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Afrofuturism & Otherworldliness in Music: Key Albums

This guide has been created by staff at the Lewis Music Library to accompany our physical exhibit, as well as for assistance in research and finding resources related to Afrofuturism in music.

Introduction

Visit our exhibit in the Lewis Music Library to browse hundreds of Afrofuturist albums on vinyl, CD, and other physical formats. To view one of the following albums in our catalog, simply click the album cover.

Key Albums (Vinyl)

Sun Ra - Space is the Place

Sun Ra is perhaps the most prolific early progenitors of Afrofuturism both as a musical practice, and an aesthetic. Space is the Place is considered one of the most foundational Afrofuturist albums that explores free jazz and defined sonic experimentation of the time.

Parliament - Mothership Connection

Parliament is notable for blending genres such as funk, soul, and rock. Their music often featured futuristic themes and a mythology deeply rooted in African American culture. Clinton's visual aesthetic included outlandish costumes and elaborate stage props like the Mothership. Mothership Connection is considered one of the most exemplary Afrofuturist albums.

Flying Lotus - You're Dead

Flying Lotus is an electronic music producer whose work incorporates elements of jazz, hip-hop, and experimental sounds. His music often features rhythmically and harmonically complexities and futuristic themes, as shown on the album You're Dead!

Thundercat - Drunk

Thundercat, a virtuoso bassist, singer, and producer, blends jazz, funk, and R&B with surreal, spacey themes. His music, often marked by intricate bass lines and ethereal harmonies, includes Afrofuturist ideals such as the exploration of temporality, existence, and the cosmos, as exemplified on albums such as Drunk.

Key Albums (CD)