Electronic jam band returns to Higher Ground

Concert goers next week will be pulled in by the hypnotic music of one popular electronic jam band.     

At Higher Ground Feb. 3, Lotus will bring a harmonious mix of “emotion and party vibes,” band member Luke Miller said.

Lotus has been playing for about 14 years and has maintained a solid fanbase by touring steadily and involving  the audience during shows, Miller said.

He said that the interaction between band and audience is extremely important during their live shows.

Additionally, Miller said the band believes in the importance of emotion in their music and their concerts.

He said they start off with upbeat songs, but as time goes on they get into their more impassioned music, including spontaneous improvised songs. Through this mix, the band tries to bring “humanity and emotion” to shows, Miller said.

Though they do get deep, Lotus still manages to bring a party atmosphere to venues and keeps people dancing for the duration of their shows.

The band has a history with Burlington, and Miller thinks the band has played at Higher Ground almost 20 times. Although he is unsure of the exact number, the band is  fond of Higher Ground, Burlington and the crowd that shows up, he said.

“Burlington audiences are open to whatever, which allows us to push ourselves and experiment,” Miller said.

The upcoming tour will feature their 2014 release “Gilded Age.” On this album, the band strove to de-emphasize electronic influences and achieve more rawness, differentiating this work from Lotus’s usual blissed-out sound.

For the band, being less refined and creating a new style involved replacing synthesizers with pianos and incorporating rougher drums.

“The whole idea of this album was to explore nostalgia,” Miller said. Lyrically, the work is minimalist and void of traditional song structure, including verses and choruses. Instead, repeated lines ring throughout songs and act as a “hypnotic device,” adding to the nostalgic, trancy feel.

An old roller coaster pictured on the album cover acts as a symbol for this idea. Miller describes it as “somewhere you were fond of as a kid, but now it’s crumbling.”

Whether you’re looking to party or get in tune with the emotive melodies of nostalgia, Lotus will bring danceable yet meaningful sounds to Higher Ground.