Album review: Flying Lotus' 'Until The Quiet Comes' reveals electro's next wave

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After masterfully taking over the popular electronic scene back in 2006 with his debut album 1983, Flying Lotus, (or Flylo) has been on a nonstop grind to extraordinary and really, becoming a pioneer of the entire genre.

His last album, Cosmogramma, which dropped back in 2010, held a crisp new sound of dance electronic that won the Independent Music Award for Dance/Electronic. He’s growing more acclaim by having his work featured on multiple shows like HBO’s True Blood, or more recently collaborating with Thom Yorke of Radiohead, Thundercat and Erykah Badu.

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Focusing more energy on a full length album, Until the Quiet Comes, has captured once again the ‘serene electronic sound.’

Astoundingly enough, Until The Quiet Comes is a clear indication that the electronic movement is moving forward on an entirely new wave, with Flylo as its leader.

As per usual, he uses soft trippy tones, extended e-violins, uninterrupted transitions that incorporate off-the-wall, natural sounds.

With each track moving right into the other, making the album seamless in effect, it’s difficult to highlight some of the more amazing songs. But highlight we shall.

Yorke and Flylo seem to have a genuine musical connection and it’s heard on their recent collaboration, “Electric Candyman.” Oftentimes, you’re trying to figure out how the names of the songs arrive without any actual lyrics then you hear it and yes! It sounds like an electric candy-man. It’s a somewhat high induced, static-y upbeat with a dark and progressive incline in rhythm that compliments a poppy, hip-hop, jazz but very clean sound.

Along with the Radiohead frontman, Badu was featured on the album in “See Thru to U,” which turned out to be such an intuitive sound. With the quick two-tone beats jumping right on the track along with Badu’s voice, you don’t have to wait for the beat to build or for the lyrics to hit. Badu’s voice is used primarily for an instrument and fits just like a baseline on the track, but way smoother.

On top of Flylo’s collaborations, the best song on the album by far is in fact, “Until the Quiet Comes.” It is the epitome of pure electro music and it sets the entire tone for this release. Not to mention the short film by Director Kahlil Joseph that orchestrates the entire tone. It includes songs from the album “Hunger” and “Getting There,” both featuring Niki Randa and “See Thru to You” with Badu.

Until the Quiet Comes captures the unique and eclectic brand style of electronic/dance music; it shows the next wave — the next move for this genre.

Most junior albums either take on a lot of bad criticism or have a lot riding on it; either way, Flylo defeats all ill-fated claims. This album does what it’s supposed to; make you remember why you liked him in the first place, get you addicted to listening all over again and make you spazz waiting for the next thing to drop. Kudos.

Danielle ‘Elle’ Koon is a writer based out of Washington, D.C., graduate of NC A&T SU’s Journalism and Mass Communication program. She is a lover of poetry and obsessed with lyrical content in every genre. She is currently working on her first novel. You can follow her on twitter at @DKDC86.