Thundercat - Apocalypse


Perhaps the male counterpart to Janelle Monae in terms of mercilessly funky musicians not quite getting the recognition they deserve, Thundercat's 2011 debut was - whilst enjoyable - not one that lasted very long in my mind. Granted, I reviewed 156 albums that year, so I'll cut the man some slack. But now he's back, and after another bout of working with Flying Lotus (once of those names I've yet to explore just yet), Stephen Bruner has a second solo album. A cut of which made the Grand Theft Auto soundtrack, so hey, maybe more exposure, right?


I guess the most that could be said of using one word of a title of your previous album is that it's much of the same listening experience. 'Heartbreaks and Setbacks' finds Bruner breaking the mold and attempting to hop aboard the whole chillwave scene with a gorgeous R&B jam, and 'Oh Sheit it's X', the aforementioned GTA V cut, finds him in a rare dance mood, but ultimately the album is similarly crafted and similarly rich as its Golden Age predecessor. A kind of spaced-out funk/blues crossover that's got enough groovy basslines and structures to keep you entertained, but - these two tracks aside - nothing in the way of a great pop song.


The sad thing is, that after the first 7 tracks, Apocalypse falls off. Fast. Whilst the closer, a tribute to labelmate and fellow musician Austin Peralta, is a touching and pensive inclusion, the tracks that lead up to it are a little too repetitive and banal to enjoy.

Rating: 7/10
Highlights: Oh Sheit it's X; Heartbreaks & Setbacks; Special Stage; Tenfold
Avoid: Without You; Lotus and the Jondy

Artwork Watch: um. Nice coat?
Up next: Goldfrapp

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