Lotic: The Transfemme Berlin Beatmaker Finds a Voice

Lotic is out for blood. A menacing new video, "Hunted," shows the Berlin-based experimental musician clad in a pink slip and dragging some fresh prey -- a white man wearing only underwear -- along a dark beach. Later, the artist rises from the waves, phoenix-like, flaunting a feathered headdress and dramatic gold jewelry. "My reference was Queen of the Damned," says Lotic, who uses they/them pronouns. "Of course, I like anything with a queen, especially if she's getting stronger by eating basic bitches."

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Power, Lotic's first album, meshes corrosive electronic sounds with nods to the black music of their hometown, Houston. It also showcases their hypnotic voice, on record for the first time. "I'd hit as far as I could go production-wise without singing," Lotic explains, "and I had a lot to say." They took inspiration from Between the World and Me, Ta-Nehisi Coates's poignant book about race in America, as well as their own experience in a gay scene that traditionally favors masculinity. "On the one hand I'm wanted sexually," they say, "but as soon as I flip my hair I'm suddenly disgusting." That's started to bother them less and less, though; they recently started identifying as transfemme. "I feel like I've grown into myself, both personally and musically," Lotic says. "It feels really good."