Whereas most soul and R&B records made after 1967 make me want to douse myself in gasoline and light a match, Solange Knowles' new record came as a welcome surprise. A major factor in my unlikely enjoyment of Sol-Angel is its rejection of the faux-soul sound that has dominated the past twenty or so years. Solange instead embraces sounds from the acme of Motown and the girl-group genre it inspired. The album isn't purely a throughback, though, as it also incorporates influences from more recent electronic music. "This Bird" masterfully appropriates a sample from Boards of Canada and "Sandcastle Disco" reminds me of Stereolab at times. Sol-Angel is a remarkable development from a young artist who is just beginning to move out of her more famous sister's shadow.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Solange: Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams
Whereas most soul and R&B records made after 1967 make me want to douse myself in gasoline and light a match, Solange Knowles' new record came as a welcome surprise. A major factor in my unlikely enjoyment of Sol-Angel is its rejection of the faux-soul sound that has dominated the past twenty or so years. Solange instead embraces sounds from the acme of Motown and the girl-group genre it inspired. The album isn't purely a throughback, though, as it also incorporates influences from more recent electronic music. "This Bird" masterfully appropriates a sample from Boards of Canada and "Sandcastle Disco" reminds me of Stereolab at times. Sol-Angel is a remarkable development from a young artist who is just beginning to move out of her more famous sister's shadow.
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