Lit or Nah?: “TDC Alt Experiment” by Flying Lotus

This week, Flying Lotus released three singles, all of which are pretty experimental. Falling somewhere between between B-sides and jam sessions with fellow musician and friend, the talented bassist, Thundercat, tracks “Haley’s Line” and “No Feeer Thunnderrrcatt2010” feature perpetual sounding bass and drum loops. Coupled with the dense and colorful production cannon that is Flying Lotus, the singles work to reveal elements of the producers ever abounding creative capabilities. However it is the most interesting of the trio among these out-of-the-blue singles, “TDC Alt Experiment”, that yields other reasons for not getting a spot on FlyLo’s 2014 album You’re Dead!.

The title references “Turkey Dog Coma”, the eclectic, and (mostly) fast paced track off the middle of the previously released, You’re Dead! album. Starting with an atmospheric and slowed middle section, the song later breaks into popping sax and jazzy drum rhythms, finally ending in that same angelic trance-like melody. The mood of “TDC Alt Experiment” continues to run with this hazy, saturated vibe of “Turkey Dog Coma” but goes further, working the track into a fully realized song. There is plenty to pick up on in this two and a half minute track, including oscillating and slowly developed choral phrases, as well as sounds that slip in and out of reach, and teetering of bleeps that can be heard for only a few seconds on the original track.

Perhaps it is because of the serene sterility of this track that the more verbose original made it to the album—“TDC Alt Experiment” sounding as if you’re slipping away into the afterlife opposed to all the Existential turmoil of being Dead heard in “Turkey Dog Coma”.

Verdict: LIT

By Ryan G