Los Angeles by Flying Lotus

"Los Angeles," the first full-length release from Flying Lotus (Steven Ellison), is a blippy-er, squeaky-er follow-up to his 2006 release, "1983." You may have heard his sound (featured on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim segues), a loungy, low-key Nintendo timbre with a steady but lilting crackle-and-pop beat, and an unmistakable influence from hip-hop producer J Dilla (also Adult Swim). While this was the story for much of "1983," the second to last track, "Unexpected Delight," was suggestively different from the rest, presenting a music-box melody with wispy Stereolab-like vocals. With "Los Angeles," Ellison takes measured departure from producers Dilla and Madlib, and joins the ranks of other electronic music notables released on Warp Records. The album’s loosely meted maneuvers are set against a distinct (and very current) digital backdrop that’s thickly textured, but rarely crowded, and nostalgic of analog warmth.