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FLYING LOTUS
Three years in the making, Netflix’s “Yasuke” is a six-episode anime series created by Bronx-bred and Japan-based television animation creator, producer, and director LeSean Thomas (Cannon Busters, Children of Ether, The Boondocks) and starring actor / executive producer LaKeith Stanfield (Atlanta, Sorry To Bother You) as the voice of the title character. Yasuke tells the story of a samurai warrior of African descent in a fantastical alternate universe version of feudal Japan full of magic, mechs, and of course, swordplay.
A dream project for the producer, Flying Lotus consulted on the story, working alongside renowned anime creators Studio MAPPA as an executive producer on the project. The skillset of the GRAMMY AWARD winning producer is on complete display on the album, hybridizing synth melodies, bass lines and machine generated drum patterns while exploring new sonic territory -- traditional Japanese percussion instruments like the taiko and hyōshigi and west African percussion — a nod to the Afro-Japanese, feudal yet futuristic world Yasuke inhabits.
'You haven't really heard an anime score do a "Blade Runner" thing,’ he says, ‘I was like, let me try and get into the headspace of that, but also there were several things that were part of the recipe for me. I thought about when Dilla would sample [Isao] Tomita and people like Vangelis, and how he had a [signature] sound when he did that sort of thing.’.
A dream project for the producer, Flying Lotus consulted on the story, working alongside renowned anime creators Studio MAPPA as an executive producer on the project. The skillset of the GRAMMY AWARD winning producer is on complete display on the album, hybridizing synth melodies, bass lines and machine generated drum patterns while exploring new sonic territory -- traditional Japanese percussion instruments like the taiko and hyōshigi and west African percussion — a nod to the Afro-Japanese, feudal yet futuristic world Yasuke inhabits.
'You haven't really heard an anime score do a "Blade Runner" thing,’ he says, ‘I was like, let me try and get into the headspace of that, but also there were several things that were part of the recipe for me. I thought about when Dilla would sample [Isao] Tomita and people like Vangelis, and how he had a [signature] sound when he did that sort of thing.’.
STAFF COMMENTS
Barry says: There's no way this isn't going to be massive. It sounds like quintessential Fly-Lo, with some of the more experimental elements tempered into a more evocative, hypnotic whole. Brilliantly effective as a soundtrack, and just as listenable on it's own. Wonderfully inventive and beautifully produced.TRACK LISTING
LP Tracklisting
A1. War At The Door
A2. Black Gold (feat. Thundercat)
A3. Your Lord
A4. Shoreline Sus
A5. Hiding In The Shadows (feat. Niki Randa)
A6. Crust
A7. Fighting Without Honor
A8. Pain And Blood
A9. War Lords
A10. Sachi
A11. Your Screams
A12. Using What You Got
B1. African Samurai (feat. Denzel Curry)
B2. Where’s The Girl?
B3. Kurosaka Strikes!
B4. This Cursed Life
B5. RoBomb
B6. Taiko Time // Sacrifice
B7. Your Day Off
B8. Your Armour
B9. Enchanted
B10. Mind Flight
B11. Survivors
B12. Your Head // We Won
B13. The Eyes Of Vengeance
B14. Between Memories (feat. Niki Randa)
CD Tracklisting
1. War At The Door
2. Black Gold (feat. Thundercat)
3. Your Lord
4. Shoreline Sus
5. Hiding In The Shadows (feat. Niki Randa)
6. Crust
7. Fighting Without Honor
8. Pain And Blood
9. War Lords
10. Sachi
11. Your Screams
12. Using What You Got
13. African Samurai (feat. Denzel Curry)
14. Where’s The Girl?
15. Kurosaka Strikes!
16. This Cursed Life
17. RoBomb
18. Taiko Time // Sacrifice
19. Your Day Off
20. Your Armour
21. Enchanted
22. Mind Flight
23. Survivors
24. Your Head // We Won
25. The Eyes Of Vengeance
26. Between Memories (feat. Niki Randa)
We skip across BBC studios to Maida Vale for the next installment of Warp's TX reissue series.
Four tracks from FlyLo's stupendous "INFINITY INFITITUM" session, recorded in 2010. Starting with "MmmHmm", suspended on elevated chords and with his punchy, meandering bass sound resplendent throughout; it's a celestial and urgent affair all at once.
"Golden Axe" is a showcase of musicianship - with highly accomplished bass solos and moody brass journey throughout woodland moods and into enchanted realms.
Side B sees dancefloor-ready cut, "Tea Leaf Dancers" skip over woodblocks and fluttering organ lines with Andreya Triana's distinctive and sensual vocal delivery more than bolstering the sum of the track's worth.
"Drips", the most electrified and experimental of the set dazzles the listener with wide-spectrum synthlines, wild saxophone and rampant bass and drum interplay. Add a fully accomplished jazz group and you've got yourself a high watermark, free-jazz staple for the 22nd century.
Detailing an artist mid-flow state and still in his ascention, this 2010 selection show us how skilled and inventive this new force of modern jazz was, and still is nine years later. Mammoth!
Four tracks from FlyLo's stupendous "INFINITY INFITITUM" session, recorded in 2010. Starting with "MmmHmm", suspended on elevated chords and with his punchy, meandering bass sound resplendent throughout; it's a celestial and urgent affair all at once.
"Golden Axe" is a showcase of musicianship - with highly accomplished bass solos and moody brass journey throughout woodland moods and into enchanted realms.
Side B sees dancefloor-ready cut, "Tea Leaf Dancers" skip over woodblocks and fluttering organ lines with Andreya Triana's distinctive and sensual vocal delivery more than bolstering the sum of the track's worth.
"Drips", the most electrified and experimental of the set dazzles the listener with wide-spectrum synthlines, wild saxophone and rampant bass and drum interplay. Add a fully accomplished jazz group and you've got yourself a high watermark, free-jazz staple for the 22nd century.
Detailing an artist mid-flow state and still in his ascention, this 2010 selection show us how skilled and inventive this new force of modern jazz was, and still is nine years later. Mammoth!
TRACK LISTING
A1. MmmHmm
A2. Golden Axe
B1. Tea Leaf Dancers
B2. Drips
Nearly 5 years after the last Flying Lotus album, the Grammy-nominated You’re Dead!, and Flying Lotus’ stock has never been higher. The interim years have seen him collaborating with Kendrick Lamar on the classic "To Pimp a Butterfly", directing and writing the Sundance-premiered Kuso movie, and producing much of Thundercat’s "Drunk".
Flamagra encompasses hip-hop, funk, soul, jazz, global dance music, tribal poly-rhythms, IDM, the L.A. Beat scene, but it soars above a specific vortex whose coordinates can’t be accurately charted. Other than to say that it is a Flying Lotus record, perhaps the definitive one.
Flamagra features (in order of appearance): Anderson .Paak, George Clinton, Little Dragon, Tierra Whack, Denzel Curry, David Lynch, Shabazz Palaces, Thundercat, Toro y Moi, Solange and more.
Flamagra encompasses hip-hop, funk, soul, jazz, global dance music, tribal poly-rhythms, IDM, the L.A. Beat scene, but it soars above a specific vortex whose coordinates can’t be accurately charted. Other than to say that it is a Flying Lotus record, perhaps the definitive one.
Flamagra features (in order of appearance): Anderson .Paak, George Clinton, Little Dragon, Tierra Whack, Denzel Curry, David Lynch, Shabazz Palaces, Thundercat, Toro y Moi, Solange and more.
STAFF COMMENTS
Patrick says: Blurring genre boundaries as ever, Steven Ellison AKA Flying Lotus fucks with jazz, hip-hop, RnB, juke, soul and soft rock on his sixth LP. This time he keeps the interludes short and so so sweet, and invites the likes of Solange, Anderson .Paak, George Clinton and Thundercat to guest on his strongest songs to date. Sublime, beautiful and brilliant.TRACK LISTING
1. Heroes
2. Post Requisite
3. Heroes In A Half Shell
4. More Feat. Anderson .Paak
5. Capillaries
6. Burning Down The House Feat. George Clinton
7. Spontaneous Feat. Little Dragon
8. Takashi
9. Pilgrim Side Eye
10. All Spies
11. Yellow Belly Feat. Tierra Whack
12. Black Balloons Reprise Feat. Denzel Curry
13. Fire Is Coming Feat. David Lynch
14. Inside Your Home
15. Actually Virtual Feat. Shabazz Palaces
16. Andromeda
17. Remind U
18. Say Something
19. Debbie Is Depressed
20. Find Your Own Way Home
21. The Climb Feat. Thundercat
22. Pygmy
23. 9 Carrots Feat. Toro Y Moi
24. FF4
25. Land Of Honey Feat. Solange
26. Thank U Malcolm
27. Hot Oct.
Flying Lotus returns with ‘You’re Dead!’. At once reflective, restless, heart wrenching and joyous, this is a melodic ode to those who have died young, suddenly and unexpectedly, while also existing as a comfort to those mourning the loss of a loved one. ‘You’re Dead!’ serves as an exploration, a eulogy and a portal between the parallel domains of life and afterlife.
‘You’re Dead!’ features another set of genre-blending tracks from Fly'Lo, with fluid movement between hip hop, jazz-funk and electronica, often combining all three elements densely woven together. Across the album bassist Thundercat lays down some furious fingerwork, while the drum programming gives free jazz a run for its money. Elsewhere things get deep and spiritual, with the influence of his late aunt Alice Coltrane shining through. Flying Lotus provides vocals and rapping as alter ego Captain Murphy, and he's also joined by some to notch guest MCs (Snoop Dogg, longtime FlyLo muse Niki Randa and Kendrick Lamar - whose easy shift between spitting rhymes and a sung delivery works perfectly with the music). Other collaborations on ‘You’re Dead!’ include original jazz-funk pioneer Herbie Hancock and Dirty Projectors' Angel Deradoorian.
“Flying Lotus has become a standard-bearer for 21st century beat construction by looking forward and backward simultaneously and making music that feels like an exploration” - Pitchfork
‘You’re Dead!’ features another set of genre-blending tracks from Fly'Lo, with fluid movement between hip hop, jazz-funk and electronica, often combining all three elements densely woven together. Across the album bassist Thundercat lays down some furious fingerwork, while the drum programming gives free jazz a run for its money. Elsewhere things get deep and spiritual, with the influence of his late aunt Alice Coltrane shining through. Flying Lotus provides vocals and rapping as alter ego Captain Murphy, and he's also joined by some to notch guest MCs (Snoop Dogg, longtime FlyLo muse Niki Randa and Kendrick Lamar - whose easy shift between spitting rhymes and a sung delivery works perfectly with the music). Other collaborations on ‘You’re Dead!’ include original jazz-funk pioneer Herbie Hancock and Dirty Projectors' Angel Deradoorian.
“Flying Lotus has become a standard-bearer for 21st century beat construction by looking forward and backward simultaneously and making music that feels like an exploration” - Pitchfork
Flying Lotus finally releases 'Until The Quiet Comes', the long awaited follow-up to 2010's 'Cosmogramma' and his third album on Warp Records.
Composed, according to Flying Lotus, as “a collage of mystical states, dreams, sleep and lullabies”, 'Until the Quiet Comes' has the distinct feel of this nocturnal trip. From the twitching descent into a subconscious state and the out-of-focus time-ether of the journey that follows, the sound is an unhinged, yet elegant evolution of the melodic and rhythmic interplay that is woven into the DNA of Flying Lotus’ aural personae.
All this stylistic mingling and genre-melting has contributed significantly to shift music in a direction that makes intellectual leaps without forsaking the all-important heft of a bassline or unimpeded ‘swing’ of a drum beat - the same way so many masters of soul music have infused their songs for lovers and dancers with brilliant and heady subtext for decades. 'Until The Quiet Comes' follows this tradition while clearing a path distinctly its own, which is a mark of a classic.
The album sees longtime FlyLo muses Niki Randa and Laura Darlington return, as well as Thom Yorke, Thundercat and the inimitable queen of leftfield R&B herself, Erykah Badu, whose turn on the epic rumble of ‘See Thru To U’ is one of many highlights.
Composed, according to Flying Lotus, as “a collage of mystical states, dreams, sleep and lullabies”, 'Until the Quiet Comes' has the distinct feel of this nocturnal trip. From the twitching descent into a subconscious state and the out-of-focus time-ether of the journey that follows, the sound is an unhinged, yet elegant evolution of the melodic and rhythmic interplay that is woven into the DNA of Flying Lotus’ aural personae.
All this stylistic mingling and genre-melting has contributed significantly to shift music in a direction that makes intellectual leaps without forsaking the all-important heft of a bassline or unimpeded ‘swing’ of a drum beat - the same way so many masters of soul music have infused their songs for lovers and dancers with brilliant and heady subtext for decades. 'Until The Quiet Comes' follows this tradition while clearing a path distinctly its own, which is a mark of a classic.
The album sees longtime FlyLo muses Niki Randa and Laura Darlington return, as well as Thom Yorke, Thundercat and the inimitable queen of leftfield R&B herself, Erykah Badu, whose turn on the epic rumble of ‘See Thru To U’ is one of many highlights.
With the recent album "Cosmogramma" FlyLo created a self-proclaimed ‘space opera’ masterwork of breathtaking scope, instrumentation and acclaim (#5 best reviewed album of the year, according to Metacritic). On "Pattern+Grid World" Lotus pulls the focus back to his machines. The seven tracks provided here happily sit at the edge of the alt-hip hop sound spectrum, dishing out scrambled beats and angular keyboard riffs with all sorts of Heath Robinson or Radiophonic Workshop-esque electronica seeping into the mix. A large proportion of the these new tracks have been a staple of Flying Lotus recent live shows and are now finally available for fans to own.
Looking back, Flying Lotus’ full-length Warp debut, "Los Angeles" appears to be much more of a mission statement than a simple introduction – laying the foundation for a field on which an entire generation of artists would soon be playing. While that album was an introspective, moody travelogue through the Californian metropolis, it certainly hinted at his inclination to expand his sound beyond terrestrial means. As you may deduce from the title of his latest opus, he’s done just that. Not only has an entirely new range of sounds been unlocked by our intrepid astral traveler, but every genre touchstone associated with his name has been merged into a self-described 'space opera'. Seamless in execution and too wide in scope to properly describe, it's the authentic embodiment of his unique musical heritage. The spirit of his famed aunt, Alice Coltrane permeates the record, notably in the powerful collaborations with relative Ravi Coltrane, bass virtuoso Thundercat and the brilliant harp prodigy, Rebekah Raff.
Certainly these are further reaches into a musical space that Flying Lotus had hitherto been exploring, however other collaborators such as Erykah Badu and Outkast string arranger Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and guest vocalists Thom Yorke and a returning Laura Darlington (featured on "Los Angeles"’ epic closing track "Inifinitum") help deliver "Cosmogramma" to dizzying new heights. All this name-dropping, however, is not to detract from the genius of the wizard-like figure behind it all. The most powerful aspect of FlyLo’s output has always been its ability to communicate his boundless love and enthusiasm for music in all its forms and that is what is boldly on display here.
People speak about ‘important’ albums all the time, but rarely is it so apparent that person behind them is following their own, chosen path – Flying Lotus is one of those precious few artists. When one is presented with an invitation for space travel, it’s not something to pass up.
Certainly these are further reaches into a musical space that Flying Lotus had hitherto been exploring, however other collaborators such as Erykah Badu and Outkast string arranger Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and guest vocalists Thom Yorke and a returning Laura Darlington (featured on "Los Angeles"’ epic closing track "Inifinitum") help deliver "Cosmogramma" to dizzying new heights. All this name-dropping, however, is not to detract from the genius of the wizard-like figure behind it all. The most powerful aspect of FlyLo’s output has always been its ability to communicate his boundless love and enthusiasm for music in all its forms and that is what is boldly on display here.
People speak about ‘important’ albums all the time, but rarely is it so apparent that person behind them is following their own, chosen path – Flying Lotus is one of those precious few artists. When one is presented with an invitation for space travel, it’s not something to pass up.
TRACK LISTING
01. Clock Catcher
02. Pickled!
03. Nose Art
04. Intro//A Cosmic Drama
05. Zodiac Shit
06. Computer Face//Pure Being
07. ..And The World Laughs With You Ft. Thom Yorke
08. Arkestry
09. Mmmhmm Ft.Thundercat
10. Do The Astral Plane
11. Satelllliiiiiteee
12. German Haircut
13. Recoiled
14. Dance Of The Pseudo Nymph
15. Drips//Auntie's Harp
16. Table Tennis Ft. Laura Darlington
17. Galaxy In Janaki
Hip hop has come a long way since the days of Adidas shell toes and 'yes yes, ya'll', splintering into a variety of guises, from blinged-up cartoon gangsterism to the most leftfield, underground 'but is it hip hop?' sounds. Steven Ellison, using his Flying Lotus moniker, falls into the latter camp, producing some of the most interesting, subtle and beautiful hiptronica / wonky-hop around right now (alongside the likes of Rustie, Hudson Mohawke, Dabrye etc). On his second long player "Los Angeles", the tracks (all 17 of them) are built on standard hip hop beats-and-samples foundations, but then take the left-hand fork in the road, crunching and distorting those neck-snapping beats and slicing the samples up into intricate snippets to create layered textures of woozy future electroid psychedelia. If you fell in love with Burial in 2007, and are ready for something with a bit more oomph, then look no further.
Debut Warp EP from one of the world's freshest and most anticipated production talents. Straddling seemingly insurmountable musical divides and impossible to pigeonhole, Flying Lotus already boasts an imposing and diverse list of admirers, including alternative heroes Prefuse 73, Madlib, and the late J Dilla, respected tastemakers Gilles Peterson, Mary-Anne Hobbs and Benji B and leaders of the UK underground Kode 9 and Digital Mystikz, to name just a few. These props were for tracks made while still in his teens on the album "1983" (a limited release on the influential Plug Research label) to the remixes of Kelis, Madvillain, Mia Doi Todd and Dabrye / Dilla that have spread like viral wildfire online.