Bass players, the second-class citizens of bands, have been stepping to the fore with some great records lately. Stephen Bruer plays behind acts as diverse as Suicidal Tendencies and Erykah Badu; on Apocalypse, his second at-bat, Flying Lotus leads the production for a record as frenetic as it is smooth. His love for ’70s George Duke is still present and welcome. The funk of “Oh Sheit It’s X” molds 1976 for 2014 ears, sweeping vocals and bubbling bass licks. “Heartbreaks and Setbacks” is a cosmic Hall & Oates update that won’t be appreciated for years. The excellent album closes with a tribute to the fallen pianist Austin Peralta. Some records you fear will be lost to a modern generation and only discovered by whatever 2043’s version of Numero will look like; be one of Thundercat’s early adopters.