Concorde 2, 12 March 2010
It’s common knowledge that musical genres, no matter how popular, eventually expire. Over a course of time what was once fresh, new and exciting can, having been pushed to its limit, die a self-prophesizing death. The same goes for musical instruments themselves. Over hundreds of years music has evolved from valued art form to disposable commodity. This of course is a generalisation. For as long as there is music, there will always be musicians who endeavour to keep the art alive.
Flying Lotus is one such artist. Hailing from Winnetka, California, the producer and beat maker has been carving his own niche within the quickly expiring genre of electronica, and along with a select few artists such as The Gas Lamp, Killer, Mike Slott and Hudson Mohawke et al, has been contributing significantly to the evolution of the style. With one EP and two full albums under his belt (with a fourth release on the way), Flying Lotus, AKA Steven Ellison, is best described as a more of an audio architect than a producer. His dazzling future beats ooze with style an innovation, and judging from the roars of appreciation from the full capacity crowd at Concorde 2, news of his genius is spreading fast.
It was difficult to know what to expect tonight, as Lotus’ music is so fractured and shard-like that some may argue it’s almost impossible to dance to. But as he takes to the stage and drops what is essentially his greatest hits set, it’s clear that the audience is with him all the way.
There are all kinds of people here, from numerous city cliques, all gathered in one place to surge, sway, bounce or stare in whatever way they see fit. Mr Ellison is obviously flattered, yet clearly loving every minute. He voices his appreciation over the mic before showcasing some new material from his forthcoming L.P, and the thronging mass goes wild for tunes they’ve never even heard before. ‘Dope’ is not the word! Whether the insanely positive reaction it’s chemically induced or otherwise, it’s a fitting climax to what was an amazing show.
Words by James Watts
myspace.com/flyinglotus
