Flying Lotus - Los Angeles
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I once worked with a graphic designer who smoked pot in the underground parking garage every lunch time. Chances are we've probably all worked with one. In the afternoon my guy would listen to music on his headphones with great focus and intensity. Greater focus and intensity than he'd put into his graphic design work at any rate.
I'd often walk by his cubicle to watch the show. On a good day he would jerk violently back and forth in his seat, spinning this way and that, not unlike the occupant of a bumper car. Eventually our company employed a carny to jump up on his chair arm and say, "Relax, buddy, I'm taking the wheel!" Okay, so our company didn't employ the carny. With characteristic lack of imagination they simply canned his ass instead.
I was reminded of this tragic occurence while listening to "Los Angeles", a largely instrumental album by Valley boy Steven Ellison (or Flying Lotus to his mother). Like my erstwhile graphic designing chum the beats are somewhat lazy and stoned, but that's not the entire connection...
I'd read that "Los Angeles" was unobtrusive. This was attractive because I tend to avoid shouty lyrics, heavy beats, and raging guitar solos while working. Instead I listen to electronica: ambient, house, minimal techno, IDM. A respectable, middle-class family of music.
"Los Angeles" is classified as hip hop. I know what you're thinking, "But, Colin, that's such a dysfunctional family." Yes, hip hop is home to gold toothed pimps, tattooed thugs, cough bottle junkies, Hennessy swilling alchies, big bootied honeys, and blinged out biiiyatches. And it has undesirable elements, too.
Steven is not among them. True, he's often called Fly-Lo, but only by hipster douches. Rather, he is the great nephew of Alice Coltrane, jazz legend and wife to some musician chap who's name I can't quite recall. That's the family to which Steven belongs.
Taken on his own merits, though, Steven is of the geekoid persuasion. Look at the evidence: He makes all his music on computers. He enjoys video games, the internet, and Adult Swim cartoons. He has written musical segues for Adult Swim cartoons, for goodness sake. Case closed. Geeeeeeeeeeeeeekoid!
He is a geekoid who constructs one helluva groove, however. Therein lies my problem. I'm working away happily when all of a sudden I discover that my head is bobbing and my toe…all my toes…they are tapping. To co-workers I appear to be on the Snoop Dogg Diet. I have become my erstwhile graphic designing chum.
Of course I haven't been puffing away on joints during work hours. So, what's going on? I'm not quite sure. At first, some fractured, soulful beats playing in the background. Then, at some point "Los Angeles" shakes me from my thoughts and makes me hyper aware of my heart, in the manner of a good recreational drug, a mild adrenaline shot, or a really bad wind pain.
Unobtrusive, my ass.
The album has been described as cinematic, too. I take this to mean that it sounds like the soundtrack to a movie or several different movies. In Ellison's case it's the latter. The dark continent drumming of "Melt!" wouldn't sound out of place in The Last King Of Scotland, "Brainfeeder" has creepy synths reminiscent of Manhunter, the riotous "GNG BNG" is built for a Guy Ritchie getaway sequence, while the breathy jazz vocals on "Testament" and "RobertaFlack" have film noir written all over them. It's understandable coming from a guy who studied film and has lived his whole life in LaLa Land.
Cinema isn't the only reference point. As befitting a true geekoid "Parisian Goldfish" and "Comet Course" - both the cause of much head bobbing, toe tapping consternation to me - are built on video game sounds.
Along with its squelches and bloops "Comet Course" has one of the few vocal samples on the 17 track album. It comes from Steven's great unkie, John. "May there be peace and love and perfection throughout all creation."
A sentiment no doubt shared by stoned graphic designers in parking garages the world over. At least before an ass canning renders them bitter and twisted. Yet the appeal of "Los Angeles" is not limited to the stoned graphic designer in the parking garage. It is music for the stoned graphic designer in all of us.
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If you can dedicate a review to somebody without sounding ridiculous, and you probably can't, I'm gonna dedicate this review to Tyler, my present graphic designing chum.
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Flying Lotus - Los Angeles out now
Comments (26)
I never thought I'd read a post that combines geeks to hip hop to stoned graphic designers to Adult Swim cartoons. If your man Tyler made a map out of this post, it would be the most surreal one ever.
Thanks for the introduction. And for sharing your man love.
You're welcome, Anna. The album hits a fair few points on the map so I thought I'd try to do the same. As for my man Tyler, he's is too busy for me these days, what with with his freelancing and everything. Selfish, really.
very much enjoyed this one!
i'm having visions of adult swim looping in my head....ooh, and now i've got the munchies.
Love Fly-Lo, err I mean Flying Lotus, and I loved this review. Hilarious.
Oh, it ain't hip-hop. Even if it's hip - and it hops. And it's too in-yo'-face to be ambient anything. But it's right up my skewed alley! Nice grab, Fluxie!
@ B - Merci. I recommend a healthy snack. Some melon perhaps.
@ Oatmeal - Thanks, the Word file I stored this review in was called "Flylo", so I shouldn't really talk.
@ Mike - Yeah, it's certainly not the traditional variety of the genre. Warp aren't exactly a hip hop label. I've seen this type of music described as post hip hop or instrumental hip hop. Glad you liked it.
The red button song I'm loving. 'Testament' reminds me alot of DJ Shadow who also tends to defy categories but has been labeled 'hip-hop'. Seems there are quite a few artists these days incorporating video games sounds into their music(I'm looking at you Crystal Castles, among others). Interesting, entertaining review Colin, thanks.
lovely suggestion. how'd you know i like melon? heh heh.
i just saw this post and thought you'd like to know your boy FLY LO has remixed our dear pal Kanye! what'dya think? http://mog.com/blog_post/content/97682/270156
Wow. It's fantastic. I absolutely love the Burial vibe. Thanks for pointing me towards it.
FLYLO remixes are becoming collector's items. Here's another one, a total reworking of one of Radiohead's poppier tunes into something a tad more off-kilter.
@ Aug - Thanks. Crystal Castles have been putting other people's video game sounds into their music from what I heard! And yep I can hear DJ Shadow tin Testament. Ellison says that Dr Dre is the main influence behind his music, so maybe he'll get more commercial sounding as he progresses, who knows.
"Yes, hip hop is home to gold toothed pimps, tattooed thugs, cough bottle junkies, Hennessy swilling alchies, big bootied honeys, and blinged out biiiyatches. And it has undesirable elements, too."
Half a train carriage turned to stare at me when I burst out laughing at that.
My foot be a twtching to this groove and I'm at work. Must. Resist. The. Sounds. Need. To. Look. Busy. Curse you, flux capacitor.
"Half a train carriage turned to stare at me when I burst out laughing at that." My sincere apologies!
"Must. Resist. The. Sounds. Need. To. Look. Busy. " Heh heh. A daily problem for most of us, I'd say.
Thanks for having a listen (and a foot twitch). ;)
hmmmm...thanks for the suggestion but not my cup of tea...
wow to the "Reckoner" remix. it's good for a listen, but i think i am too in love with the original.
@ Charley - You wouldn't believe how many ladies have said that exact line to me over the years.
@ B - What a cruel melon.
Flying Lotus - BBC Essential Mix:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=XRCPGDYZ
HAAAAAAAHAHA!!!! i have nothing else to say....giggling too hard!
u so funny flux. hug
Fly-Lo? ahahah. Los Angeles is yet another album i've had forever but must admit i haven't played more than twice. aw, shame on me, i did like what i heard the first times. (not as much shame as on your non-carny-hiring company.)
btw, don't think i forgot (rather, the dark side did not forget) ... happy birthday, dear fluxy! (so maybe a few days late.)
Thanks, Ilay. I'm very much the dark side of thirty now. :(
Colin, Andrea/Gympumpkin posted this album on the dark side & I'm absolutely loving this. I knew I heard the name before & did a search on mog. Of course you'd be up on the latest glitchtronica! Thanks for the original headsup, you primed me for it! They remind me of a cross between Thievery Corp. & Matmos. Great choons!
Obviously it was meant to be! There's a link to a really good BBC mix of his a few comments above. Happy listening.
Oh cool, I'll check the linky out, you trendsetter you! I listened to their first album 1983 last night & loved it as well.
I enjoyed this story and it should be published in a mag.
The cheque is in the post, Apraxia. Thanks for the kind words. Welcome to Mog.