The Golden Age of Apocalypse

One problem with the microgenre of chillwave -- aside from the dopey name -- is that the music arrives slathered with irony as thick as its signature distortion. The diffidence of folks like Toro Y Moi provides them with an easy out in case anyone twits them for liking such resolutely unfashionable sounds. So the debut solo album from Los Angeles musician/producer Thundercat isn't really chillwave, although it certainly shares an affinity with that crowd. The difference is that Stephen Bruner has a genuine love and respect for the smoother side of 1970s jazz fusion, the lush sound of which forms the basis of these songs. He even covers fusion icon George Duke's "For Love (I Come Your Friend)," transforming the kinetic original into a sultry quiet storm ballad. Awash in vintage synthesizer sounds and mellow grooves, much of the album wouldn't sound out of place as the background muzak in your dentist's waiting room. But even a cursory listen reveals wit and complexity in the song structures, and Bruner showcases his remarkably dextrous (but never merely showoffy) bass playing throughout. The Golden Age of Apocalypse is so effortlessly cool that it might spur listeners to explore the oft-maligned (and to be fair, not always unfairly) genre of '70s fusion on their own.