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You have to produce an album for one rapper, no guest spots, just you and them in the studio. Who are you picking? ShermanMLight
Kendrick Lamar. He’s one of the few people I’ve worked with in the hip-hop world who is an actual genius. He doesn’t get enough credit for being a producer as well – because he has such a clear perspective on what he wants in his music, he knows where every sound is supposed to be. Not every artist has that approach – most are more hands off. Working closely with Kendrick would make me a better producer. That would be a great meeting of the minds, as it was when we did our couple of tracks together.
How was the experience of working with the great, late David Lynch [on the track Fire is Coming]? Stephenw1979
A dream come true – someone who inspired my whole artistic path. He was exactly who I hoped he would be. I got to go over to his studio and hang a couple times, and it was really special. And he never seemed to get old. Twin Peaks: The Return was one of his best works, and it was the last thing he did.
Was it a huge step-up making a fairly big-budget sci-fi movie [2025’s Ash, FlyLo’s debut feature]? steve__bayley
It was the most challenging, creative thing I’ve ever done in my life. It took five years, the whole process – maybe longer. It was hard, man, but it was so rewarding. When I saw all these little ideas I’d had start to emerge on screen, and the characters wearing the hair and outfits I’d imagined for them, in the room I’d helped design, and the special effects were going off, and the lightning was striking and everything was working, and the actors were killing it … Nothing like it, dude. And then you get to go back and edit it, and put sound and music to it ... It’s so much fun. [pauses] But I actually don’t recommend it. [laughs] Because making a movie can just eat your whole life away, your relationships, everything. It’s a huge sacrifice to jump into that world. At every turn, I wished all I had to think about was just doing the music. I’m going to continue making movies, but without abandoning the rest of my life while I’m waiting for a movie to get made.
You came up with your artist name, Flying Lotus, while “lucid dreaming”, and your Until the Quiet Comes album was inspired by dreaming. Are there any dreams you can’t forget or that you’d like to? harkmammal
Even if I have a dream I’d like to forget, I’m just grateful to have had it and remembered it. I don’t really remember my dreams much these days, probably because I smoke weed before I go to bed. Sometimes I’ll be in a nightmare and I’m like: “Ooh, that was great pacing. That was so well directed.” I have to give it up for my subconscious.
Is there any chance of your collaboration with MF Doom being released? AcidHouse
I would love to release that stuff, but I haven’t been able to get in touch with his estate to make it happen. He had a whole bunch of music that we’d recorded and he kept asking me for more beats. I was like: “Dude, I don’t got any more beats!” But I know he recorded stuff over my beats, and it’s sitting wherever his last laptop currently is. I’ve heard one of the tracks; I know he was working on some amazing stuff.
Was your aunt, Alice Coltrane, an influence on you as an artist, and how do you feel about how her legacy has been reappraised in the years since her death? pollymagoo
Honestly, that has been very moving for me. I wish people could have appreciated her in her time, though even if that had been the case, I don’t know if it would mean anything to her; she was beyond all that. But it’s just so awesome that she’s getting her love now. When I was coming up, people always asked her about John Coltrane this, John Coltrane that. Now it’s Alice Coltrane. I think everyone who makes art knows, deep down, no one’s going to really appreciate you until you’re dead [laughs].
Will your Captain Murphy alter ego ever resurface, and what current hip-hop artists are you inspired by? pollymagoo
Absolutely, Captain Murphy will resurface. I would really like to do something with Westside Gunn, that would be fun. And Freddie Gibbs. We’ve done a track but we need to do something proper.
How would you say your music has changed from release to release? Chivsey
I remember when I started out how fun it was to wake up every day and everything felt brand new and uncharted. Now I’m a better musician, and I have a better understanding of what I’m doing and who I am as a person. It’s a balance between confidence, ability, innocence and understanding.
You’ve worked with some amazing vocalists. Who are some of your favourites to work with and why? steve__bayley
Thundercat is always going to be my number one. In terms of newer people I’ve been working with, Dawn Richard is always kicking out cool ideas and is super inspiring, and I really liked collaborating with Devin Tracy on The Room; he has a great voice. Erykah Badu’s been such an inspiration, and the fact that she wanted to work with me was validating, like: OK, I deserve to be here. She was the real deal too – always cool ideas and a cool approach. And she introduced me to the concept of demoitis, where you fall in love with the scratch demo you made and don’t wanna change anything. I loved working with Thom Yorke, just because I was a big fan of his too, but we never worked together in the studio – we’d email each other and it was a bit more remote. But I love that dude, and whenever we can get together it’s always been a nice time.
The difference between good producers and great producers is knowing how to get an artist to do their best work. Every artist is going through something: they might have just broken up with their girlfriend, their mum might have just passed away. They’re trying to write a song, and they’re dealing with life at the same time. And you have to find a way to navigate all that, to get the best out of the moments you have with people. That’s the difference between just beat-making and actually producing.
Have you now abandoned the LA beat scene style of music that you were initially known for or is it possible you might come back to a more glitchy boom bap sound? CoreSway
I do all those things still; I just don’t put them all out. But I feel like the whole “lo-fi beats” thing has become like Starbucks music. I have to make things that challenge myself – I want to try to do things I haven’t done before. I just follow my muse, really, and try not to steer things too hard.
