New Music: Flying Lotus

By Hayden McBennett, October 16 2014 —

Flying Lotus’ You’re Dead! is a modern, sprawling and visionary fusion of jazz, R&B, hip hop and electronic music.

The first track bombards you with saxophone and percussion, which forms a disorienting and confusing rhythm. This confusion serves the tone of the album, which is an auditory overload crafted by conflicting music styles.

“Never Catch Me,” featuring Kendrick Lamar, is a relaxed, updated take on early ’90s hip hop. The bridge towards the end of the song ties into Flying Lotus’ signature futuristic vibe.

“Dead Man’s Tetris,” featuring Snoop Dogg and Captain Murphy (Flying Lotus’ alter ego), offers a trance-like beat, though the quality of rap verses are disappointing.

“Turtles,” a notable track, transports the listener to a dreamlike state with soothing chimes accompanying a soft, almost angelic voice.

“Eyes Above” is a masterfully-created jazz piece livened by guitar and saxophone, peppered with skillful percussion and just enough electronic influence to keep the song interesting. It is a bold representation of Flying Lotus’ adept capabilities of blending contrasting genres in a
harmonic way. Reinforcing this is the album’s closing track, “The Protest,” perhaps the most well-blended, smooth track of the album.

Overall You’re Dead! is a bold foray into the unknown. It’s experimental and at times hard to follow,  but never falls short of brilliance which makes it an interesting listen for those with an open mind.