The ArchAndroid

As all albums should start, ArchAndroid starts with a grandiose orchestral overture that could've only elsewhere be found in a fantastical Hollywood history movie with some Disney in it. What follows is an hour long amazingly versitale concept album that bends at will and has actual evolution. Can you believe that? An album that is actually interested in arching and exploring it's borders. ArchAndroid knows no comfort zone, but only a centerstage around which everything steadily spins.

Navigating the realm of the past, present and a nostalgic future, Janelle Monae uses an extremely open set of techniques and musicality to connect all the dots in a way that is both obviously precise but never frustratingly rigid. It's pure art pop in a way I can only admire. One thing Monae also dares to announce is that she, herself, is not the star of this piece. She, with her fabulous voice and having found an exceptionally suportive instrumental base, could have chosen to be a new Mariah Carey, Elton John or Beyoncé. But in a noble notion, she uses her flashy behaviour in a somewhat more reserved and personal manner. That's not to say the album isn't an absolute extravaganza that is sumptuous like a ballroom and has the popflair of a dancehall - it's full of this but isn't made out of this. ArchAndroid always feels slightly experimental and dreamy, but never grits on cheap psychedelic touches that are so embedded in conventional surrealism that they have long gone very tired.
There's loads and loads of imaginative worldbuilding constructed from an orchestral scaled fantasy and dreamy vocals that float their way through the buildings and streets it mimics through it's instrumentals. It's power comes from this very individual voice with all the agency in the world, belonging to nobody but Janelle Monae. She and her powerhouse of a voice that stretches to many paces, lows & highs wander through this world in an exact pace that is only determined by her, not by her music. Her voice has that sort of natural artificiality that many singers can only dream of. And yet, she doesn't powder herself up to take a spotlight, she more or less takes on the role of a righteous leader than a spokesperson. Her music is very varied, taking inspirations from the best of pop and afromusic. But it welcomes many tiny fractions of other genres and styles into it's own while never distracting itself from it's roots. I like this style of combining elements a lot - there's lots of control and it still slaps with the energy that it desires to. There is artistry to behold here, but little artistry to brag with. A musician is also defined by choices like these, and I compliment Monae very much by restraining her talent and keeping her carte blanche of talent to herself.
A song or two are more than I bargained for, or go a tad over the top for me. And I think some featured components such as hiphop are underused in places where they really could provide even stronger music. The balance is still a little off for me, but I'm very much aware that it is controlled. It has some smoothing out to do and may even take on some more grit, even though it might take a bite of that delicious, near perfect futurism that stars here.

The best things about it is not only the explorable message, which I have not yet provided because that will be for another review, but also the fact that it is an album that has a unique voice but isn't afraid of being mainstream. It goes in a crescendo and the last five songs are truly the cream of the cream. Monae has a lot of talent and clearly knows how to wield it in different directions, may we stop sleeping on her and acknowledge her as one of the best artists of her generation.