Lo Five: Navigating the Future of Sound
An Intimate Conversation with Neil Grant by Simon Lay - April 2024
In a quiet corner of his home, Neil Grant, the sonic architect behind the enigmatic Lo Five, joined us to discuss the journey behind his experimental electronica. With over a decade of evolving soundscapes, Lo Five has become synonymous with introspection, ambient minimalism, and the marriage of spontaneity with conceptual depth.
Neil’s journey into the world of electronic music was not the result of a grand epiphany, but rather a practical pivot. Like many parents, Neil’s life changed dramatically after the birth of his daughter. His days of rehearsing with bands were over, but the creative itch remained. With a cracked copy of Reason software and an inquisitive mind, Neil began crafting music solo.
"You can’t go to rehearsals three nights a week when you’ve got a baby," he laughs, recalling his transition from being a guitarist in various bands to becoming Lo Five in 2015. Nine years on, Lo Five has carved a distinct space within the realms of electronica, but it wasn’t without its challenges.
Before electronica, Neil’s past musical endeavors ranged from shoegaze to Americana, genres far removed from the warped, glitchy beats of Lo Five’s present. This eclectic background speaks volumes about the evolution of his tastes. From the grungy guitar-driven bands of his youth to the deep-dive explorations into Warp and Ninja Tune artists, Neil found himself veering into electronic landscapes where his creative energy truly blossomed.
“When the band thing ended, I thought, let’s see where this goes," he muses, touching on the allure of the unfamiliar. “Electronic music, it’s always fascinated me—the textures, the limitless possibilities.” His affection for this genre wasn’t merely a passing phase. It was an opportunity to let go of band constraints and explore a rawer, more personal side of music.
Over the years, Lo Five has become a core figure in Liverpool’s blossoming electronic scene, a city once dominated by guitar bands. While venues once raised eyebrows at a guy standing behind a laptop, Neil’s relentless drive to create opportunities for electronica artists pushed the scene forward. "Emotion Wave," a series of live events he pioneered, became a safe space for bedroom producers to break out of their shell. “You coax them out of their bedrooms to play live for the first time,” Neil explains, reflecting on the excitement of seeing new talent thrive.
Grant’s unique production style involves trading perfection for spontaneity. “I love rough, overdriven sounds, where you can feel the human touch. You’ve captured that moment in time.” This refusal to polish every track to pristine digital clarity mirrors the raw emotionality of his work. Lo Five’s music often feels like a journey—floating between meditative ambient grooves and pulsating synth rhythms. It’s music meant to be experienced, not just heard.
Neil’s creative process is deeply intertwined with the gear he uses. In a post-interview note, he shared his current setup, which consists of an Oxi One sequencer, Roland JD-08, Roland SH-01, Arturia Microfreak, Empress Reverb, Chroma Console, Novation Circuit Tracks, and a Tascam Model 12. His choice of instruments reflects his philosophy of blending tactile hardware with modern production techniques, allowing for both precision and improvisation. “I love playing with the hardware... it’s a very different experience than staring at a screen,” he admits. This hands-on approach provides the rawness that defines Lo Five’s work.
In addition to his solo work, Neil is the mastermind behind Her Majesty’s Coroner for Wirral, a more conceptual and multi-media project. The deeply cinematic nature of this work blends music, visual art, and narrative, making it a fascinating counterpoint to his spontaneous Lo Five releases. The project emerged from a haunting nightmare, transforming itself into a living, breathing entity over time. “It’s like a big picture being mapped out in my head before I even record anything,” he notes. With each release, Grant challenges the listener, playing with expectations and taking them on a journey as much intellectual as emotional.
This focus on the experience of sound culminates in Neil’s most recent endeavor, Music for Meditation. Born from a lifelong interest in mindfulness and introspection, this live event series aims to create the perfect setting for ambient performances. “Saturday night in a bar with people drinking and chatting just doesn’t suit ambient music. We wanted to create a space where people could come, close their eyes, lie down, and truly engage with the music.” Combining live performances with guided meditations, this project allows participants to melt into soundscapes, giving artists like Lo Five the perfect platform to engage an audience on a deeper, almost subconscious level.
