Janelle Monáe has brought back her unique fusion of funk and R&B in her recently-released album The Electric Lady. The inimitable album utilizes the talents of other up-and-coming artists like Erykah Badu, Solange, Miguel and Esperanza Spalding to create a mixture of music unlike any other.
Monáe’s extreme musical talent and the unique aspects of The Electric Lady’s sound represent something new in music: a shift in popular culture toward distinctive and soulful music, contrasted with artists who churn out song after song of meaningless crap. Monáe’s album is completely her own. She is perfectly original and herself. She is a rarity in modern pop music.
Prince is also featured on the album on the song “Givin’ ‘Em What They Love.” His influence on her work is quite noticeable, as is that of David Bowie, Andre 3000 and recent Justin Timberlake. The difference? Monáe is the only female of the bunch. Monáe recognizes and uses this role on songs such as “Ghetto Woman” and “Q.U.E.E.N.,” both of which promote female empowerment. It’s Monáe’s unrelenting mix of topical themes and psychedelic music that makes her sound so exceptional.
Monáe often discusses her alter ego, Cindi Mayweather, on the album. “Our Favorite Fugitive” features a made-up radio announcer discussing Mayweather’s morals. Mayweather is also a droid robot. It’s quirks like these that make it difficult not to fall in love with Monáe’s spunk and personality.
Monáe has created such a fun and innovative album that it feels like a gift. The previously-released single from the album, “Q.U.E.E.N.,” sounds like a cooler, female version of Gnarls Barkley. It’s impossible not to dance along. Her music is stupefying, but some of the lyrics are hard to relate to in an emotional context because this is Monáe’s world, and we are all just guests.
Almost all of the songs on The Electric Lady are extremely well put-together. The most extraordinary songs on the album are “Electric Lady,” “PrimeTime,” “Victory,” “Q.U.E.E.N.” and “What an Experience.” When it comes to picking featured artists, Monáe displays the same kind of musical knowledge as an artist like Kanye West. “PrimeTime” features Miguel, and it’s one of the only ballads on the album. The love song is beautiful, but it’s Miguel’s voice that really shines through on the song. Considering he is a Grammy Award-winning singer, this is completely understandable. Although Monáe is a talented singer, her true strength comes from her appreciation and understanding of music, as well as her unique point of view.
The Electric Lady somehow manages to merge a futuristic sound with a retro disco feel. The album is noteworthy, and defines Monáe as an artist not to be missed. However, she is not an artist for everyone. Her unique style and genre-splitting sound are meant for a specific type of listener. For fans of mellower music, this might not be a perfect fit. This invitation into Monáe’s imagination is a fascinating musical journey that will have alternative music listeners buzzing and singing for months to come.
4.5 out of 5 stars
