Spotlights On: Gage Baggs

Mortala Takes the Decks in Multi-Genre Showcase

On August 29th, Gage Baggs—also known as Mortala during his DJ sets—will play a unique set alongside Northern Michigan artists The Sordid Orchids, Federales, and CloudLifter at a special multi-genre house show hosted by Kevin Summers.

The Sound

Baggs dedicates his sound to dark, dance-oriented dubstep. With influences like Nine Inch Nails and Bring Me The Horizon, his sets often blend several genres, from metal and dance to goth and dubstep. Early in his music journey, he performed with beloved local bands like Biomassive and Boardman River Band.

Gage Baggs performing at a live show. Taken by Wabanung Bussey.

His production roots lie in lighter house sounds, inspired by British artist Fred Again. Initially, his beats felt too flat. "I was at Electric Forest and saw a group called TRUTH,” he shared. “Everyone was dancing. In most of these festivals, you see people headbanging or in mosh pits, but everyone was dancing. That’s the vibe I’m trying to exude."

Ego Death and Artistic Honesty

Mortala, as a musical project, represents artistic honesty and ego death, in Baggs’ own words.

"The best piece of advice I've gotten from many people was just to stay true to yourself,” he recounted.

This is him putting that advice into action. Growing up in the Northern Michigan scene, with now-household names like Billy Strings influencing his journey, he’s found ways to inject integrity into everything he does.

During his sets, he includes a variety of sounds, deliberately building in quieter and emotionally heavier moments while still mixing in electric tracks that encourage the crowd to move.

"Having those dynamics in the set is super important. It gives you time to look in the crowd, make sure everyone's okay, drinking their water, or see if anyone's hurt or passed out. It's a nice moment of clarity before you go back into dancing,” he explained.

The Hometown Trade-Off

However, he hasn’t received complete open arms from his hometown audience. While DJing at Sidetraxx trained his ear for diverse sets and sound design, he quickly realized the trade-off that authenticity often comes with.

When audiences prefer familiar, requestable music, artists face a choice: adapt or seek opportunities that are often farther away. Baggs’ path has taken him to cities like Kalamazoo and Detroit, where crowds appreciate the “roller coaster” of a set that he enjoys and produces onstage.

Roots in Rhythm

For any DJ set, especially one that embraces variety and range, a certain skill set is essential.

Baggs on the DJ deck, photo taken by Antonio I.

"You’re always thinking about rhythms, and being a drummer comes in handy a lot... You have to use various rhythms in those basses to make it dancier. If it's just a straight baseline, people aren't going to dance."

His first avenue into music was drumming, which he practiced for a significant portion of his youth before transitioning into electronic music.

"I wanted to get more into sound design,” he explained. “I saw a richer avenue to explore dubstep; not the heavy stuff, but more of the dancier, sub-bassy low-end."

What's On Deck

For him, Mortala feels like an evolution. While he slowly releases remixes and original tracks, he envisions it as an ongoing album, reflecting his headspace without being confined to a specific genre.

This recent evolution is the fruit of his mission: to spread joy during his sets.

"It’s always been about watching people be happy, dance, and enjoy themselves,” Baggs noted. “It’s never been about anything else; just making people happy."

The Future of Mortala

As Mortala continues to grow, Baggs is excited about the possibilities ahead. He aims to collaborate with other artists and explore new sounds. Each performance is an opportunity to connect with fans and create memorable experiences.

He believes that music has the power to unite people. "When you see everyone dancing together, it’s magical. That’s what I strive for every time I step on stage."

Join the Journey

Stay tuned for updates on Mortala as it releases through his Instagram, or catch the house show on August 29th—more details available through Kevin Summers.

Let’s embrace the vibrant live music scene in Northern Michigan together!