Pattern + Gridworld

The other day I was sitting in the WUSB music director’s office seriously wishing I had some headphones capable of deciphering whatever it was that was happening to me. Listening to Flying Lotus’ EP “Pattern+Grid World” is most definitely an experience within itself. It’s one of those “what the fuck!!??!” kind of experiences, but in a good way. You’ll have no trouble finding this EP worthy of infinite listens. The 1st time around everything hits you in a flurry. From the 8-bit video game blips and beeps to the almost calming manipulated vocals and synth sweeps, this EP leaves you itching to go back and delve deeper into the layers and layers of chaos to uncover how they are so intricately compiled to solidify this work as a whole. The opening track “Clay” is a whirlwind of what sounds like phased out voices from some realm unknown, desperately trying to make their way into some saving soul’s ears, and an astro-funk synth mixed with a smooth bass line. “Kill Your Coworkers”, the second track, begins with a sparse IDM-like drum beat that only takes a few seconds to build into a pulsing percussive background to 8-bit Mario coin grabbing sounds. Considering the rather violent tone present in the title of this track, its sound is relatively calm compared to most of the other numbers on this EP. Following “Kill Your Coworkers” is “Pie Face”. The dirty synth utilized in this tune makes it sound like a sped up dub step track. This one is almost danceable considering its repetitiveness.
Now we’re back to complete weirdness. “Time Vampires” is a track that sounds as eerie as its title. This is definitely one of those nightmare inducing tunes you would hear late at night snuck in behind some Adult Swim bumps while you’re lying half asleep on your living room couch, covered in a blanket of potato chip crumbs. The mixture of creepy voices and underwater sounds incorporated into the percussion make for a perfect Halloween song. The strange stillness present throughout “Time Vampires” leads into the chaotic, tribal “Jurassic Notion/M Theory.” This is probably the busiest track on the EP, but the tribal chants and percussion along with the pulsing bass provide the foundation to captivate the listener and leave them in a trance.
To continue the trance “Camera Day” comes along to keep the listener subdued. This is probably the calmest track on the EP and it makes for a nice, headnodic come down from the chaotic state induced by “Jurassic Notion/M Theory.” “Camera Day” would make for a great hip-hop instrumental. Once again the 8-bit sounds are present, this time reminiscent of intergalactic sounds. There is a sense of contentment present in the laid back vibe of this number and this in turn makes it aware to the listener that the EP is nearing its end, its final destination. It seems like this is where FlyLo is telling us that he’s taken us where he wanted to on this trip; he’s shown us the polar opposites of outer space, the teeming and kinetic energy of asteroids on collision course along with the still and dreamy aura of the cosmos.
And to close the EP, it’s back to chaos. “Physics for Everyone” is is like being in a futuristic space ship’s first trial on the outer edges of the galaxy with all of the alarms going off full blast while you know all you can do is wait and see what happens, maybe you’ll land on some paradise planet or be sucked into the never ending abyss of a black hole. Man, it would’ve been nice if things were as simple as in “Camera Day”, but they’re not and Flying Lotus decides to leave us with a head scratching end to the EP that fits perfectly with the drastic shifts of mood that pervades throughout “Patttern+Grid World” and our own world. There is no doubt that this EP is teeming with frenetic energy, but there always seems to be some underlying calmness on “Pattern+Grid World”, whether it is found in the background of a vivacious track or existing in one of the astral transition tracks, this is what Flying Lotus does so well. He knows how to stun his listeners into a hypnagogic state through the use of subtle cues looming in the created chaos. Maybe he’s trying to show us that there is still some peace and tranquility to be found in the restlessness of this modern world. Nonetheless, putting all philosophical interpretations of this EP aside, “Pattern+Grid World” is certainly worth a listen. No, it’s worth infinite listens.
Written by Stephen Hayes.