Innovative Warp records staple Steven Ellison aka Flying
Lotus returns with his third long
player Cosmogramma. The album has a few guests: Laura Darlington who also
featured on his previous effort LA, Thundercat who I’d never heard of, but
seems to be a an interesting bass player and a Mr. Thom Yorke…? I’m just kidding, everyone knows who Thom Yorke is. Don’t they? Don't they!?

Clocking in at a just
over forty-five minutes, the album takes you on a journey, opening with a dense and frenetic production aided by the constant bumbling of
Thundercat’s bass lines, refusing to sit at the back of the mix and takes the
climbs to the fore next to thematic changes accompanying the varying beats. It's refreshing to see a producer who appreciates the sound of instruments that are
seldom heard in contemporary music or used in the style Flying Lotus does from
the use of a harpsichord to the violin and the occasional use of brass
instruments.

The track order on

Cosmogramma
takes the most unpredictable of turns, from cosmic sounding
productions to more sedated, calming and laid back ambiance, complimented by
plucking of the harp from Rebekah Raff. Seamlessly, the long player will turn
again to a smooth jazz flavour, and then return back to beats
that leave you unsettled but not unnerved.

Where electronic
music can be often be repetitive and at times boring, Cosmogramma moves away from such a trend. One momentary lapse of concentration and you will miss something so subtle and
brilliant. Due to the dense nature of Flying Lotus’ production style, the ideas
are allowed to develop, but never dwelled upon, always keeping the
listener interested.

It is impossible to go
on without mentioning the input of Thom Yorke. The Radiohead lead's unmistakable vocals add another dimension to ‘And The World Laughs With You’. His
distinct yearns and soft tone instantly make the listener aware of his
presence.

‘Table Tennis’
featuring Laura Darlington is an interesting number. Audible sounds of wood,
plastic and paddles can be heard in the background, adding an element of the bizarre,
which works well juxtaposing the natural sound of day to day with the
programmed drum loops.

Largely instrumental, it’s a given Flying Lotus won't be everyone’s bag, but with so much variety and
innovation, purveyors of more mainstream music should definitely give this fine
effort a listen with open ears and minds, while bracing themselves for Flying Lotus' programming genius.

Review Score: 8.5/10