Countdown to All Points West: Flying Lotus

Marjana Jaidi / July 25, 2009

On Friday night, MeanRed Productions hosted NYC Sub-Session, an event for applicants to the Red Bull Music Academy in London. Both informative and entertaining, the event featured live interviews with DJ Harvey, Gary Stewart and 88 Keys, and music by DJ Kingdom.

The featured surprise guest, Flying Lotus, was a great choice – his unique musical style and insights into the industry are the makings of an artist that will be around for years to come.

Click here to see photos of the event by Oliver Correa. Read more about Flying Lotus and listen to his essential mix after the jump…

Flying Lotus stressed that in an age where people are all about making beats, artists need the ability to compose and play music to survive in this industry: “Ain’t no fucking half-stepping. All these labels, they only want people who can do everything. Singing, rapping, making your own beats, all that shit.”

Flying Lotus declines to classify his music in a particular genre “because of all the rules”, instead choosing to call it “free form”. He showed us exactly what that meant when he jumped on the decks after his interview and Q&A. His original productions showcase a musical style that is truly his own, while his energetic DJ set included everything from hip-hop to electro, finishing with some heavy dubstep.

His advice for artists? “Please innovate. Let cats catch up if they have to. It’s that legacy of work that you leave behind, it’s that universe that you created that means everything when you’re not here anymore.”

Listen to his BBC Essential Mix, streamed below, a drastic change from the set he played at the event. Don’t forget, you can catch him live at All Points West on Friday night. Win tickets to the festival by clicking here.

Flying Lotus – Essential Mix (11.29.08)

Track List:
Alice Coltrane – Galaxy In Turiya
Charlie Hayden and Egberto Gisomonti and Gonjasufi – Testament
Flying Lotus – Massage Situation (Stripped)
Dimlite – Sun Sized Twinkles
Flying Lotus feat Dolly – Robertaflack
Flying Lotus – Robertaflack (Mike Slott Reflunk)
Ahu – I Know All The Bitches (Bullion mix)
Heralds Of Change – Amuse
Carlos Y Gaby – Happy Summer Solstice
Pudge – Yung Infamous
Dorothy Ashby – Myself When Young
Nosaj Thing – Bach
LL – Turf Day
Flying Lotus – Infinitum (Dimlite mix)
Clark – Springtime Epigram
Burial – Shutta
Blank Blue – Blank Blue (Flying Lotus mix)
Daedelus – Im String Struck
MHE – ?
Daedelus and Madvillain – Experience/Accordion (Flying Lotus live mix)
Hudson Mohawke – Zoo0000oom
Rustie – Black Block (remix)
Teebs and Jackhigh – Idea 1 (Clutch)
Matthewdavid – Tallahassee Tapes
Martyn and Flying Lotus – Vancouver/Pet Monster Shotglass
Fulgeance – Chico (Dorian Concept mix)
Joker – Solid State
Rusko – Moanerz
Daddy Kev – Invite8
Ras G – Star Messenger
Madlib – Unreleased Gem
SAMIYAM – Cheesecake Backslap
Knowledge – Dawn
Flyamsam – Princess Toadstool
Sa-Ra – Hollywood
Muhsinah and Flying Lotus – With Me/Melt
Flying Lotus – Dissecto
Flying Lotus – Breathe
Mike Slott – Home
Flying Lotus – Sangria Spin Cycles (ambient mix)
Danny Breaks – Cosmic Dust
Flying Lotus – Beginners Falafel (Free The Robots mix)
SAMIYAM – Falafel Cannon
Flying Lotus – Beginners Falafel
Slum Village – Players (instrumental mix)
Flying Lotus – Cackle
Slum Village – Raise It Up
Osborne – Definition Of A Breakdown
Baron Zen – Burn Rubber (Dam-Funk mix)
Mono/Poly – Needsdeodorantbitch
Chocolate Star and Nelly Furtado – Stay With Me/Promiscuous
Gonjasufi – Suzie Q
Kiing Midas – Lost (Flying Lotus live mix)
Rusko and Flying Lotus – Terminal3 / Tea Leaf (Dancers live mix)
Daedelus – Hours Minutes Seconds (beat invitational version)
Kode9 and Flying Lotus – Kryon
Zomby – Spliff Dub (Rustie mix)
Busta Rhymes – What Up
SAMIYAM – Crystal Lake
Weather Report – River People
SAMIYAM – Flintstone Car
Flying Lotus – Backpack Caviar
Radiohead – Reckoner (Flying Lotus mix)
Bjork – All Is Full Of Love
Broadcast – Winter Now
Portishead – Elysium
Linda Perhacks – Hey Now Who Really Cares
Flying Lotus – Infinitum (Exile mix)
Flying Lotus – Live Set Practice Run