Thundercat puts out his most sonically confident and varied release yet which is a big win… so why am I so personally torn on it?
Release date: April 3, 2026 | Brainfeeder | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Stream/Purchase
I was battling with figuring out whether I think Thundercat‘s new album is good or great. Six years away can build anticipation, but also concern. What is taking that motherfucker so long? Not our business of course, but it goes without saying he left us on a bit of an unintended cliffhanger. 2020’s It Is What It Is was understandably marred with blue emotions with the loss of his pal and celebrated artist Mac Miller. He was deep in mourning, but still found time to reflect his sillier side in the music.
Distracted‘s power is twofold: where his last album was an ode to things he’s lost, Thundercat is focusing on the things he still has: friends, love, ADD. All the hits. He’s also maturing in both the sound he’s employing on his music and the tone of his lyrics. We don’t really get any songs like “Dragonball Durag” or “Tokyo” here, and that’s fine, because I think what we do get is a better picture of who Thundercat is currently and where he’s at.
But hey, that’s not to say that he doesn’t still pay tribute to the past. Distracted has a hell of a song with Mac Miller called “She Knows Too Much” (it’s leaked previously in another form I guess, but it’s new to me) and it grooves hard. Thundercat‘s ascending bassline and backup singing really complement Mac Miller‘s own center stage rapping and singing about becoming attached to a woman who may not have the purest intent. It’s accompanied by a very touching music video that hops between animation styles with the two artists going on a dreamy, lusty adventure in a very Toe Jam & Earl buddy way, funk included of course. There’s lots of little nods to their friendship and what they meant to each other to the point where I’m certain dude cried when he saw the final video, and I know that because even I cried when I saw it.
That sets the tone a bit for the rest of Distracted too. There’s a lot of features on the album, all spread out for more coverage, and they all matter immensely to the vibe of the album. Picking a favorite is tough among the lineup – Tame Impala might be a bit of an expected name, he seems to show up a number of places and is a general net positive, we also have Lil Yachty, A$AP Rocky, Channel Tres, but there’s a couple that really stand out besides Mac Miller.
“What Is Left To Say” features The Lemon Twigs who I’ve heard of, but never checked out. This song has such a wholesome and bright classic ’70s soul feel to it, maybe even a little bit of Motown oldies with the melodies on the chorus including the vocals between everyone. It’s even produced by Kenny Beats to add another layer of ‘HUH?’ to it all – dude is versatile as hell. WILLOW comes through and assists on “ThunderWave” which is a stone cold duet with Thundercat about the safe, anchoring companionship you can find in another. There’s a playful keys solo toward the end, but the percussion and sounds of waves splashing help enhance the track more than anything else. Very unique track for Mr. Cat.
Solo Thundercat still has some sauce though, even if some of it runs together slightly. The last four songs compose this suite of mental health bangers that deal with insecurities, overthinking, ADD, regret, and a general malaise that makes everything feel off. I think his most heartfelt take on Distracted is in the middle on “I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your Time” which is a bit self-explanatory, but it shows the most vulnerability. The instrumentation is well-layered and busy, the vocals on the second verse really captivate the most. It’s followed up nicely by “Anakin Learns His Fate” which is way less self-explanatory, but big on melodic vocalization. The cutest moment is probably on “Walking on the Moon” where he waxes poetic about his feelings of love and passion using space as an ethereal backdrop with name drops of sci-fi cult classic Barbarella, and Uhura from Star Trek.
Distracted is exactly what it says it is, packing a lot into a moderate amount, going everywhere it can in that space and, generally, having a blast while doing it. Some of it can meander, but it’s well-intentioned and sounds great no matter what. The instrumentation is the richest it’s probably ever been for one of Thundercat‘s projects, showing his ear for sound has done nothing but grown over the years. Maybe nothing hits you with the warbling funk simplicity that “Them Changes” did years ago, but that’s a really hard song to beat to begin with. Thundercat isn’t quite in that same place musically, though he is perhaps thematically, pricked by the roses of love time and time again which continues to make him an endearing and relatable figure.
So in the end, I’m still not solidly planted on one side or the other, good or great. I do know it’s worth a listen regardless. Distracted was a bright spot of the last week since its release, contrasting the overcast that’s marked my area and kept me bouncing in my seat no matter where I’m at, a distraction in and of itself. If that was part of the point, then bravo, Thundercat succeeded. We could all use a little distraction here and there to center ourselves. This album allowed me to be sentimental for a bit and I greatly appreciate it for that.
