A great way to start off the new year is by discovering new music, which is always appreciated. This guy, Flying Lotus, was a name that I had seen floating across Twitter, but I didn’t pay no mind to it. I honestly thought that it was another rapper that everyone was talking about at the time, and I guess I wasn’t in the right state of mind to take a listen.

An album of his that came out in 2012 was one that was highly touted by critics and was praised on almost every best-of-2012 list. Until The Quiet Comes, was the album that was receiving all of the praise, so I decided to check it out. At first, it reminded me of Blu’s Open instrumental album, but as it went on more, it wasn’t an instrumental album, but it was an album filled with cinematic compositions that blended techno, house, hip hop, and a decadence of experimental sounds that make it a great album from beginning to finish.

Producers have been making beat tapes forever, but you see them coming out more and more as they make a name for themselves, not just as song producers, but actual musicians. The first example I’ve had of this nature was Araabmuzik’s Electronic Dream. It shows off the ability to compose music without needing the help of vocals to make it relevant. Flying Lotus definitely set the bar with this album.

I went back into his catalogue and listened to Cosmogramma, which is simply phenomenal. You get the blend of so many different elements from different electronic genres, but you get that hip hop vibe too, which makes all worth while for me. He has a couple of other projects I have to dive back into to listen, but from what I’ve already heard, I’m sure I won’t be disappointed. This is a great producer, and he’s been in the game for a while, so it just goes to show that you keep at your craft, and people will gravitate towards you. Check out his music; you won’t be disappointed.

That’s My Word & It STiXX