more, I loved the stage more than I thought and now I want more. Definitely time to shake the city up, then the world!

Dami: What’s been the hardest part of being an artist?

Mortis: Personally, consistency. Life can get in the way at times and discourage you from sticking to a plan. So it’s best to recenter yourself and remind yourself to lock in. Especially if you love what you create.

Check out his new project here