Does Steven Ellison ever sleep? Most artists would take some time off after releasing a record as all-out, balls-to-the-wall ambitious as this year's dazzling Cosmogramma, his most recent full-length as Flying Lotus. Yet here we are three months later, with a new EP, the seven-track Pattern + Grid World. Between this and Ellison's constant stream of remixes for other artists, it's hard to imagine when he finds time to sleep.
Unlike those remixes, which mostly fall between the range of good and competent, Pattern + Grid World sounds fully formed and precisely assembled. That shouldn't be surprising, considering Ellison's growing reputation as an album artist, but the fact that early single "Camera Day" originally made an appearance as the backbeat for Killer Mike's "Swimming" in June hinted that this release might wind up more of an odds-and-ends set. However, Pattern + Grid World feels as much like a complete work as its full-length predecessor, from the engine-revving opener "Clay" to the squelching closer "Physics For Everyone!" And this despite its ultra-short (barely 19 minutes) runtime.
Because of its brevity, the EP serves a solid entry point to Flying Lotus' work. Perhaps the only serious complaint that could be lodged against Cosmogramma is that it was daunting-- too dense, complicated, and harsh for casual listeners and first-time beat freaks. This EP, by contrast, feels a bit like Baby's First Brainfeeder: you've got the speed-addled drum'n'bass freakout ("Kill Your Co-Workers"), the off-kilter post-Dilla thumper ("Time Vampires"), and a midsection so swampy that you can practically see the flies hovering above the surface ("Jurassic Notion / M Theory").
Which isn't to say that this is a beginners-only record. There's plenty of detail to revel in on Pattern + Grid World-- new surprises are unlocked with every listen. The chintzy "Amen" break that serves as a foundation for the 8-bit expansiveness of "Kill Your Co-Workers" might be recognizable from that first skittering breakbeat. But it takes a few listens to realize that the wobbly horn amidst percussion of "Jurassic Notion" has an enticing riff reminiscent of Missy Elliott protégé Tweet's "Oops (Oh My)". Elsewhere, revelations are found in the synth lines that twist above the low-riding beat on "Camera Day", and the rigid snare-and-hi-hat abstractions of "PieFace". For now, FlyLo's well of invention looks to be in no danger of running dry.
