With a career’s worth of top-shelf session work with everyone from Snoop Dogg, and brother to Grammy winning drummer Ronald Bruner, Jr. makes the fact that Bruner is both the bassist of Suicide Tendencies, and responsible for this album of electro-jazz fusion seem not quite so odd. Long time friend and part of Flying Lotus Brainfeeder collective, Bruner has tapped into the vein established by Lotus’ Cosmogramma LP of last year-A continuum where break-beats and solo existentialism are paired with abstract sounds.

Bruner’s influences are simple and clear: Jazz and soul then focuses on the electronic aspects. While these inspirations are embellished it is where technological cinematic flourishes, and Bruner really brings something memorable is in his virtuoso playing. Entitled The Golden Age of Apocalypse and issued autumn of last year by the Brainfeeder label, it has already been hailed by BBC radio DJ Gilles Peterson as “the most essential bass player’s album since Jaco Pastorius’ Jaco Pastorius.” Bruner is undoubtedly what was once called a musician’s musician, a practice based enthusiast who reveres good playing and he is unashamed of his talent.

“HooooooO” opens the beat as a short intro with a sample from the 80’s cartoon over a 70’s fusion clip before “Daylight” kicks in with a bumpy psychedelic pop beat with synthetic programming mashed with analog. Breezy and dreamy soulful vocals chants over the up-tempo rhythm; “Open your mind, daylight.” This is spaced out soul from a newly arrived time machine.

It is on the third track, “Fleer Ultra,” that his true loves finally leaps to the fore, because that’s the first time the bass really buzzes. On the mellow “Goldenboy,” Thundercat toys with time signatures, cooing Moogs, and a melodic bass technique that would make Jaco Pastorious proud. The noteworthy “Walkin’” is about as close to convention as Thundercat comes here. The tune struts in all its 80s glory like a would-be Michael McDonald demo submission for Eddie Murphy’s Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack. Throughout Apocalypse, it’s Bruner’s exceptionally fluid funky bass work that ties together the new millennium computer madness and that feels like they could have been laid down in the analog days of 1974.

However The Golden Age of Apocalypse is likely to confuse a number of those expecting some form of Cosmogramma part deux. It is primarily a jazz album with a touch of electronic interference, and clearly a sum of Thundercat’s numerous influences and co-collaborators rather than drawing on one area in particular. Regardless of the musical position it occupies in comparison to its immediate peers, Thundercat has a defiantly esoteric and individual debut, as well as a fantastic showcase for his remarkable talent. Perhaps not everyone’s cup of coolade, The Golden Age of Apocalypse seems specially made for a hipster SEGA game or long, hot, chilled California sunshine days.

According to Cosmos Magazine, “Brains react to music like a drug.” Well, If dopamine is drum patterns and spacey synths, Nashville based producer Myrryrs is giving a smooth body high with his latest opus Blood of a Slave EP.

The five-track EP opens with “Burn And Turn It Up,” a track that’s equal parts electronic dance as it is bassy Southern hip-hop. From the opening track which finds Three Six Mafia samples chopped and screwed throughout, the southern influence is uncanny, of course attributed to his home of Nashville, TN. The EP isn’t all bravado, it caps with the relaxing “Paradis Parka.” From the moment the track starts, it’s sexy time, and even the prudish person can’t resist Myrryrs’ lush synths.

Apart from the three original tracks, the EP boasts two inspired remixes by CEDAA and Brooklyn-based producer Obey City, who both rework “Blood of a Slave.” The latter turns the title track into a mirage of spacey synths and dreamy appreggios. A far cry from the original which could only be considered gangsta dub at this point. Listen and download the Blood of a Slave EP below.

BYRSLF008 | MYRRYRS – Blood Of A Slave EP by B.YRSLF division

The kids are back in town with a Van Go vengeance on the dancefloor…

Body Moves: (n) 1. Sonic bridge between astral and human anatomy; 2. rhythmic ebb and flow between verse and synth verve

Quite digging Van Go Lion’s debut single… It’s subtly infectious without being overbearing, smooth without being bland – miracle-whipped ephemeral sounds blended with layered vocals in a spectral sonic electro-pop parfait, if you will.

We have the same sound magnificently evolved; if “Sugarblush” was then, consider now “Canerouge:” natural, pre-refinerd, deliberate confection – yet still definitively Van Go Lion.

Techgrain keys open the track and hold on to a rush of Rusko-eque ambiance, as synth coasts along second wave Lucky Star trails through Her Mod Madgesty’s dancefloor manor. There is a continuous fluidity, from splashes of orbital raindrops, to the constant ebb and flow between detached sounds and coalesced mini-crescendos – even the vocal structure parallels the panoramic soundscape. Amy Paige’s vocals self-dialogue between her adamantly clear and cosmic ambient selves, and as much as the beat builds off of itself, the lyrics dictate the chord progression.

“Move in closely, spin Satellite,” triggers spatially detached sounds to fuse together… “Can you feel it getting stronger? Stars built to shine like golden on blue,” calls over the building back beat, and nocturnal undertones beneath rays of rhythmic light… “Break this fever: show me moves made of sweat and a bassline,” as the track cuts before the dropped bassline… “The light hits, the beat commits, the stars shine; sparkles stick to me like glue – when your body moves:” the sonic aesthetic – in 140 characters or less #runtweetthat

Watch This Space: Literally – it’s entertaining

Let me introduce you to the exciting new music of Pop Heroes. Two parts Daft Punk, One part electronic madness, Pop Heroes is the side musical project of Matt Hunsberger. Matt lives and works in Connecticut and is currently working on the first full length record for Pop Heroes.

Take a listen to Pop Heroe’s latest project Space. The EP starts with “Take Off,” a light pop tune with a Euro-Dance sound. Matthew reminds me of the lead singer of Pet Shop Boys on the aforementioned track, and the one that follows “Orbit.” The latter track is screaming for Jay-Z to sample it for a hit. The highlight is the final track “Outer Space,” which is more of a remix of The Corrs’ hit song “Breathless.” Coming in a three songs, two of which are under three minutes, Space is obviously abrupt. But, that’s what EP’s are intended to do. Leave the listener wanting more before knowing they’re even asking for it.

Download: Pop Heroes – Space

Gil Scott Heron’s new album starts with a spoken word piece randomly paired over Kanye West’s “Flashing Lights.” But like most of this folk, blues and electronic leaning album, this works in a quirky way. Gil’s lyrics and metaphors are still on point. It’s lines like “she said I had an ego the size of Texas” or “Not running for cover, because if I knew where cover was, I would stay there and never have to run” that should make all these emcees step their pen game up. Track highlights include “New York is Killing Me,” “Where Did The Night Go” and the passion filled ballad “I’ll Take Care of You.”
Download: “I’ll Take Care of You” “I’m New Here” “Where Did The Night Go”

I’ve been a fan of Danger since I first heard them. Here’s a pretty cool video 8-bit video game inspired from the group for their song “4H30.” Watch it below.

Brooklyn-based trio Growing is a combination of glitch, fuzz and drone. Part Daft Punk and part Diplo this band has something interesting going on. Their album “Pumps” comes out April 6^th. Listen to their song “Hormones” below.

MP3: Growing – Hormones