Lotic is J’Kerian Morgan, a young producer raised in Houston and based in Berlin, and the music he makes feels influenced by both cities: a bit of blunt Texas blast mixed in with heavy dance music good for dancing at a Berlin gay club. But there's also so, so much more—we're still unpacking the layers and layers of beautiful weirdnesses on Fallout, his new EP for Sci-Fi & Fantasy. Download his FADER mix and read an interview about life in Berlin, how he came to make such unique jams and why his ideal nightclub has "a puddle of tears in one corner and a puddle of cum in another." (!!!)
Download: Lotic's FADER Mix
You've said "rage and fury" have been influencing the music you make lately—is that a true characterization, and if so, what are you pissed about? There's just a lot of nonsense in the world. I'm actually really happy. I'm surrounded by beautiful, talented people on the regular, my life is mad comfortable, and I have basically everything I want. But I think it's my truth that I'm a black man living in the West, a gay black man, and that comes out in my work. The rage and fury is much less present than it used to be, but it's always there when I need it.
The mix is such a nice balance of sounds that go super hard, and then sort of sweeter, softer vocals—Beyoncé, "Heartbroken," Kelela. Does a balance of hard and soft really influence what you do, and if so, why? Thank you! The ideal club setting for me is a puddle of tears in one corner and a puddle of cum in another. I love playing with people's emotions at the club. I want people to go from wanting to murder me to wanting to pay my bills. Like multiple times in a night.
What's your life like in Berlin? I live a very comfortable and relaxed life. I don't party much, but I basically work at the club, so I can get pretty gross. Berlin's been pretty slow to pick up on anything that isn't techno until very recently, but it's gotten very cute lately!
You're from Houston, live in Berlin. Which city makes music that suits you better? My last release was very Berlin-influenced, mostly because so many of the sounds I was hearing at the time were so fresh to my ears, at least in the context I was hearing them. But I lived in Houston most of my life and I'll never not love hearing a codeine-drenched Beyoncé a cappella. I'll never not be a Texas girl.
What's your scene in Berlin like? I'm playing nearly every weekend now, here or elsewhere, which is amazing but still kind of too crazy for me to accept. I'm usually playing at Chesters, for Janus or for my own night, DISSONANCE, which is basically Janus' little sister. These nights are the only reasons anyone cares about me as a DJ. I'm not going out as much since I've been playing more. I'm usually just at a friend's place or at the park if I'm not staring at my screen. Or I'm at Berghain, which is heaven on earth.
What's the best part about living in Berlin? What's the worst part? The best parts are the worst parts, actually. It's nice that it's easy to find gross drugs, but that means they're always around and if you're trying to behave you probably won't be able to. It's nice that the city is changing so rapidly, but that means there's a disgusting amount of gentrification that's happening just as rapidly. The absolute worst thing about Berlin is the winter. Hands down.
Do you cook a lot? If so, what? My fried chicken is very well regarded.
Tracklist:
A MADE UP SOUND :: AHEAD
TIFFANY FOXX :: JELLYBEAN (D'HANA & RIZZLA BOOTLEG)
DJ KING TIGER-Z :: YA DONK
TRINISHA BROWNE :: SUMMER FLING REMIX
LOTIC :: FRACTURES
JEREMIH :: EX-TO-SEE
RABIT :: SUN SHOWERS
JAM CITY :: THE RAVEN
DIVOLI S'VERE :: WITHOUT ME (TWIST OF DEATH REMIX)
HEADLOCK :: HIGH BEAMS
DRAKE :: STARTED AS A BOTTOM
SO JAPAN :: MATANGI INSTRUMENTAL
NIGGA FOX :: REVELACAO TARRAXO
BEYONCE :: STANDING ON THE SUN (SOS REGGAE REMIX)
MASSACOORAMAAN :: DEAD LONG TIME VIP
AMAZON 2 :: BOOYAH (REMIX)
9TH WARD TEA :: PULLA MUSCLE (GUTTA BOUNCE REMIX)
SISSY NOBBY :: &UM (HBB MIX)
TOOK :: HEARTBROKEN (GUTTA BOUNCE MIX)
DIVOLI S'VERE :: BLOW YA SMOKE FT BEEK (THE STRAWBERRY KUSH REMIX)
YANDEL :: DEMBOW FT ROBB (DIWALI BLEND)
KELELA :: SEND ME OUT
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