Photo Credit: Danielle Petrosa
Don’t let the name fool you: Death Hags is but one person and not multiple, and there isn’t an actual hag behind the project either…As far as I know. I suppose if after Death Hags sees this and I turn into a toad then it’ll be proof that she’s a mystical spellcaster hidden deep within the woods capturing children and eating them for supper – like those old folk tales. If this does not happen then we can all believe that Death Hags is a multimedia artist whose fans have described her work as Future Sound of Dystopian Romance. I like the ring of that. In the midst of a massive project where she’s releasing seven parts of one album, I got Lola G involved in our INTRODUCING series. Get to know her and her music below.
Give us a brief about your band. Who are you and what do you do?
I am musician/singer/songwriter Lola G, currently performing as Death Hags. The music I make as Death Hags has been described as Noir Pop, Future Sound of Dystopian Romance, and Music for Insomniacs in a Cyberpunk Forest. I like to think of it as a cross between David Lynch and Blade Runner.
When did you first launch the project and how has it come along since?
I started Death Hags in 2018 after an intense period of touring with various rock bands. I wanted to do something different, more artistic and more electronic-based. I originally envisioned Death Hags as a band but one day, on my way to rehearsal, a dog bit me and I spent three days with a dangerously high fever, hallucinating images of the underworld and space-based mysteries. Out of that trance was born a series of improvised tracks for BIG GREY SUN, an occult-themed seven-album saga, and the realization that Death Hags was a deeply personal, solo project.
What bands and artists influenced you the most and why?
That’s always a tricky question for me because there have been so many formative artists in my life, and it’s not easy to differentiate between artists that have been important to me and music that directly influences the kind of music I make. Definitely bands like The Cure, Massive Attack, Air, and the best of British electronic music from Psychic TV to Aphex Twin. But influence comes out in subtle ways too. I listened to a lot of Skinny Puppy and Ministry in college and even though I sound nothing like them, their influence is all over Death Hags.
If you could pick a single song from your discography to explain your music, which song would you pick and why?
I would pick the track Dawn, from Big Grey Sun #2. It has a thick analog bass synth, many MOOGs, vocoder, chiptune, distorted drum machines recorded through tape, it’s dark but hopeful and I like every word, sound and part I recorded – which never happens. Also I didn’t plan this but it’s a post-apocalyptic track about new beginnings that came out in March 2020.
What is your most recent release and what is it about?
My most recent release is volume 5 of BIG GREY SUN and it’s the most contemplative, ethereal of the series. It is a foggy, surreal dreamscape meant to put people in a trance, to recreate feelings that you can’t explain, when you know time is slowing down because everything is changing but you don’t know what is coming next.
Take us through your creative process. How do you compose a song from start to finish? Where do the ideas come from?
It depends. There are two kinds of tracks. Songs that start in my head with a few words over a melody and keep playing over and over until I finalize the lyrics and record them. They can happen quickly or it can be a process that goes on for months, where part of my brain is writing the song as I go about my day, and it won’t leave me alone until the song is finished. Then there are the more adventurous tracks that evolve and build organically over improvisations or experimentation. I love those because they feel liberating, like venturing out into the unknown. As far as where my ideas come from, it can be anything from film to literature or a billboard on the highway.
What’s your current favorite song, band, or album within your scene? And vice versa, what do you enjoy the most that’s completely opposite of what you make?
I am not part of any scene at the moment, I am still in my hermit phase… But of the L.A. artists I like, I just listened to Eyedress’ new single Wassup Rockers a few days ago and already know I’m going to have it on repeat for the next two weeks. It has that perfectly imperfect 90s indie throwback vibe that I can’t resist.
In a different style, I’m currently really into Bassvictim, a London duo that makes insanely catchy bass/hyperpop tracks with innovative production and sassy lyrics. They’re like the art-school punk version of Charli XCX and I am so here for it. It’s the kind of tracks I wish I could write but I’m way too neurotic.
What is on the horizon for your project? Upcoming gigs, tours, merch, videos, etc. Name it, link it, show it off.
BIG GREY SUN #5 is available on CD with a limited edition lyric booklet and several limited edition lathe-cut 7″ singles, including a picture disc and a bright red vinyl lathe-cut exclusive to the Death Hags Record Club. There aren’t many left so check it out!
I will also be sharing videos and download codes in the next few months so make sure to follow me at one of the accounts below:
Merch
Instagram
X
YouTube
BlueSky
