Say what you will about the name Flying Lotus. All I know is that it’s a hell of a lot more interesting than his real name, Steve. Some guys might hear the whole ‘lotus’ thing, associate it with a flower, and immediately imagine some pussified white-boy pop band. Yeah, titles can be slightly misleading. Just slightly. Truth is, this LA resident makes instrumental hip hop with a definite experimental edge; tracks grind along, buoyed by crunchy drums and funky, mutated basslines. It’s some of the most neck snapping, next-level music you’ll ever hear. Yet by the same token, there is a cinematic and soulful vibe to it that, in speaking to the man, is perhaps a better representation of his personality. The quiet ones are always the ones starting the riots. And when I speak to him, in a windy outdoor setting somewhere in his beloved Los Angeles, it may well indeed be the calm before the storm.
“I’m just chilling on a bench here in a park with my man Samiyam [of whom he forms the duo FLYamSAM and whose forthcoming album release details are being ‘kept in house right now’]. He’s doing mushrooms for the first time.” So I’m interviewing a dude called Flying Lotus whilst he’s under the effects of shrooms? Come to think of it, that kind of makes sense. Chuckling, he’s quick to distinguish that it’s “not me, I’m not doing it! I’m just chilling here with him while he’s going through it. I’m not doing that today.”
What he is doing today however is taking advantage of one of what he describes as the many ‘vibes’ that LA offers, something that seems to foster creativity and is currently attracting an influx of artists wanting to be liberated by it. “The vibe here is so varied. I mean, in 15 minutes you can be away in the Hills, where you can just get away and never have to talk to anyone ever again if you want. It’s relaxing. If you want to chill, you can chill and if you want to be involved in something else, you can do that too.” Seemingly it is this that fed the creativity of past greats like Freestyle Fellowship and continues to inspire contemporaries such as Carlos Nino and Georgia Anne Muldrow .
Of course, it was Nino’s Plug Research label that released Lotus’ debut LP 1983, a title that he previously mentioned is meant to represent “his generation” of musicians. “I can rattle off a whole bunch of people that are doing it right now. We’re doing things a little different. You know, different technology, different ways of approaching the music. Guys are dropping music that sounds like it weigh 300 pounds or something. All I can say, really, is just wait until you see the show.”
Lotus’ tour of Australia began Friday in Melbourne, but with only two official releases that barely clock in at 50 minutes combined, and a sound that is the product of samples and a drum machine, what exactly will we see at the show? “It’s a variety show! It’s a real mix of elements you know? There’s some improvisation. You get me on the drum machine, but there’s a live music element too, and then I’m also on the turntables.” Furthermore, Lotus reveals that he has a further element that he hopes to derive from his show in the near future. “I just got some new software so I can add a visual element to my show as well. It’s going to be a crazy experience. What I want to do is have the visuals in the background and be like, creating a live film score for them from the music I’m playing”.
It seems this focus on a mindblowing live show has led to an ever expanding group of fans, most of which he has previously described as “guys going crazy to it”. So I’m happy for his sake to discover that this seems to be changing. “I’m finding more and more that I have this strong female fan base. Yeah, my music is dark and moody, but there’s definitely an energy to it, and people probably don’t expect it, but at my show you can really dance. There’s an energy to it.”
There also seems to be an energy to current American Democratic candidate Barack Obama’s electoral campaign, which Lotus speaks about with a sudden intensity. “I’m voting Obama. Definitely. He’s a human being. Not a politician. I want to vote for a human being. Like he says, I believe there can be change. It took Bush getting elected twice for people to finally realise we are headed in the wrong direction as a country. He is inspiring people, inspiring them to get out and vote, and that’s what a leader should be – inspirational.”
For an artist that has traveled globally, particularly through Europe, it is understandable that he sees a need for change in his homeland. Having personally witnessed the hostility that American travelers receive during a recent trip overseas, I decided to ask Lotus if he had endured any negativity himself. “You see, me, I’m the type to sit back and watch people show their arses.” Figuratively speaking that is. “Americans show their arses when they’re traveling. Like I heard these guys express amazement at seeing a croissant for the first time. You’ve never seen a croissant? I mean, come on! So I’m not surprised people feel the way they do about us”.
On the topic of travel, although of a different kind, he expresses amazement at how quickly his career has developed. “Things are moving so fast, like I really didn’t expect it to be at this point by this time. But at the same time I don’t want to dwell though. I’m in to win it. Like let’s see how far we can take this. It’s taken dedication and will take more dedication but I want to get this to the most ideal situation possible.” Which is? “The ideal situation, I suppose, is somewhere artistically, but also as a person, where I experience growth as a person. Not so much financially. You know, in that regard, I’m very content. I don’t live a very expensive lifestyle. Rent isn’t really that much, and in fact, I spend most of my money on weed (laughs).”
It’s doubtful that this “ideal situation” would include any of the numerous bootlegs of Lotus beats floating around the internet, yet this topic is something he discusses with cunning and a surprising optimism. “I definitely didn’t have anything to do with those getting out there, but I’m kinda glad. It helps to promote what I’m doing. It’s frustrating in that I don’t get paid for it, but I’ve been wanting to do a mixtape type release that might include some of those. I’m just waiting on the ideal situation, the timing has to be right.” So you heard it here first – Flying Lotus’ The Ideal Situation mixtape, release date: whenever the time is right.
At this point I’m reminded by Samiyam’s voice in the background that this pair have some business to handle. So, having touched on croissants, politics, and the hills of LA, I decide to conclude our conversation by asking him simply what the bottom line is. “Well, it’s a blessing to even be doing this. I can honestly say that I will just stop doing this when I’m not having fun.” Mindful of this occurring, it’s time to let Lotus fly, and Sam, well it sounds like he’ll be doing much the same.
Flying Lotus’ Reset EP is out now thriugh Warp/Inertia, and you can catch him at the following shows…
21 Feb: The Step Inn (Upstairs), Brisbane
22 Feb: Hermann’s, Sydney
24 Feb: Redbull Festival, Melbourne
