I’m still letting my skull simmer from the futuristic synapse-scarring induced by Cosmogramma, but Flying Lotus’ versatility is revealed more by outside production work than his album-length orbits. This year’s collaborations with Gonjasufi and Jose James will be undoubtedly less discussed than his warped Warp release, but they’re equally revelatory to the tastes and talent of the standard bearer of Los Angeles’ beat scene. As for James, his Black Magic is this year’s Black Summer’s Night or The Way I See It: absurdly soulful, heavily retro, and the token R&B totem of the NPR crowd. For those looking for more context, head to Pop & Hiss for an interview with the Brooklyn-via-Minneapolis singer and his relationship with Gilles Peterson, Lotus, and the state of modern jazz. There’s also an exclusive MP3 of the Lotus-produced title track, so if you’re into sorcery and lucky dimes, you’ll want that.
Download:
MP3: Jose James (prod. by Flying Lotus) – “Code”
