Flying Lotus – Until the Quiet Comes!

Electronic music. I can’t say I have ever been a fan. But up until a short while ago I could say the same about jazz and funk, and now these two genres dominate my turntable.

 

A friend of mine who I talk and trade records with has always had an ear for electronic music. He seems super knowledgeable on the subject and if I’m not mistaken he records his own electronic music.

 

Although our musical tastes have differed, we always seem to be curious what the other is listening to when we cross paths. I tried a few Prince albums he recommended but could never enjoy them.

 

Lately as I started learning more about funk music and soul we finally seemed to have some common records that are in both of our collections. This made me think that now we seem to be getting closer in taste, so I can go to him for recommendations on some new artists to try out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

He recommended a handful of bands and although I could not find any specific albums he requested, I did find an album by one of the artists.

 

The album I picked up was “Flying Lotus – Until the Quiet Comes”.

 

This album is classified under the electronic and electronic jazz genres.

 

I have to admit that the first three times I listened to this album I did not enjoy it at all. But the fact that I brought myself to try it three times rather than toss it aside after the first is what is strange about this experience.

 

This is similar to my reaction the first time I heard “Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew”. I could not understand the fuss everybody had over this Miles Davis album. It just sounded like a mess of noise to me the first few times I heard it.

 

But something kept drawing me back to it and putting on my stereo. The easiest way I can explain it is that it’s not that I didn’t like the music; it’s that I didn’t understand it. Not understanding it is what kept drawing me to it, I have to figure out what this crazy amount of noise is all about.

 

“Bitches Brew” is now one of my all-time favorite albums. ‘I get it’ now and I’m super happy that I kept returning to it after I never got it the first handful of times.

 

I seem to be getting a very similar feel about “Until the Quiet Comes”. Although I won’t go as far to say that I love it right now, I can sure see it being at the top of my list for great new music.

 

It was the same reaction as it was to the Miles Davis. I just couldn’t understand it.

 

I mean what are all these beats and crazy sounds? A few things helped me understand this album, the biggest being that I was not listening to it in the right environment. This album, to me,  is not an album I can blast in the car.

 

If I start being one of those guys with the bass so loud that it rattles the windshield.. well.. I’ll have to kick my own ass.

 

Having it on my home stereo playing out loud didn’t quite work either.

 

This album requires the headphones for me to get the full appeal of it. It needs my undivided attention. Sit back, close my eyes, and it almost feels like it is walking me through a crazy dream.

 

While I could never tell how people could suggest that they can achieve ‘feeling’ in electronic music before, with this album I get it.

 

He seems to be able to express so many different emotions and feelings just by the insane beats, keyboards and other sounds (some sounds that I can’t even relate to a specific instrument).

 

While it is not a genre I can see myself digging in full tilt with, I can definitely see myself following ‘Flying Lotus’ releases and enjoying his other albums that he has already released.

 

Thanks so much for the recommendation!