Flying Lotus ‎– Cosmogramma

Imagine that, in about 1000 years, an extraterrestrial civilization eventually finds a couple of books and articles talking about music on earth, how it was made, what were the intentions and emotions behind it, what instruments were used to make it and their characteristics, and those beings try to reproduce and recreate it. They would be playing Cosmogramma, because that's how it sounds like.
It explores the widest corners of the musical universe, and our own as humans.
In fact, if there is a group of records that represent what music is for our civilization, and that are to be broadcasted to space, with the hope that someone/something will hear it in space, Cosmogramma should be among them.

excessively sophisticated...

Listening to the music of Steven Ellison is a head trip. Period. Although we may have heard the sounds of Flying Lotus on Adult Swim's interludes (aka 'bumps') between the shows, he was first introduced to the followers of abstract, experimental, and instrumental hip-hop with his debut, 1983 on Warp Records' offshoot, Plug Research. Then, FlyLo showed off his skills with the Reset EP (2007) on Warp, and by 2008 the label was confident enough to backup this California producer of avant-garde beats and free-form jazzy rhythms for his sophomore LP, Los Angeles. By 2009 everyone knew his name, and although there were a few copy-cats in the alleys, no one could cut it as deep and smooth as Flying Lotus. Ellison's stumbling beats and rubbery bass lines defy metronomes and clock synced drum machines. Truly in the spirit of jazz music, Cosmogramma is an improvisational production. The synth lines sprinkle through the confetti of percussion, falling like a dandelion's florets into the dirt beneath a rolling tank of rhythms. Defying your expectations and any genre classification, Ellison's deranged psychedelia is a beautiful child playing with a kaleidoscope of plucked sound. If anything, Ellison's third full length is a lot more "jazzier" than its predecessor. With 17 tracks running a little over 45 minutes, Cosmogramma is an album with a lot of material to digest in one sitting, and begs for multiple returns. And these are definitely rewarded!

Probably best heard prior to harbouring any pre-conceptions regarding the album being numerous in tracks with a short time span, and other hyperbole. I found this work comes across as an occasionally frenetic, improvisational, sometime faux freeform, yet a tightly wound, well produced musical experience that is best enjoyed maybe when one is in freeform mode themselves.
Cosmogramma at times seamlessly straddles a bunch of genres with apparent ease that enhances the albums intruige, yet othertimes seems to miss perhaps imagined oportunities to develop some of these tunes further.
If you've previously enjoyed Flying Lotus' output then this release demands listening more than one time, as there is no question of the talent and creativity of this artist as evidenced by this and his previous work. However to me this release comes across as more a creative explosion that has some great elements and impressive range at times, yet overall lacks that intangible organic cohesion that could have made it a classic in my eyes.

Wow, okay where do i start?

Flying lotus has always been a huge influenced of mine, but i have to say that this album just takes everything to the next level. This albums just sounds crisp and warm to the ears. One of the reasons i have so much respect for this man is how unique his sound is. You can tell many unique styles influenced this album. He has done an amazing job blending different styles to make this album just pop. Alot of the album sounds like it was produced more like a hip-hop record, but the music itself bounces around from IDM/electronic sounds to free form jazz style feel. Also when i say IDM, im not talking like autechre and v snares stuff at all of course. He seems to use a lot of old school sounds, It almost sounds like he is using a Korg Ms-2000(Even though its a newer synth, you get the point) or something like that for the synth and bass sounds.

Any way, go buy this now. I typically dont buy music, but i bought this on vinyl because both Fly-lo and this album are the shit.