Flying Lotus

Flying Lotus
Kolby Ari · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Steven Ellison
Stage name	Flying Lotus
Birth name	Steven Arturo Ellison
Birth date	October 7, 1983
Birth place	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Warp, Brainfeeder
Associated acts	Thundercat, Shabazz Palaces, Kamasi Washington, Earl Sweatshirt, Radiohead

Flying Lotus

Steven Arturo Ellison, known professionally as a prominent experimental musician, producer, and filmmaker, emerged from Los Angeles as a key figure in 21st-century electronic and jazz-infused music. He founded the Brainfeeder label and collaborated with a wide network of artists across Los Angeles, San Francisco and international scenes, influencing contemporary hip hop, jazz and electronic music circles. His work spans albums, film scoring, curatorial projects, and visual art, intersecting with institutions, festivals, and multimedia collaborations.

Early life and background

Born in Los Angeles, California, Ellison is a scion of a family notable in jazz and soul music history; he is related to members of the Beastie Boys-era networks and descendants of figures connected to Blue Note Records-era performers. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles before focusing on music, participating in Los Angeles neighborhoods and scenes that included ties to Watts, South Central Los Angeles, and the creative communities around Hollywood. Early encounters with local venues, DJs, and producers fostered connections to labels and collectives in Brooklyn, London, and Tokyo that would later shape his career.

Musical career

Ellison released early projects that circulated within underground electronic music and hip hop communities, leading to the founding of the Brainfeeder label in collaboration with peers from Low End Theory and the Los Angeles beat scene. His debut studio albums gained attention from tastemakers at Pitchfork, Resident Advisor, and national outlets, and he toured with artists linked to Adult Swim and Ninja Tune-adjacent audiences. Subsequent records involved collaborations with figures from XL Recordings, Warp Records, and the independent networks that included Stones Throw Records alumni. He has produced and featured performers such as members of The Internet, players associated with Blue Note Records, and vocalists from Odd Future collectives, while performing at festivals like Coachella, Glastonbury Festival, SXSW, and Sonar.

Style and influences

Ellison's music blends elements drawn from jazz improvisation, hip hop production techniques, and electronic dance music structures, integrating live instrumentation associated with figures from Impulse! Records and studio techniques linked to producers who worked with Motown and Stax Records artists. Influences cited include artists and producers connected to Herbie Hancock, J Dilla, Alice Coltrane, and experimental composers who recorded for ECM Records and Blue Note Records. His arrangements often reference synthesisers used by Kraftwerk-adjacent electronic pioneers, while rhythmic approaches echo beatmakers tied to Los Angeles's beat scene and Detroit techno traditions. The aesthetic extends to collaborative relationships with improvisers connected to Thelonious Monk-lineage musicians and contemporary ensembles associated with Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley-adjacent production.

Discography

Ellison's major studio releases chart a trajectory from beat-centric compositions to orchestral and cinematic works. Notable albums include early independent releases that drew notice alongside releases on Warp Records and through Brainfeeder partnerships, collaborations with artists affiliated with Stones Throw Records, and projects that feature instrumentalists known from Blue Note Records sessions. His catalog also comprises EPs and remix collections circulated by outlets such as Fact Magazine and playlists curated by radio programs on BBC Radio 1 and KCRW. He has contributed production to albums by performers associated with Top Dawg Entertainment and XL Recordings.

Film, visual art, and production work

Beyond album production, Ellison composes scores for film and television projects screened at festivals including Sundance Film Festival and distributed through platforms connected to Adult Swim and A24-adjacent arthouse circuits. He directed and produced visual pieces that have shown in galleries in Los Angeles, New York City, and international biennials, collaborating with visual artists tied to institutions like the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and independent curators from Frieze and Art Basel circuits. He has worked on soundtracks for filmmakers with credits at Toronto International Film Festival and collaborated with directors who have ties to Stonehenge-era experimental cinema movements and contemporary auteur practices.

Awards and recognition

Ellison's work has been recognized by music publications and awards bodies, earning nominations and awards from organizations and ceremonies that include indie and mainstream institutions such as The Grammy Awards, critics' polls conducted by The Guardian and NME, and year-end lists by Rolling Stone and Pitchfork. He has been the subject of profiles in The New Yorker and features on radio programs hosted by figures from NPR and BBC Radio 6 Music. Festivals and arts institutions have commissioned residencies and artist talks in partnership with cultural organizations such as CalArts, Red Bull Music Academy, and municipal arts councils in Los Angeles and London.

Personal life and activism

Ellison resides and works primarily in Los Angeles while engaging with networks of musicians and artists across United States cities including New York City, Chicago, and San Francisco, as well as international hubs like London and Tokyo. He has supported charitable causes and participated in benefit concerts alongside artists from collectives associated with Black Lives Matter-aligned activists, organizations working in arts education partnered with institutions such as YoungArts, and relief efforts coordinated by nonprofit entities connected to the music industry. He has spoken at panels and symposiums hosted by universities including UCLA and arts institutions focused on diversity and equity in creative industries.

Category:American record producers Category:Musicians from Los Angeles