Released in 2017 on Brainfeeder, Drunk is Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner’s sprawling, 23-track epic that stands as a definitive masterpiece of eccentric, modern progressive soul and virtuoso jazz fusion. Moving through brief, vignette-like tracks, the album balances laugh-out-loud absurdism (anime, video games, cats, and awkward social encounters) with deep-seated existential dread, heartbreak, and intoxication across standouts like "The Them Changes," "Friend Zone," "Bus in These Streets," and the smooth yacht-rock homage "Show You the Way" featuring Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. Featuring appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, and Pharrell, Drunk captures the chaotic, internal inner monologue of modern life with brilliant creative freedom and humor.Sonically, the album is a dense, hyper-dynamic labyrinth of rich analog textures, dazzling instrumental chops, and Flying Lotus’s signature Brainfeeder production style. The mix is completely dominated by Thundercat’s six-string bass work—ranging from heavy, squelchy envelope-filter funk grooves and thumping sub-bass notes to lightning-fast, chords-and-arpeggios lead runs that occupy the space of a solo guitar. Swirling ARP synths, lush vintage Rhodes chords, and intricate, off-kilter acoustic and electronic drum patterns create a thick, warm soundstage with incredible low-end impact. Over these complex, shifting time signatures, Bruner delivers his vocals in a sweet, floating falsetto—stacking tight, dreamy harmonies that soften the record's dizzying, virtuosic intensity into an addictively smooth, intoxicating groove.
Released in 2017 on Brainfeeder, Drunk is Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner’s sprawling, 23-track epic that stands as a definitive masterpiece of eccentric, modern progressive soul and virtuoso jazz fusion. Moving through brief, vignette-like tracks, the album balances laugh-out-loud absurdism (anime, video games, cats, and awkward social encounters) with deep-seated existential dread, heartbreak, and intoxication across standouts like "The Them Changes," "Friend Zone," "Bus in These Streets," and the smooth yacht-rock homage "Show You the Way" featuring Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins. Featuring appearances from Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, and Pharrell, Drunk captures the chaotic, internal inner monologue of modern life with brilliant creative freedom and humor.Sonically, the album is a dense, hyper-dynamic labyrinth of rich analog textures, dazzling instrumental chops, and Flying Lotus’s signature Brainfeeder production style. The mix is completely dominated by Thundercat’s six-string bass work—ranging from heavy, squelchy envelope-filter funk grooves and thumping sub-bass notes to lightning-fast, chords-and-arpeggios lead runs that occupy the space of a solo guitar. Swirling ARP synths, lush vintage Rhodes chords, and intricate, off-kilter acoustic and electronic drum patterns create a thick, warm soundstage with incredible low-end impact. Over these complex, shifting time signatures, Bruner delivers his vocals in a sweet, floating falsetto—stacking tight, dreamy harmonies that soften the record's dizzying, virtuosic intensity into an addictively smooth, intoxicating groove.