My Top Thirty Flying Lotus Songs

[Idioteque Stalker]

#12

...And the World Laughs With You (Feat. Thom Yorke)
Cosmogramma

Feels like: electro



This song wouldn't feel out of place--and would in fact be a highlight--on an actual Radiohead record. Unlike something like "Never Catch Me," however, it's not really an epic collaboration; in fact, after Cosmogramma's blistering first act it feels downright subdued. But doggone does Thom Yorke make all the difference. Who else could make the simple refrain "I need to know you're out there" sound so mournful? And as the disembodied voices swirl toward their chilling climax, we begin to understand: he needs something to be out there because in here it's hell.

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[Idioteque Stalker]

#11

Robo Tussin (Feat. Lil Wayne)
n/a

Feels like: hip-hop



Flying Lotus took "A Milli"--the instant hip-hop classic of startling minimalism--heard something no one else heard, and flipped it upside down. Some people prefer the instrumental without the vocals, but they're missing the point. The beat is smooth as butter, surely, but the real magic of "Robo Tussin" is how it turns Wayne's exuberant performance into a sing-song rap so magnetic the universe itself seems to harmonize.

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[Idioteque Stalker]

#10

Massage Situation
Reset - EP

Feels like: hip-hop



This one's a gimme. It's the "Stairway to Heaven" of Flying Lotus songs. It's what Adult Swim sounds like. The first half is Tom Cruise sneaking into a nightclub so exclusive even he wasn't invited. The second half is him realizing what's really going on.

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[Idioteque Stalker]

Wow. FlyLo, Radiohead, Kendrick Lamar, Eyes Wide Shut, video games... This thread should be renamed "shit about which I'm a hopeless fanboy." More geeking to come.

[Idioteque Stalker]

#9

Parisian Goldfish
Los Angeles

Feels like: electro



Who knows if Eric Wareheim's hilariously NSFW video has helped or hindered this song's legacy, but you can't say he wasn't in tune with the fuck-all bacchanalia. Riddled with cowbell and sporting a hyperactive bass line, "Parisian Goldfish" is as eager as your friend who wants the whole crew to do fireball shots at the worst possible time. If I put a Flying Lotus song on a mixtape--and for the last ten years I almost always do--there's a 50/50 chance it's this.

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[Idioteque Stalker]

#8

Satelllliiiiiiiiteee
Cosmogramma

Feels like: electro?



How do you begin to describe this song? It's like a chopped and screwed hip-hop remix but someone got the fast forward and slo-mo buttons confused. It's like Aphex Twin attempted tropicalia and featured a sobbing person plus Nicki Minaj holding her nose. It's like the first-ever track an Inuk throat singer would find dope enough to freestyle over. It's like having your mind scrambled by Psycho Mantis but it doesn't hurt and is actually kind of peaceful.

Whatever. It's not like anything.

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[Idioteque Stalker]

#7

Computer Face // Pure Being
Cosmogramma

Feels like: electro



I feel like this is the type of song that could prove the virtues of dumb, repetitive music to even the snobbiest of classical music purists. It's not complex, but it's still adventurous. It's not easy listening, but it beckons you along. There aren't really any dynamics, but it definitely goes places. "Computer Face // Pure Being" is not one of FlyLo's most nuanced tracks, but I will always proudly offer it as one of his most virtuosic.

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[Ivan Drago]

In the age of Kuso, I need something to remind me why Flying Lotus is my favorite working musician.

I can't tell if this is an indictment of the film or not. Will not hold it against you if you didn't like it though, because it's the furthest thing from approachable.

Anyway, I discovered FlyLo through the radio station he curated in GTA V in 2013 and circled back into finally diving deeper into his discography this year. The dude's music is getting me through the pandemic, man. It gives me the feeling that I'm at a high-energy party with friends that I miss along with a chill, relaxed feeling at the same time. You're Dead! is my favorite album of his so far, but Until The Quiet Comes is off to an excellent start. I still need to go through his older albums but I can't wait to do that and scroll through your list while doing it!

[Ivan Drago]

#17

The Diddler
ideas + drafts + loops

Feels like: hip-hop

Here's where FlyLo pokes his head in to see what Clams Casino and the other cloud rap producers are doing. "Oh you mean kinda like this?" And "The Diddler" is born. Clean your house to this and you'll feel like a superhero. Turn it up loud enough and you'll swear it's a living thing.

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This was the track that got me hooked on FlyLo in the first place. It makes driving feel like cruising.

EDIT: I realize this is an almost 4-year-old thread. Just stumbled onto it while searching for something else and felt super late to the party!

[Idioteque Stalker]

I can't tell if this is an indictment of the film or not. Will not hold it against you if you didn't like it though, because it's the furthest thing from approachable.

I never actually saw it... Honestly never wanted to. Maybe it's time. I'm a little scared.

Maybe I'll finish this list as well?

[Ivan Drago]

I never actually saw it... Honestly never wanted to. Maybe it's time. I'm a little scared.

Maybe I'll finish this list as well?

It’s essentially Eraserhead with Troma's sense of humor and the structure of a Robot Chicken episode, and really hard to justify a recommendation considering it’s an amalgamation of things that aren’t for everyone. It's an incoherent, disgusting mess, and yet...there's something about the experience of watching it that's fascinating. I dunno, maybe it's just me because I'm a big fan of weird midnight movies. I'd hate for it to ruin your feelings about him as an artist, though. You've got a lot of passion for his work and I'd be along for the ride to the end of this list with you!

[Ivan Drago]

Also, what are your thoughts on Flamagra if you've heard it?