Flying Lotus - Cosmogramma

For all the artists I’ve heard who’ve tried to reach the stars with their art, Flylo’s one of the closest. I’ve had such a deep love of his music since a teenager, first getting into him through the jazz-soaked You’re Dead (and the mindboggling accompanying live show), and fell into a deep adoration for his back catalogue with releases like Los Angeles and this one here, his most celebrated and well-renowned. What makes his music so special comes in waves all over Cosmogramma - whether it’s his wholly cohesive but wildly expansive releases, his strong sense of humour and playfulness peppered throughout, or his deeply textured, bassy, jangly, astro-infused sound. He’s never shied away from electronics too, and in many moments this feels very intentional to the overarching theme; exploring the relationship between his legendary jazz heritage and the modern age, where computers are pivotal to the sound of new music. It’s a really interesting exploration that feels rightfully scattered and schizophrenic in the same way a Oneohtrix Point Never record can, but still somehow feels like every piece fits into the puzzle. With instrumental hiphop being such a staple of my music taste today, I’ll always look on in wonder of the music Flylo’s created whether it means anything or not - I know it will always mean a lot to me.

KEY BEAT: Zodiac Shit - this song still feels fresh every time I hear it, meticulously laid out with its dreamy piano melody and flurries of strings to start, and blasting through the stratosphere with shuffling drums and a slick bassline from Thundercat to finish.