Matthew Kaz always craved collaboration when it came to creating music. His main goal was to start a band, but nothing ever seemed to work in his favor. It was increasingly difficult to find a schedule that worked for everyone, and he felt defeated after spending money at a high-end studio that produced less-than-quality music.

On a whim he released a solo EP called Nautical Things, and when that got picked up by multiple music blogs, he decided to roll with it.

Under the moniker Katmaz, his music is a blend of folk and pop with a hint of funk that comes from his love for making songs that are unpredictable. He’s been a songwriter for as long as he can remember, and knew that music would always be it for him, but always preferred bouncing ideas off of other people.

“I don't have the blind confidence to just release something without running it by some people,” he said.

One of those people is Braden Blair. Kaz and Blair went to high school together, and his avant-garde style is what Kaz really admired. When they created a song together in Blair’s dad’s loft that sounded better than the songs that were recorded at the studio, it became a “spiritual awakening” for Kaz.

He decided he should be learning the producing side of music, and that moving to Brooklyn to work with Blair would be in his best interest. At the time, Blair was living with producer Matt Cody and creating music inside a home studio. Kaz was in town to look for apartments when the inevitable happened - a room opened up in their house. A year and a half later, he not only produces his own music but other artists.

“I didn't ever see myself producing others,” he said. “That was never the goal; it was always just to be an artist. But I've learned so much by producing others, even to put into my own art.”

His own art is a major focus this year, with a plan to release several singles along with visual components. Sitting on his hard drive are more than enough songs to release a full-length album, and he grew up on the concept of an LP being the ultimate goal of an artist, but for now he’s enjoying creating and releasing music as he sees fit.

Katmaz is music for the unconventional listener. His love for sudden left turns and the creativity that collaboration brings is why his upcoming singles are ones to watch out for.