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| le Lotus |
Few things inspire impactful lyrics more than the wreckage and lessons of human history.
Formed in Raleigh, NC, just a year ago, the Alternative band le Lotus (vocalist Linz Godwin, guitarist Russell Barron, bassist Colin West, and drummer Tyler King) turns the tragedy of the atomic bombing of Japan during World War II into the inspiration behind its debut EP, Midori. Released in September and preceded by two digital singles, Midori focuses on the concept of grief, taking its name from Japanese actress Midori Naka, who initially survived the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945 but died days later from radiation poisoning. Fueled by an often Shoegazey sound reminiscent of 4AD Records’ glory years, the five-song EP delivers a powerful statement on grappling with loss and serves as a brilliant introduction to a fresh band with much more to offer than most.
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| Midori EP cover |
Here are a few words from Godwin on the EP’s creation:
“My mother and I were able to join my stepfather’s band, Electric Frankenstein, on tour along the southern coast of Japan. This trip was a dream come true for us! After several days of city-hopping, one of the upcoming dates was in Hiroshima. My grandmother was born and raised in Fukuoka, a city that was originally planned to be an A-bomb target. The two other neighboring cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, were nothing more than a short train ride away.
“My mom described how, while growing up, she would hear the stories my grandmother told about the war and the people she’d lost, like her boyfriend at the time, who happened to be going to school in Nagasaki. She told the story of going to look for him, only to find nothing but ruins and the shadows of people cast against the sides of buildings, instantly disintegrated due to the extreme heat from the blast. She would then look at my mother and say, ‘You would probably not exist if it weren’t for the last-minute change of plans not to bomb Fukuoka.’ These stories, forever etched in my mind, always sparked an interest in me.
“Before I left for Japan, my band members and I were in limbo regarding our genre and finding a concept for what we wanted le Lotus to be. We had just started writing original work and knew we wanted to do an EP, but the looming question was, ‘About what?’ After walking the streets of Hiroshima and visiting the memorial, I felt not only a sense of pride for the resilience of the Japanese people but also the deep sorrow that you unmistakably feel while visiting the city.
“In the museum, one story, among the many that moved me, was about a woman named Midori Naka. She was the first person in history to have a documented death from radiation poisoning. Inspired, I took the story back to my band for our EP. We then wrote the song ‘Flashback,’ a song about Naka and her numbered days after her exposure to the intense radiation.
“We took the concept of tragedy — whether it was a personal tragedy, like love, or a world-renowned one, like a celebrity dying — and tried to capture the feelings that accompany it. We spent eight months writing, perfecting, and recording — holidays, birthdays, and days off — doing what we love the most and what we want to do for the rest of our lives. We wouldn’t have this EP if it were not for Midori Naka and her impact on le Lotus in creating ‘Flashback.’”
Visit this link for more information on le Lotus, and check out my recent video interview with the band below:
