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Born Stephen Ellison in 1983, Flying Lotus’ first mark on the world was his debut album, fittingly titled ‘1983’. It introduced his experimental, J Dilla influenced sound to the world and went on to inspire a whole movement.
In 2007 Flylo found himself becoming part of the Warp Records family, a label renowned for its work with pioneering electronic musicians such as Aphex Twin and Boards of Canada among others. His popularity really began to take off as he released 2008’s ‘Los Angeles’ and after impressing Radiohead’s Thom Yorke he remixed a track off their ‘In Rainbows’ album, introducing himself to a whole new audience.
On his third album ‘Cosmogramma’ he began to embrace his Jazz heritage with amazing results. The album was a critical smash and found itself on many best of 2010 lists including the ever hard to please Pitchfork’s. It also marked the start of a relationship with key collaborator Thundercat whose dynamic bass playing has become a staple of Flying Lotus’ sound.
Whilst continuing to release albums to critical acclaim, Flying Lotus also developed a rapping alter ego ‘Captain Murphy’ who has collaborated with the likes of DOOM and Earl Sweatshirt.
2014’s ‘You’re Dead’ saw Flying Lotus reach heights of popularity never before experienced. Collaborations with the likes of Kendrick Lamar and Snoop Dogg helped to bring his ground-breaking style to a totally new audience. One of the finest musicians active today, Flying Lotus is sure to keep winning over critics and fans for years to come.
Growing up in Torrance, California and having graduated from University of California, Irvine, Tokimonsta released her first album, an EP entitled “Bedtime Lullabies” in 2008 followed by a full-length album entitled “Midnight Menu” in 2010. The album was released by The Flying Lotus crew/label, Brainfeeder, with Tokimonsta being the first female to join the group. She toured around the world, gaining popularity by both mainstream media as well as underground magazines; in fact, she was named by LA Weekly as “2010’s #1 female DJ in Los Angeles.” In addition to the release of her EP, she took part of the Red Bull Music Academy in London in 2010.
A year later she released another EP entitled “Creature Dreams,” as well as the EP, “Los Angeles 8/10.” Tokimonsta also collaborated with Suzi Analogue, with the two releasing an EP entitled “Boom.” The eleven-track album was released under the name Analogue Monsta. During the summer of 2012 she toured across Canada as part of the Full Flex Express tour with Skrillex, Diplos, Pretty Lights and Grimes; the tour was the first electronic music themed train tour to run through Canada. On 9 April 2013 she released her second full-length album, “Half Shadows,” through the New York based, Ultra Records.
Experimental electronic music doesn’t normally translate from record to a live setting, but having seen California’s Flying Lotus live multiple times I can safely say that this particular artist thrives when performing onstage. Flying Lotus is arguably the most important figure in contemporary instrumental hip hop, taking the genre beyond the foundations laid by the likes of DJ Shadow, Dilla, Madlib, etc. As head honcho of LA’s Brainfeeder records and an affiliate of LA’s infamous Low End Theory club and collective, FlyLo (aka Steven Ellison) has been at least partly responsible for all the best progressive hip hop beats of the past few years; certainly all of my personal favourite beats. I have recently discovered contemporary jazz music and I fully attribute that to Flying Lotus’ incorporation of jazz instrumentation and samples.
I have witnessed his live evolution from first seeing him at the Warehouse Project, Manchester, in 2010, where his simple show involved a small AV screen and little equipment beyond a laptop, to his storming headline show at The Troxy in 2012, which featured an incredible 3D visual show with layered screens. Musically, he has recognised the need to bring the party to his live shows, so his subtly erratic original compositions – such as ‘Until The Quiet Comes’, ‘Putty Boy Strut’ and ‘Computer Face//Pure Being’ – are expertly mixed with rap, trap, trip-hop and dubstep, everything from Jay Z and TNGHT to Portishead. Arguably the most inventive IDM producer working today and the best live electronic artist I’ve ever seen.
Tokimonsta is the Los Angeles creative who is accompanied by singer M.N.D.R. You can immediately tell from her appearance that she is such a creative with her trademark-rounded glasses and original fashion sense. There is just something whimsical about the overall sound, a real diamond in the rough. This song, “Go With It”, has enough obscurity in the verse, with a hugely infectious chorus, with the largest hook you can imagine, making you want to join in. Tokimonsta is commercial but credible, adopting a style quite similar to her contemporaries - Lady Gaga and Naked and Famous. “Steal My Attention” is the closer of this set, featuring a powerful kick drumbeat, complete with some interesting samples. It builds and builds escalating with a military snare drum beat. The chorus is fantastically minimal with a pulsating, and quick oscillating bass line holding it all together, with the odd samples coming in here and there. It is just so well executed – I would love to know how this DJ does it live!