If variety is indeed the spice of life, then Los Angeles artist Thundercat has had one spicy life so far. Known to his mother as Stephen Bruner, Thundercat is best known in electronic music circles for being the touring bassist for Flying Lotus. Bruner also featured on Flying Lotus’ most recent album, Cosmogramma, and has undertaken studio and tour work for artists ranging from Snoop Dogg to Eric Benet. In further examples of the breadth of his musical tastes, Bruner remains the bassist for thrashers Suicidal Tendencies and was once a member of a boy band that did well in the German charts (it’s unclear whether David Hasselhoff featured in the boy band in any way, shape or form).

Having had the chance to see Bruner live earlier this year when he toured with FlyLo and formed a formidable rhythm section with his brother, drummer Ronald Bruner Jr, I was eager to hear what Bruner would deliver on his debut solo album. It appears FlyLo was the driving force behind the album, the boy genius producing the album and releasing it on his Brainfeeder label.

The FlyLo influence is noticeable from the outset on The Golden Age of Apocalypse, with Daylight featuring distorted, glitchy beats and funky bass wanderings. Sun-drenched keys and vibraphones add melodic notes over the top and give the track a warm, jazz-centered groove. On Is It Love? Thundercat showcases his vocal abilities and the elegant, soulful crooning adds a degree of lushness to the stylish nu-jazz number, before the addition of saxophone brings back memories of the soft-jazz revival of the ‘80s and early ‘90s.

Throughout the album, there are constant references to the ‘80s jazz scene, with elements of jazz-rock appearing on multiple tracks. Fleer Ultra captures that retro sound effectively, with heavy synthesiser a la Herbie Hancock paired alongside some of FlyLo’s quirky modern touches. FlyLo’s influence is more pronounced on some tracks than others, as if the Brainfeeder boss were given licence to push the boundaries on certain selected tracks. Jamboree, for example, is the kind of tune that wouldn’t appear out of place featuring on Cosmogramma, while Mystery Machine would make the perfect soundtrack material for some kind of horror flick, with the keys putting a heavy emphasis on the sharp minor chords as Bruner produces prodding, uncertain bass lines.

The unmistakable highlight of the album, however, is Thundercat’s inspired rendition of jazz-fusion artist George Duke’s For Love I Come. Dreamy, breathy vocals lull the listener into a relaxed, otherworldly state before the virtuoso bassist Bruner brilliantly shows off his skills on his instrument of choice, combining brilliantly with his drummer brother as the track hurtles towards its climax.

Along with the album’s hits come some misses as well. The recipe that was successful in producing For Love I Come doesn’t come off so well on Walkin’ – its funky beat is rendered naff by overly saccharine lyrics (“Each moment with you I adore / ‘Cause there is no one like you girl / I’m just a fool for you / I can’t keep my cool”).

Elsewhere, tracks such as It Really Doesn’t Matter to You and Return to the Journey lack direction and sound like extended improv sessions, offering mere hints of songs that haven’t been fully developed. But, all things considered, The Golden Age of Apocalypse is a varied and mostly compelling offering from Thundercat, which features more hits than misses. When the Bruner brothers and FlyLo are good (as on For Love I Come ), they are extraordinarily good, and for that reason alone I’ll be excited to see what music they produce together in the future.

The Golden Age of Apocalypse is out September 2nd through Inertia.