Thundercat, photo by Neil Krug

Thundercat has unveiled Distracted, his long-awaited fifth studio album. Set to release via Brainfeeder on April 3, six years to the date after 2020’s Grammy-winning It Is What It Is, the singer-songwriter and pathbreaking bassist’s follow-up turns his eclectic brand of leftfield funk and jazz fusion on the absurdity of the attention economy and its permeation throughout modern life. To preview the project, he’s shared the lead single “I Did This To Myself,” featuring a verse from Lil Yachty and additional production from Flying Lotus.

“Sometimes you need to be distracted to focus in a different way,” Thundercat said in a release.

“I Did This To Myself” centers the scattered introspection that’s long been a calling card for Thundercat, who doubts his chances chasing an inattentive baddie. Over a stiff bounce of rumbling bass riffs and percolating synth plinks, his oddball humor finds a kindred spirit in Yachty, who lobs ad-libs like “that’s not a real job” and “damn, that’s crazy” while asserting that “the more that I look in your face, you look like your dad/ And it’s hard picturing him with a big ol’ ass.” Archetypal work from all parties.

Thundercat crafted Distracted through close collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Greg Kurstin, whose guidance helped to strike a balance between rich layering and immediacy, and to find a compelling midpoint between the lush freak-outs of 2017’s Drunk and the tender, mournful overtones of It Is What It Is. Longtime collaborator Flying Lotus, Kenny Beats and The Lemon Twigs also brought their diverse production perspectives in turns, and other guests across the project include WILLOW, Tame Impala, Channel Tres and A$AP Rocky, who recently hosted Thundercat for his “Punk Rocky” SNL performance, as well as an unreleased collaboration with the late Mac Miller.

Distracted is available to pre-order and pre-save now. Listen to “I Did This To Myself” below, and read on for the album’s full tracklist.

Distracted – Thundercat:
1. Candlelight
2. No More Lies (feat. Tame Impala)
3. She Knows Too Much (feat. Mac Miller)
4. I Did This To Myself (feat. Lil Yachty)
5. Funny Friends (feat. A$AP Rocky)
6. What Is Left To Say
7. I Wish I Didn’t Waste Your Time
8. Anakin Learns His Fat
9. Walking On The Moon
10. This Thing We Call Love (feat. Channel Tres)
11. ThunderWave (feat. WILLOW)
12. Pozole
13. A.D.D. Through The Roof
14. Great Americans
15. You Left Without Saying Goodbye