Pitchfork: What does Cosmogramma mean? Flying Lotus: Cosmogramma is basically the studies that map out the universe and the relations of heaven and hell. It's funny; the whole reason why I got into that title was by accident. I was listening to one of my aunt [Alice Coltrane]'s discourses-- a spiritual discourse, I guess. She was talking about how the world is illusionary and in a time of Maya. It's like cosmic drama, you know? And it sounded like "Cosmogramma." I was like, "Maybe I'll look that up and see what that means." And actually, it does mean something. And it really does relate to what I'm trying to say on the record. Even the cosmic drama thing-- that's what the album sounds like. So it just seemed fitting. Pitchfork: It sounds like cosmic drama? FL: Yeah. Yeah. [Laughs] A cosmic drama, probably. Pitchfork: How is the album different from the stuff you've already done? FL: I think it's a lot better, off the jump. I think it's just progressing. I'm working with a lot more instruments and a lot more people, a lot of different textures. It's really becoming this thing that I wanted to do in the beginning. I'm finally getting to the point where I can make the kind of records that I want to make -- that I wanted to make when I was younger, things that I dreamed about making. It's this fusion-y kind of thing where all the elements of the music that I love are there. It's definitely inspired by some of the Alice Coltrane stuff, as well. It's kind of a dedication to her again. In the making of this record, I was going through a lot of stuff, and my aunt's music really helped me get through some tough times. I felt like it might be time to start trying to make the record more spiritual so it could maybe help somebody-- to help it show the new devotional music, I guess. Pitchfork: Do you consider your music to be devotional music? FL: Not everything. I think it comes from the same place, but the intent is always a little different. I feel like that was the true intent of the last record, and I feel like you'll hear it in this one. It's definitely there. You can hear the journey, man. That was kind of the point. I want to feel like, "Almost there! Almost there!" Pitchfork: When you say you've been working with new people, who are some of the people you worked with on this one? FL: I worked with an amazing bass player named Thundercat. He played bass in Suicidal Tendencies, and he plays bass for Erykah Badu and SA-RA and many other people. I'm working with Miguel-Atwood Ferguson, who's an incredible string arranger and composer. So we got full string arrangements on parts of the record, and all sorts of folks. We worked with Laura Darlington again, and some more vocalists who I don't want to name yet. Pitchfork: So you're working with more live instrumentation on this? FL: Yeah. I'd say a lot of the ideas get expanded upon now and taken further, and you can embellish ideas. There's bass solos and stuff. It's becoming a little bit more unpredictable, I think. You don't know where it's going to end up. It goes 4/4 for a minute, and then transforms into something else. Pitchfork: Did you work with any rappers on the album? FL: No, no rappers. Not this time, again. Pitchfork: Would you ever like to collaborate with rappers on your own music? FL: Yeah, man! I'd like to. I'd love to. The right thing needs to happen. I don't want to do one of those records where it's like a compilation of a bunch of all sorts of rappers on my beats. I don't find those to be focused albums. I'd like to sit and work a whole record with a certain person, to come up with a concept and see it through that way. Cats like Jay Electronica and Blu-- I'd really like to do something with someone like that one day. Pitchfork: I really like the Lil Wayne and Gucci Mane remixes you've done. FL: [Laughs] Thanks! Those were fun, man. I love Lil Wayne. There's a lot of interesting parallels between him and me. Pitchfork: It's funny. You guys are working in these completely different forms, but you both have this spacey, astral sensibility to you. FL: Yeah, and not just that. We're pretty much the same age, as well. When I was in middle school, that's when I first started making beats. I was maybe 14, 16, something like that. I was at school, and I was hearing this young dude on the radio. Lil Wayne is this young motherfucker, rapping and all this shit, and I was like, "Wow, OK. If he can do it, I can do it too. It's not impossible for a kid to make it making beats." So he gave me a lot of hope when I was younger, in a strange way, and it's amazing to see how far he's come. It's cool. Pitchfork: Have you ever met Wayne? FL: No, not yet. I just want to get on a mixtape. Then I'll be happy. You know him? Hook it up, man! [Laughs] Pitchfork: If I could... FL: I appreciate it. He's another person I'd like to work with. I appreciate his work. He really is trying to do something. I don't know if I agree with what he's trying to do, but not everybody fuckin' cares about doing this music shit. It seems like he really just cares about making tunes. Pitchfork: Is there anyone else you'd like to work with down the line? FL: Björk is the next one for me. If I work with Björk, then I'll be a happy soul, man. And Jay Electronica. That needs to happen this year. I'd really like that. Prince-- that'd be kind of fun. I have some beats for Prince, man. Pitchfork: That would be amazing. FL: I've been really feeling this Jaga Jazzist stuff. I've been doing a remix for them as well, but it'd be nice to actually work on a track together. They're this really crazy electronic jazz band on Ninja Tune. Pitchfork: Do you have any other remixes coming down the pipeline? FL: Yeah. I don't know if I'm supposed to say, but I'm doing one for Massive Attack. And I'm doing a remix for that girl Andreya Triana right now, as well. I'm probably going to do a little bit more of the bootleg remixes throughout the year, just because I really want to see how far I can infiltrate that arena too. That's some fun shit. So yeah, we'll see.