Up and Coming: Flying Lotus

Flying Lotus, or FlyLo to his growing number of fans, is the alias of 26-year-old LA native Steven Ellison, who might best be described as a laptop composer.

He's been recognised as a game-changer by a certain Thom Yorke, with whom he has toured, while Radio 1 presenter Mary Anne Hobbs, who knows a thing or two about progressive electronica, has called him "the Hendrix of his generation".

Excuse me while I kiss the sky…

Ellison helpfully describes his third album, Cosmogramma, as a space opera which loftily aims to "add to this incredible conversation we've been having with music for hundreds of years".

Its 17 tracks blend into one ambitious multilayered, shape-shifting odyssey, reeling in elements of free jazz (there's a track called Arkestry in honour of Sun Ra), electro funk, dreamy orchestration and cosmic house.

How did he get so far out?

He learned from the best, regarding his aunt – who just happens to be the late, great sonic adventurer Alice Coltrane – as his musical inspiration and spiritual adviser.

What are others saying?

"A man who has genius where his blood should be" – NME

"One or two spins and you're still at the tip of the iceberg" – Pitchfork

Where can I hear more? www.myspace.com/flyinglotus

Cosmogramma is out now on Warp Records