Grammy award-winning bassist and singer Thundercat is joined by Flying Lotus, Kendrick Lamar, Pharrell Williams, Kamasi Washington, Wiz Khalifa, Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins on his third full-length album. Over this 23-track epic, Thundercat weaves emotional yet darkly humorous tales of alcohol dependency and heartbreak through mesmeric bass improvisations and soft vocal harmonies. There are many funk-fuelled highlights, including Them Changes, taken from his 2015 release The Beyond/Where the Giants Roam, and the catchy Friend Zone: “Don’t call me, don’t text me, after 2am/ Unless you plan on giving me some”. The tracklist could stand a little pruning, but Thundercat’s virtuoso bass playing and impressive cast of collaborators make it an early standout of 2017.
