Music #5: Janelle Monàe & The ArchAndroid
Enter into the world of The ArchAndroid, the sci-fi ‘concept album’ consisting of no less than two suites with dedicated overtures, a musical schizophrenia of genres and one fictional messianic android, album artist Janelle Monàe’s alter ego Cindy Mayweather. The ArchAndroid: Suites II and III is the sequel to the EP Metropolis: Suit I (The Chase), continuing the epic journey of the android as the mediator between rationality and the imagination in the struggle to throw off the oppressive forces of society. The powerful cultural context woven into the archetypal sci-fi bundle of conflicting and coalescing genres is only the beginning of the depth the album possesses.
Like big names before her such as Prince, David Bowie and Lady Gaga, Monàe has created something that critics are combining - almost inventing - genres in order to attempt to describe the colourful and varied taste of the album. Monàe herself has described the saga as an ‘emotion picture’, and it is certainly true that the album is more than the sum of its parts, although its parts are particularly lovely when considered individually. The conceptual album utilises a variety of genres to demonstrate not only Monàe’s extraordinary vocal talent and unexpected direction of thought, but also to break down any presuppositions that she is anything less than deserving of the Grammy for Best R&B/Pop Album of 2010.
The album opens with the ‘Suite II Overture’, an instrumental piece mixing almost Disney-esque twirls of suspenseful classical music, with a hint of rocket ships, stardust and the seven dwarves. In sharp contrast, ‘Come Alive’ showcases her raw vocal talent, channelling the empowered throaty rock style of an early Susie Quatro. The first single, ‘Cold War’ and the second ‘Tightrope’, which features hip-hop artist Big Boi, are both from the first suite of the album. Suite III contains a variety of sultry ballads, love songs, and liberal use of sexy violins, creating a drastic distinction between the two suites. ‘Say You’ll Go’ is as personal and romantic as if a lover were playing a piece composed in your honour. While ‘Cold War’ is thought to be a contended for future James Bond films, possible due to the title, ‘BabopbyeYa’ is the song that truly captures the old-school sexual tension of the alluring secret agent’s world. Anarchy in the world of the ArchAndroid has been raised through the impassioned ambitiousness of Monàe’s approach to her music. She flits confidently from one genre to another, spreading her message for all lovers of music to access.
There is an almost imperceptible shift from one song to the other as the Afro-pop, R’n’B, soul and jazz tones of the songs blend together and compliment each other nicely. The general theme that runs through this first suite is self-realisation and awareness within the class struggle. No doubt Marx would have something to say about her methods of mobilising the passions of listeners. Working with mythical science fiction archetypes to broaden the meaning present in the album, there’s an allusion to breaking down the chains of African-American oppression that has existed for centuries. Explored in the first suite and into the second and third, it can only be hoped that the issue is exhibited in the fourth and final suite to be released in an undefined point in the future. A highly political deconstruction of the album may appear to dampen the otherwise positive reception, but interaction with these themes largely comes down to accessibility. You can spend the 70 minutes of the album contemplating the politics, or you can shake your booty to the more up-beat tracks. It is yet another defining characteristic of the tuxedo-sporting woman with the perfectly coiffed hair that she can attract a range of audiences that identify with her album for a multitude of reasons.
The ArchAndroid: Suites II and III is a perfect continuation of the first suite Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase). The assortment of sounds Monàe has complied to create the love child of several generations’ worth of music can stand proudly in any category. Her foray into so many categories of musical discipline may be ambitious, but any pretention is nullified by the composed and intelligent way she performs each song with the skill of someone much more experienced. Her album and her personality are an invigorating and inspiring addition to contemporary mainstream music.