Flying Lotus Drops Surprise EP 'Spirit Box'

After teasing fans with “Garmonbozia” and “Ingo Swann,” Flying Lotus surprise releases an EP, Spirit Box (Warp). The new project marks FlyLo’s first non-soundtrack release since 2019’s Flamagra.

Fans of Flying Lotus know very well that Steven Ellison draws from a wide variety of influences in his art. On Spirit Box, the influences remain as disparate as ever, resulting in what might be, for him, his most idiosyncratic project thus far. In the past, outer space, anime, and Jean-Michel Jarre would inspire a FlyLo project. This time around, Ellison turns to the supernatural, the underrated, and the mystical. Opener “Ajhussi” begins with the drawn-out Vangelis synthesizers more akin to his usual style. Just as you sink into them, they scatter to make way for a shimmering house beat and chipmunk vocal. A house record, from FlyLo? It’s more likely than you’d think, with the closer “Ingo Swann” offering an equally upbeat, if slightly melancholic, dance sensation. It’s unexpected, which is the only expectation guaranteed from Ellison. “Garmonbozia,” thick and soupy like creamed corn, uses another surprise element: Ellison’s own vocals. 

Across the EP’s midsection, vocals play a significant role, with FlyLo tapping Sid Sriram and Dawn Richard for “The Lost Girls” and “Let Me Cook,” respectively. Sriram lends his yearning vocals to “The Lost Girls”’s galloping percussion, imbuing the instrumental with heart. Speaking from experience, Richard, an industry veteran, demands “Let me cook slow.” Her wish is not an easy one to make, but growth is never an easy thing to undergo. 

However, growth, like transformation, can be fun. Spirit Box arriving near Halloween is no coincidence — it’s a time where everyone gets the chance to transform into something different, something surprising, maybe even something scary. Ellison used this EP to morph his sound into something new; as someone who’s been a trailblazer for nearly two decades, he’s just starting out on a new path that plenty others are sure to follow knowing that a visionary is at its helm.

While “Garmonbozia” and “Ingo Swann” serve as Ellison's first singles since “The Room” in 2022, in recent years Ellison's creative output has expanded beyond releasing records and touring, establishing him as a true polymath. In addition to his iconic musical output, Ellison co-wrote, directed and scored a segment for the renowned found footage horror anthology V/H/S 99. He recently announced his film Ash will be dropping in 2025 via IFC Films/Shudder - the Sci-Fi Horror starring Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) and Eiza González (3 Body Problem), in which he served as both Director and Composer. He also composed music for and executive produced the Netflix anime series Yasuke and created the theme for Apple's Magic Johnson doc They Call Me Magic.

Photo Credit: Tim Saccenti for Setta Studio