Thundercat celebrates the 10th anniversary of his debut album “The Golden Age of Apocalypse” with an incredible deluxe vinyl edition (including two bonus tracks).
Brainfeeder, the LA-based record label founded by Flying Lotus, salutes the 10th anniversary of Thundercat’s mercurial debut album from 2011 – “The Golden Age of Apocalypse” – with a luxurious deluxe vinyl edition comprising a translucent red LP housed in a beautiful shiny gold mirriboard sleeve with a large Thundercat logo hologram sticker and gold rainbow holofoil detail. The tracklisting includes two bonus tracks: ‘$200 TB’ and ‘Daylight (Reprise)’.
“The Golden Age of Apocalypse” wasn’t simply the record that introduced Stephen Bruner as an unrivalled talent and creative force to the world in 2011. It also represented the genesis of a close-knit, localised movement that won global recognition. Executively produced by Thundercat’s longtime musical partner Flying Lotus, the album features an insanely talented crop of young Los Angelians and kindred spirits. Among them, fellow Young Jazz Giants: Kamasi Washington, Cameron Graves and Ronald Bruner Jr, the quartet with whom Thundercat cut his teeth; the brilliant pianist Austin Peralta (who tragically passed away in 2012), Brandon Coleman, Taylor Graves, Hadrien Féraud and Oliver Johnson (Dorian Concept). Serving as a catalyst, the release of “The Golden Age of Apocalypse” inspired and galvanized Bruner’s peers to release their own albums, perhaps most notably Kamasi Washington’s “The Epic” (2015), the record that re-focused worldwide attention on the sheer wealth of jazz talent in LA.
Testament to Bruner’s standing amongst his elders in his hometown, “The Golden Age of Apocalypse” also features Shafiq Husayn and Om’Mas Keith of Sa-Ra Creative Partners – bastions of progressive soul, hip-hop and R&B in LA in the 2000s – plus God-like drummer Chris “Daddy” Dave, Brook “D’Leau” Davis (J*Davey) and Miguel Atwood-Ferguson. And let’s not forget the Queen, Erykah Badu, who casually contributes vocals to the classic ‘Walkin’.
Universally acclaimed for its enthusiastic fusion and adventurous spirit, “The Golden Age of Apocalypse” embraced a future-facing and carefree attitude that came hand-in-hand with the assembled cast’s collective vision. However, they retained a healthy respect and reverence for the pioneers of progressive popular music who came before: from George Duke and Herbie Hancock to Jaco Pastorius. A decade on from its original release, the record is still a “densely layered, expertly played, genre-crossing marvel” (Pitchfork).
Bruner is a cornerstone of the Brainfeeder Records label having released all four of his albums – “The Golden Age of Apocalypse” (2011), “Apocalypse” (2013), “Drunk” (2017) and “It Is What It Is” (2020) – on the imprint. His most recent record “It Is What It Is” won Best Progressive R&B Album at 63rd GRAMMY Awards and featured musical contributions from his friends Ty Dolla $ign, Childish Gambino, Lil B, Kamasi Washington, Steve Lacy, Steve Arrington, BADBADNOTGOOD, Louis Cole, Pedro Martins and Zack Fox. The record was produced by Thundercat and his longtime musical partner Flying Lotus who was GRAMMY-nominated in “Producer of the Year, Non-Classical” for his work on the album.
Thundercat found his instrument at the age of 4. That made him a late-bloomer in the house of Ronald Bruner, Sr., who drummed with the Temptations among others. He joined thrash legends Suicidal Tendencies as a teenager, and has spent road and studio time with everyone from Stanley Clarke and Herbie Hancock to N.E.R.D., Travis Scott, HAIM and Ariana Grande.
The name Thundercat is a reference to the cartoon he’s loved since childhood and an extension of his wide-eyed, vibrant, often superhuman approach to his craft. In 2020 things came full circle when Bruner voiced a character (and penned a song) named "Grune the Destroyer" in Cartoon Network’s Thundercats Roar animated series.