INTERVIEW // Max Volante’s Line to God from the Garden State

Max Volante is a nerve that sits just under the surface of the skin. Not exposed, but sensitive, and tuned into things the other nerves may just be too buried to feel. He said it himself, “I have a line to God — we all do.” Just when you think you know what he’s going to say, he manages to surprise you. 

This is reflected in his music, of course. Grand melodies, driving 808s, and diaristic depictions of young love and loss meet warm, sparkly production (all done by the man himself). Volante is of that lucky breed that has had an instrument in their hand since a child, as well as a parent’s loving hand to teach them the way. Volante’s father was a musician and sound engineer who first introduced him to recording early on, which Volante has faithfully been doing ever since. At 21, Max Volante has self-produced and released three EPs, two full-length albums, and over a dozen singles. His music is a keepsake — a portrait of the emotional peaks and valleys of his life so far. 

This fellow proud New Jersey native agreed to sit down and chat with The Lamb about finding the sound that feels authentic to him and no one else, what makes people from New Jersey particularly awesome, and the way forward as a true artist in an industry that seeks only to sell a product. (This interview has been edited down for length and clarity) 

Lucie Chantepie: Would you mind introducing yourself a little? 

Max Volante: I go by the name of Max Volante, I’m an artist, a producer, an instrumentalist- overall, just an artist. I love beauty, and fighting the battle for love and beauty. Me, and my friends and family, we’re on this journey together. I come from New Jersey! I come from a town called Hamilton, New Jersey. I’ve been making music since I was very, very young. I’ve been playing since I was about five years old, just slowly recording myself and getting better at the instruments I play. All my music now is basically me playing everything, but I recently just put together my live band! 

LC: Take me through that journey. Was there music around you growing up, did your family play? 

MV: Absolutely. My father plays guitar but he was also well-versed in audio engineering so he knew how to record things, and knew everything about music, live sound, microphones- that was really important to me. He was the one who taught me how to record with a mixer, so I would record myself as a child, and that’s how I was introduced to making music. 

LC: So you were taught by your dad as a child, then fast-forward a few years: Did you play in high school or anything? Was there a scene in Hamilton? 

MV: Barely any scene. Obviously everywhere has got some sort of hip-hop scene because hip-hop’s taking over. So that’s what was going on — I made beats and shit on my laptop in high school because we were all like, making a movement. So that’s how I learned to collaborate. But then after high school I started to realize, “Okay, I have visions of my own so let me go find the people that are also enthused by the same art that I am”. 

LC: And what art was that? 

MV: When I can hear something is human, when I can hear the soul in it. I’m not into things that are assisted by technology, but I am into humans using technology to express themselves further, like electronic music for example. Really avant-garde electronic music, to me, is an example of humans using machines to express themselves at a higher level. But something like a Lil’ Baby record is using technology as an aid to make a product that’s disguised as something good but in its substance, it’s not — it’s not beautiful. I just love expression, all of us do. Expression is where it’s at. 

LC: Okay, okay so what are like, hmm,  five of your top influences just off the top? 

MV: Definitely The Beatles. I listen to The Beatles everyday. On every level, The Beatles are the best. I like Pharrell — the Neptunes. Their production is some of the best shit ever. Playboi Carti. People hate on Playboi Carti but I think he’s the best, I think what he did is so cool. Oh man, Tame Impala, 100%. Erykah Badu — huge. Pink Floyd, too. And the whole Motown sound. Kanye — drums. Yes. 

LC: You dropped your newest full length record, Escapism, last year and then you dropped three new singles this year. Can you speak on the process of making those projects?

MV: So with Escapism I had dropped out of university so I kinda had to make-it-work type-shit. Like, in the basement, had to make songs that people like y'know? Escapism was sort of an exercise in making pop-centered-ish music. That was a really bad point in my life, I was just alone the whole time. The process of making that was actually sickening, but I had to get through it.

I don’t listen to it, it doesn't really feel like me anymore. But this year, ever since I came back from Escapism last year, I’ve been dropping more music that does feel like me. I dropped a new single this year called “this feels like goodbye”. I’m just being myself no matter what anybody thinks of it. I dropped this other single in November called “this moment (333)” which feels like a significant turning point. It seemed to really articulate me for who I really am, and people connected with it. But I didn't plan it! I made the song in one day, then sent it to distribution the next day, with cover art and everything. I didn't even tell anyone when it dropped. Then, slowly, people started to find it and it sort of popped off. Ever since then, I’ve dropped a few more songs that are really close to the beauty inside me. Escapism is really far from it — there are moments when you can hear it but it sounds like me… figuring it out.  And listen, I’m gonna tell you, from me to you — this next album is really gonna change things. It’s really beautiful music, and there’s something for everybody. 

LC: So what is the process of getting closer to making music that feels more like you? Is it collaborating with different people? Is it pure trial and error? 

MV: The process of finding that sound… You could give a really detailed explanation but I think it all boils down to being grounded in who you believe you are in the face of other opinions. Knowing who you are and what you like. Don't try to convince yourself you like things that you don't. And just make things and see how you feel about those things you make. Give the things time to breathe. Some of these songs I’ve been working on for over a year, even before I started Escapism. Some of them just started on the guitar. Those are the songs that stick. Sometimes I’ll wake up humming them. I think the answer though is being who you are and being confident. And people will follow. People will follow if you radiate confidence in who you are, from what you consume to what you produce. 

LC: Totally. I agree with that. So. You’re a Jersey girl, and I’m a Jersey girl. 

MV: Jersey! Jersey’s where it’s at. 

LC: Jersey is where it’s at! And I think people don't realize that New Jersey’s like, greatest export is legendary artists (and athletes and politicians etc, etc). What do you think it is about New Jersey that produces so many great artists? 

MV: I really do love New Jersey, it’s got so much range to it. If you got to North Jersey it’s actually got mountains and shit but there’s also really charming cities and towns. And especially in the more urban parts of NJ there is a great range of architecture. You can tell in what time periods the cities were built and what cultures were there. And then you go south and there’s farmers, with pickup trucks! NJ really reminds me of LA but without the illusion. Like, in LA everything’s green but it’s really not supposed to be green. Everything is like a prop, and the people start to act like they’re props. I do believe people follow the spirit of their environment. So anyway, NJ’s got the range of LA but minus the bullshit, so it’s like, real. And then it’s got New York. I love going to the city, everything cool is happening there. But then, you go back to NJ and you can tap into some beautiful nature?! That’s where it’s at, best shit comes from New Jersey. 

LC: Yuuuup. 100%. Moving on: Your music, totally self-produced, right? 

MV: Yeah, but I’ve been allowing more people to assist me on the process, and I’m always open to collaboration, I think it’s really fun. But it always turns out that when I go to sessions for me, with producers, there’s never a product at the end of that that I like. 

LC: This is a big conversation right now but do you think the days of big labels are over? Is the future self-production?  

MV: No. I don't. In the past few months, life has really changed because I’m now in those circles, and I can tell you the industry is locked. And that’s a good thing. The people that run the labels — some of them are demonic people. Evil. They drain a lot from artists. You meet a lot of artists that are really burnt out and depressed because they are being squeezed for not only music but content, and constant engagement on the digital domain, which is terrible for your mental health. So that’s the downside of a major label. 

But what I will say is that they know the game. Like, as an artist myself, before I got a manager and started learning the game, I was whimsical. I was like, “let me just make something and then I’ll put it out if I feel like it”. But working with major labels who have money and really skilled, seasoned employees can lead to forming strategies that increase the likelihood of your music impacting. And that is what I want. I have a line to God- we all do- but I’ve tuned the line to God and I need to connect to as many people as possible, without compromising the art. 

So, I don’t think the days of the major label are done but what I will say is that the landscape has changed. It [major labels] is not a necessity any more. You could build a team of, like, maverick warriors and have your own little label. That’s what I see a lot of nowadays. 

LC: What’s coming up next for you? Lock down the new album and maybe a little tour- anything else? 

MV: This summer needs the new album. [I need to put out the] Music videos and album so that I can play more live shows without the whole set being unreleased because most of my set is the new album. Playing the shows, some people know some songs but then I’ll hit like, five songs in a row that are unreleased and it’s like, “I gotta release this album”.

Readers can keep up with Max Volante on Instagram and stream on Spotify and Apple Music. Catch him live at Brooklyn Monarch this Friday, April 28th.