The Future: Flying Lotus

Welcome to the second installment of The Future. In this edition, I'm going to cover recent Warp Records signing Flying Lotus who delivered one of the best laptop sets I've ever seen a few months ago. Think one half Dilla, one half Calecovision and you have a fair idea of his style.

While filming a movie based on his great aunt Alice Coltrane (born on this date in 1937, rest in peace), Steven Ellison caught the music bug and without too much forethought, he submitted his early work to the Cartoon Network who proceeded to use his beats for Adult Swim bumper spots. In 2006, his first album titled '1983' appeared on the experimental Plug Research label. The album introduces the world to his unusual style, one great example is the track 'Pet Monster Shotglass'. In June of this year, his second album was released on Warp Records. 'Los Angeles' is teeming with more broken beat structures and newer, more organic instrument sounds. Check out 'Golden Diva' from 'Los Angeles'. Flying Lotus has also remixed other artists including Mia Doi Todd ('My Room is White' (Flying Lotus Remix)) and Ghostly produced Dabrye with vocals from J Dilla and Phat Kat ('Game Over' (Flying Lotus Remix)).

Look for rising interest in this great new artist and catch him if he comes through your town on tour.

The Lowdown:
Flying Lotus 'Pet Monster Shotglass'
from '1983' (2006) (MP3/CD)
Flying Lotus 'Golden Diva'
from 'Los Angeles' (2008) (MP3/CD)
Mia Doi Todd 'My Room is White' (Flying Lotus Remix)
from 'La Ninja: Amor and Other Dreams of Manzanita' (2006) (MP3/CD)
Dabrye, J Dilla, and Phat Kat 'Game Over' (Flying Lotus Remix)
from 'Get Dirty' (2008) (MP3/CD not available)

BONUS CUT:
Dabrye 'Game Over' (Flying Lotus Remix Instrumental).