“Until The Quiet Comes” is the new album by producer Flying Lotus released on Warp Records. The album is Lotus’ return from his phenomenal 2010 release, “Cosmogramma,” which was a mind-expanding piece of free-jazz-influenced production.
“Until The Quiet Comes” is Lotus returning to a more narrow approach to beat making, but still breaking boundaries and showcasing why he is possibly the best electronic musician around.
The album starts off with a mellow jazz feel backed by heavy bass and soothing melodies brought forth by synthesizers, samples, and vocal contribution by Niki Randa. The track titled, “Heave(n),” is one of the best tracks on the album. Lotus gives the listener a sneak peek within the first few seconds of what the main melody of the song will be, but he finds ways to break it apart at the same time, creating an intense build up which eventually bursts with the help of additional layers of hi-hats and a raise in dynamics. The song then returns to a mellow vibe and diminishes, creating the feeling of a journey.
The album then takes a turn with “Sultan’s Request,” a bass-heavy track backed with thumping kick drums and synth-induced melodies. “Putty Boy Strut” is the following track and is also one of the singles from the album. The track is very animated, and creates the feeling of a robotic world, which its music video greatly portrays.
The album also featured guest appearances from neo-soul singer Erykah Badu, Radiohead’s Thom Yorke, singer Laura Darlington, and Thundercat, a musician on Lotus’ Brainfeeder record label. Lotus always manages to grab the best people to contribute to his album, especially when they don’t take over the song. He simply uses them as an added melody, an added instrument, to his big arrangement of rhythms and melodies.
“DMT Song,” featuring Thundercat, is another standout track from the album.
“I can take you to a world where you can spread your wings and fly away,” says Thundercat as his bass playing and Lotus’ piano arrangement take the listener into another world, possibly answering why the song was given such a title. The song doesn’t reach more than two minutes in length, but the message and feeling is delivered and leaves the listener in a trance.
Flying Lotus’ “Until The Quit Comes” is one of the best albums from a beat maker in years. His mark on the genre has already started to become clearer across the airwaves, but with the release of this album there is no doubt that Lotus will gain even more recognition as an artist. Flying Lotus has earned his spot among influential beat makers like J Dilla and Madlib, but has also established his own throne, and it will be exciting to witness what happens next.