Hashtag Magazine

View Original

NOTS live at UFO Factory

Memphis powerhouse, Nots, debut their new video "Persona" today. The band collaborated with Memphis-based visual artists and photographers Adele C Winn and Courtney WhitloW who work under the the collective WWW. They explain, "We began with a visual concept, rather than narrative - we knew we wanted to use projection, play with overlaying of form, scale, transparency, density, color. We played with those techniques to distort the meaning of artificial reality, perception, and societal projection. We drew from the color scheme of the album- which references the red and green from street lights STOP-GO."

Themes of lost control and societal division are spread throughout '3'. They can be heard not only via 

Hoffmann's reverb-drenched drawl, but also in the sneaky tightness between drummer Charlotte Watson

and bassist Meredith Lones that occasionally (and quickly) devolves into a beautiful, reckless cacophony before shoring back up again. It's all pretty heady stuff, no doubt, but because Nots tracked and recorded '3' live -- as has been their way with all of their albums -- they were also able to infuse it with what Hoffman describes as "an intensity and improvisational energy."

When Alexandra Eastburn left Nots in 2018, the threat of losing the gnarled texture or her hammering synth progressions resulted in some real growing pains for the band. But once the newly anointed threesome arrived at Bunker Audio in Memphis to record with trusted engineer and friend Andrew McCalla, each member had embraced Nots fresh identity. Rather than abandon the noisy synth attack, Hoffmann instead decided to add another role to her expanding sonic arsenal. After the record began to take form, it felt much more accurate to understand '3' as a different force altogether.

We had the pleasure of checking out Nots as they performed at the legendary UFO Factory in Corktown, Detroit last night. They still have a few more stops left on their first leg of their tour.

You can check out Nots on their Facebook Instagram Spotify Youtube


Olivia Neutron-john