Album: Thundercat, Apocalypse (Brainfeeder)

When it comes to jazzy soul that sounds like the future more than the past, bassist/vocalist Thundercat (aka Stephen Bruner) and co-producer Flying Lotus have it nailed.

Yet Apocalypse is a strange album (inspired in part by the death of pianist Austin Peralta) with echoes of the Mothers of Invention as well as Daft Punk. But "Oh Sheit It's X" is the feel-good song of the year and the weird, aquatic-sounding requiems are getting better all the time.