Thundercat – The Golden Age of the Apocalypse

Just when you thought the Brainfeeder camp was becoming the benchmark for what many a blogger likes to refer to as “Glitch Hop” and “Wonky”, the label headed by Steven Ellison (better known as Flying Lotus) took a couple of unforeseen left turns and released a string of albums that presented the powerhouse label in a new light. Spearheading this minor revolution in sound is The Golden Age of the Apocalypse, the debut LP of bass player Stephen “Thundercat” Bruner.

For the ever-growing number of FlyLo enthusiasts, the name “Thundercat” should ring a bell. Appearing on the electronic demigod’s standout LP “Cosmogramma”, the feather-sporting virtuoso Thundercat provided a mesmerizing bass performance for the tasty and aptly-titled “MmmHmm” and also played on some of the other songs.

Standing next to the illustrious Thom Yorke and Laura B. Darlington (Daedelus’ wife), Thundercat’s appearance as one of the chosen few guest performers on the album saw the expectations for his solo material skyrocket in an instant. In a year in which releases by MatthewDavid, TOKiMONSTA and Samiyam propelled the Brainfeeder label to the forefront of off-kilter electronic beat-tinkering, a record from an eccentric jazz musician promised to be all the more intriguing.

And “intriguing” appears to be a fitting description for the amalgam of different styles and genres presented by Mr. Bruner on this album. Starting off with a short sample of George Duke’s “For Love (I Come Your Friend)” (MF DOOM fans might recognise it from the epilogue on his “Operation: Doomsday“ debut), and launching into the instantly likable synth-bop of “Daylight”, Thundercat wastes no time in getting the listeners on his side. Picking up elements from almost sixty years of African-American music history as diverse as futuristic Detroit techno, sparkling Motown soul and amorphous jazz fusion, The Golden Age of the Apocalypse transcends categories from the get-go. Even though the infectious breakneck speed of the opening cuts soon makes way for a more laid-back aura of jazzy experimentation, Thundercat never fails to reel his audience back in with an ear-catching hook. Take for example the mellow “Is It Love?” on which the soulful vocals (sung by the man himself) return as a reprise after a two minute-display of bass artistry.
Is It Love?

This duplicity is the key trick that Bruner manages to pull off on this ambitious record. On the one hand he has the musical skill that jazz aficionados will revere him for. On the other hand he keeps the casual listener interested with memorable soul-riffs that tap into similar retro-futuristic approaches like the New Amerykah Erykah Badu and post-Goodie Mob Cee-Lo. Bruner does indeed drive home the point that he is a bass player – a great one at that, but it is his ability to avoid this becoming intrusive in favour of sculpting a well-rounded overall aesthetic which makes this record much more than a bass player’s record.
Walkin’

To top it off, the sonic brilliance that has become synonymous with Brainfeeder releases – a result of meticulous mixing and mastering – provides the album with a coherent soundscape which holds all the contrasting elements together. In that sense The Golden Age of the Apocalypse is just as typical an album from the LA-based label as any. But, if anything, Brainfeeder’s third year has taught us to expect the unexpected from here on out.

Thundercat 105: Daylight Live at the Echo from MOCHILLA on Vimeo.