In the dynamic world of bass music, a genre often dominated by male artists, a powerful voice is making waves. NotLö, an innovative and fearless artist, just released her self-produced EP, Mechanism, a project that not only showcases her exceptional production skills and sound design but also serves as a bold statement for gender equality in the music industry. This EP, her first independent release in over a year, is a testament to her talent and determination, and a response to the challenges women in bass music face throughout their careers.
As we celebrate the power of music and the strides made by women in the bass genre, there’s no better way to experience it than live. NotLö will be gracing the stage at the Northern Nights Music Festival Friday, July 14, bringing her unique sound and energy to the audience. You can catch her performance at the River Stage from 9:00 PM to 10:30 PM.
Meet NotLö
NotLö: My real name is Alex. I started the NotLö project around six and a half, maybe seven years ago. I just started DJing, first in houses where I was from in Charleston, South Carolina. After about two years of house parties, I started slowly producing and moved out to Denver, just because I was just over the southeast – especially being a queer woman in the southeast. I know things have come a little farther since then but that’s why I moved. I started getting to know more people in the local scene here in Denver and then started playing more shows out here and started producing more. I’m still learning every day.
I started going to a lot of shows trying to link with people and meet others that were having the same goals of trying to bring a positive and impactful change to the scene – bringing more women on in general and queer people and more people of color, too. Just trying to change representation was a big goal in my head. So that is a big point for this project. And also, the name – not low – it’s cheesy, but it means something to me. My friends suggested it because I smoke a lot of weed and I’m always high, not low.
But then…in my head, I was like, this means a lot more than that to me. I just want everyone to feel the joy that music encompasses. My mission is to make everyone feel unified and at home, safe. And to provide a joyful time in general. So I want everyone to feel elevated through my experience.
Kyle Rosner: How did you start your musical journey?
NotLö: So, I played violin for around six years growing up. And then I started doing percussion, but not the full high school band. Just like a little band at my high school, where you learned percussion. I was always too shy to be in the band. I’ve always loved drumming and that played a big role in leading me to what I do now. Learning sound design came later, but learning drums and beats sparked my interest to learn more about electronic music. Then I started to learn about music theory, too.
What got me in the electronic scene was just seeing so many different artists. Honestly, I will say the most prominent people that inspired me were Odesza and Cozy. And it’s kind of funny saying Odesza because I make really heavy scary music sometimes, but I just remember the feeling of seeing them live at festivals. All the pretty lights and the clothes, and the way they make me feel. It inspired me to hopefully, maybe, get on the stage that they’re playing and be able to give that feeling to someone else in terms of telling my own story.
KR: What was your first stage experience? When did you make that transition from playing house parties to…Wow, This is a serious thing. Now, I’m getting booked at festivals and concerts.
NotLö: So I was around 20. I would like to say 2018-2019 was my first show. I think was 2019. I was playing because my friend was organizing some shows in the Black Box Lounge in Denver and My friend Alex Row, who makes music and does a lot of events as well said I should give it a shot, playing my first event. So, I did it and it was so much fun! I was extremely nervous but I felt very comfortable up there, being myself and being who I am and not being scared, that kind of feeling is very awesome. I believe that the exhilaration of being on stage is something that certain people can truly feel. Once I experienced that sensation and saw how my music could bring joy and fulfillment to others, I was captivated by it.
And then at that point, I was messaging every local show promoter, even in nearby states, like Iowa, Utah, and Arizona, just to get away. And even if I wasn’t getting paid, I was just trying to get out there because you don’t do this for money. It’s a passion.
I remember the first festival I played was Backwoods Music Festival because they did a little competition at the Black Box. It was called The Road to Backwoods and I only played two shows in Denver and I had a lot of my friends come out. They just did a crowd bow of who would win, and It was crazy that I won! That was 2019. And then I got offered to play Backwoods for two tickets. I remember, I drove to Arkansas so stoked and brought some friends with me and then it just put me on a path of making so many goals. I’m very big on writing down my goals and putting them into focus – it helps me stay on track and visualize them becoming reality.
KR: How have plant medicines such as cannabis and other psychedelics impacted your creativity and your music-making? Do you feel like it’s a resource for the creative outlets?
NotLö: Yeah, I do. Ever since moving here. I mean I would like to say I was not irresponsible but I guess I was an immature smoker before. Then I got a grip on what strains we’re doing and how to apply them in certain parts of my life to make me function better. Because I do have a lot of anxiety and my ADHD kind of triggers the anxiety too. So I enjoy and am thankful for cannabis and that aspect for letting my mind slow down a little bit and giving me some relaxation time to be able to focus.
I’ve noticed cannabis, specifically hybrids, are great when I’m creating because it lets my brain sit back for a second. Think about the now and not think about things going forward, which can cause anxiety. So I’m thankful for that in a big way. And I have never experimented with mushrooms before while creating.
During my visit to Canada, I was intrigued by the legal status of certain substances, so I decided to experiment with a microdose of psilocybin mushrooms. I was only there for a brief period, but I had a meaningful conversation with a local about my use of cannabis and my interest in exploring how mushrooms might benefit me.
In the past, I used prescription medications like Adderall to manage my ADHD during my college years. While I’m not against these medications, I didn’t like the person I became while using them. It’s been over five years since I last used such a pill, and I’ve been managing my condition with natural remedies since then.
The experience with the microdose of mushrooms was remarkable. I was cautious about the dosage, knowing that too much might not yield the desired effects. But what I found was that it significantly improved my focus. I was able to select the songs I wanted to play in my DJ set with precision, without the usual fluster and indecision that my ADHD sometimes causes. The clarity I experienced while performing was astounding.
It’s fascinating to see the potential benefits of natural substances. It’s a testament to the power of plants and their potential role in our well-being.
KR: Is this your first Northern Nights performance? How is your playlist going to compare to some of the other festivals you’ve attended this year?
NotLö: Yes it is. I’ve heard so much about it I’m so excited. It’s always been on my list to play this festival, and it’s one of the prettiest areas in the country. All the gorgeous redwoods. So I’m excited to go and be in music in that area too. I think it’ll be beautiful.
There are some festivals where I want to play very heavy things. No pause or break, but it just depends on the energy. I feel at Northern Nights, I’ll be able to just roll with it because I don’t plan my sets. I just have a USB full of thousands of songs divided by genre. This is probably most DJs’ worst nightmare because I know that they like to organize them by sets. They’ll be like okay, this is Red Rocks, here’s a great setlist for that. But I just like having the option of going with the flow. Maybe it’s an ADHD thing. I don’t know. I like having the option to be able to play whatever I want in a genre and mix it in.
You never know what people are gonna be feeling in my experience. You could play something and the crowd just might not be feeling it, whether or not it’s good or bad – it’s just the energy at the moment where you are. There are a lot of different factors. I like to be able to have the ability to play whatever people want to hear – but in a way that it’s still my music because I’m selecting it. It’s all about trying to vibe match with people. So I’m really curious to see how it is there and I think I’ll be able to go full range and play a lot of different things. And I saw that this festival was wanting some bass music and a lot of drums and bass. So I’m gonna bring that.
KR: What kind of new music have you been working on?
NotLö: So I’ve been working on a lot of music right now. This is probably the other curse of ADHD is that I don’t finish one project. There are 20 projects right now that are being finished so I’m making an album right now in a concept called ‘Night Terrors and Dreamscapes.’ It’s pretty much done.
I’ve always had a profound love for the intense sounds of dark dubstep and heavy music. At the same time, I’m also drawn to the more ethereal and organic tones of future garage, liquid drumming base, and other similar genres. I’ve been contemplating how to blend these contrasting styles in a way that feels natural and cohesive. It would feel odd to suddenly release music that’s drastically different without a comprehensive concept to tie it all together.
This led me to the idea of the ‘Night Terrors and Dreamscapes’ concept, which I envision as a two-part project. The first part, ‘Night Terrors’, will feature heavier, darker, and deeper music. Alongside the music, I’m also working on creating a visual component to enhance the overall experience.
It’s about turning something dark and scary into something pretty and finding positives in something, which I feel has been a big life theme for me. So I’ve been trying to involve themes like that and tell stories with it. Just to give people extra depth to it, because there’s so much dubstep in the world. But I’m trying to tell thought-provoking stories.
Everyone should know that you can and should look at things more positively. And I’ve been finishing up a lot of other EP labels and have one coming out right before Northern Nights and it’s a three-track EP. It has two German-based tracks and a dubstep track and I’m excited about these! They’re a big nod to how far I’ve come with learning sound design synthesis and other aspects of production.
KR: Where can people follow you, and how can people listen to your music?
NotLö: I play Friday at Northern Nights and I’m super excited! The best way to keep up with most of my stuff is if you go on Instagram and follow me there, I’m always posting. That’s the best way to find out where all my upcoming dates are and it’s linked to my website. I focus more on Spotify for releasing music because I like making playlists on there to show people new music as well, which fits with mine if they’re digging my sets. It’s a great way to share music that others might like and help grow their collection of favorite artists.
Catch NotLö tonight at Northern Nights Music Festival!
