Bleep

It was with ‘Apocalypse’ that bassist/vocalist/songwriter Stephen Bruner (Thundercat), who has played with Flying Lotus and Erykah Badu, as well as performed live with the likes of Snoop Dogg and the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, well and truly steps out of the shadows. Out on Brainfeeder and co-produced and co-written with Flying Lotus and Mono/Poly, it’s an album not afraid to wear its heart on its sleeve and now celebrating a 10th anniversary. Made after the death of friend, Flying Lotus band member and keyboard player Austin Peralta, it's a bittersweet record - "Tron Song" particularly pulls at the heart-strings, Bruner’s softly lilting voice magnetic and bristling with feeling. However, despite the flashes of melancholy, this is mostly an album of soaring colour and sparkling depths. "Special Stage" and "Heartbreaks + Setbacks" are magnificent works of flighty R&B while "Oh Sheit It's X" is unabashedly jubilant. Thundercat has given us a record of highs and lows, and arguably one of the greats in his career so far.