Album: The Golden Age of Apocalypse
Record Label: Brainfeeder
Genre: Space-funk, Electronic Jazz
Release Date: 30 August 2011
To think that I was initially only given two tracks from this album to review. [In a word…sacrilege]; and to make things worse, I wasn’t particularly impressed by my first listen of “Daylight” and “For Love I Come”, a cover of George Duke’s 1975 space-funk classic “For Love (I Come Your Friend)”.
Although I liked the similarities to French electronica duo Air, I felt that “Daylight” was a tad on the short side and taken together, they just didn’t gel. Something was lacking and that “something” was the rest of the album. However, once I got my hands on all thirteen tracks my opinion, and the content of this review, changed for the better.
The ‘Golden Age of Apocalypse’ really is a break from the norm and a true journey into the mind of Steven Bruner, otherwise known as Thundercat. An interesting name indeed His father was drummer with The Temptations. He was previously in a German boy band and he still plays bass with thrash band Suicidal Tendencies and has been involved in studio sessions with the likes of Snoop Dogg and Erykah Badu.
There’s nothing standard or predictable about Bruner’s debut solo release which is a fusion of jazz, funk, soul and electronica. It’s a true listening album which should be enjoyed uninterrupted from beginning to end for full effect.
The Golden Age Of Apocalypse – Thundercat by kronika
The sharp stabbing synths on the opening track “Daylight” feel like a slap in the face which grab your attention while the vocals aptly deliver the message “open your mind”. Bruner then dives head first into bass driven funk on “Fleer Ultra” then softens things out with “Is It Love” a smooth jazz number with a mellow beat, incredible guitar riff and vocals which bear a subtle resemblance to Sting & The Police mixed with 340ml.
It’s impossible to pigeonhole ‘The Golden Age of Apocalypse’ as it truly is experimental and its content so varied. You’d be forgiven for thinking this is predominantly an instrumental album but just as Bruner is leading us deep into a musical frenzy of 70’s influenced space-funk layered with moody jazz he does an about-turn and delivers the down-tempo vocal track “Seasons”. The instrumental journey continues with “Golden Boy” which is an equally laidback jam with a subtle breakbeat then Bruner demonstrates his dreamy falsetto vocal talents on “Walkin’”. A track which embarks upon yet another musical direction with a sound not dissimilar to Tortured Soul, yet it still fits so well into the album as a whole.
There are actually so many influences running through this album but Thundercat manages to keep things unique and interesting all the way. In the words of the legendary cartoon series: Thundercats HOOOOOOO!
REVIEW: Darren Rose
Connect with BPM