Top 10 Montreal Music Producers You Should Know

Do you know the best music producers in Montreal? Even without a city-defining sound, Montreal musicians have seized the moment. Here are 10 Montreal music producers you should know about. Here are 10 Montreal music producers to keep an eye on by Top Most 10

Here are the top 10 Montreal Music Producers You Should Know

10. Yama//Sato

Yama//Sato is able to tailor his sound towards his collaborators’ needs. He does not simply hand over beats — he helps craft songs to a tee. “Ting Tun Up,” his collaboration with Skiifall, meets at the intersection of UK and Caribbean inspiration, while its video remains unapologetically Montreal.

Acts like Jorja Smith and Virgil Abloh have been playing the song on their respective Instagram stories. This only begins to scratch the surface on its cultural impact. The track has also made its way on several UK-based official streaming service playlists and earned Skiifall a performance on BBC Radio 1Xtra. Perhaps most impressively, Abloh selected the tune to soundtrack the new commercial for Louis Vuitton’s collaboration with the National Basketball Association.

“Ting Tun Up”’s success is only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the young producer’s capabilities. Yama//Sato has also churned out impressive results as a solo act. His debut release, Promenade, is a laid-back listen that lets its production speak for itself.

9. Planet Giza

Planet Giza having been holding it down for nearly a decade. Tony Stone and DoomX began as a duo, The North Virus, later inducting fellow producer Rami B. The three credit Artbeat Montreal for helping them gain both exposure and experience. Artbeat was a local event in which the city’s best aspiring producers gathered to showcase their talents (think of it as a Montreal precursor to Verzuz).

Since their 2013 incarnation, Planet Giza have come a long way. The triumvirate thrive in their collaborative nature, having blended their talents with Mick Jenkins, GoldLink, and longtime friend Kaytranada. Giza’s production style works seamlessly with the aforementioned rappers, their bounce blissfully complimenting the MC’s dance-like flows.

Planet Giza’s recently released Don’t Throw Rocks at the Moon shows the trio dipping their toes into various flavors. The album’s opening track, “Icarus,”feels like a spiritual cousin to Kendrick Lamar’s “Wesley’s Theory” while “When the Moving Stops” sounds like an updated version of The Neptunes’ minimalistic yet hard-hitting sounds of the early 2000s.

8. DRTWRK

DRTWRK has been an important figure in the city’s hip-hop scene for well over a decade, lending a hand in some of the biggest local hits. When he and Magnum released “Expos Fitted,” in 2010, it felt as if the world had stopped spinning. The track even got a “Mega Mix” treatment, à la The Game’s “One Blood.”

In 2018, everything changed for DRTWRK. After years of building, the producer at long last got his first major placement, working on Lil Wayne and Travis Scott’s “Let It Fly.” Since then, DRTWRK has served as a frequent collaborator of both Boi-1da and Timbaland. He worked with the latter on Saweetie’s recent “Back to the Streets” and, perhaps most notably, Kanye West on “Use This Gospel,” off of Jesus Is King, and “Jonah,” which is on Donda.

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