Janelle Monáe - Without A Fight / The Shape Of Things To Come (Videos)

One of my favourite artists of 2010, the completely fantastic Janelle Monáe has put out two brand new songs this week. Proving that The ArchAndroid album (reviewed here by me) was just the beginning of what this multi-talented girl has to offer. This new material might not be a great departure from that album, but hey, why fix what ain't broke?

Without A Fight (From 'For Colored Girls' OST)

Without A Fight is being used for the film soundtrack of For Coloured Girls, where it sits alongside tracks from soul legends like Gladys Knight and Nina Simone. Monáe is a natural heir to these pioneers, and it's great to hear them next to each other. The track could easily have been an off-cut from The ArchAndroid, a jazzy uptempo romp through three-and-a-half minutes of unrelentingly positive self-help mantras, it's pure Monáe.



The Shape Of Things To Come (For 'Shape What's To Come')

Recorded for the Shape What's To Come online community, and released for free on their website (grab it here now), The Shape Of Things To Come is another track all about empowering young women. A version of Max Frost & The Troopers' much covered 1968 track which weighs in at just 1 minute 49 seconds, it's a perfect showcase for Monáe's beautiful soul voice.



Buy Janelle Monáe - The ArchAndroid from iTunes now

Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid (Suites II & III)

Janelle Monáe is one fascinating character. This genre-busting singer is just waiting to unleash herself on a largely unsuspecting world this year, with the next instalment of her sci-fi hip-hopera. You may already have guessed at this point, but singer is a rather limiting description for Janelle Monáe, who also writes and produces all of her music. Best of all though, she has fabricated a complex and at times bewildering science fiction back story concept for her releases to date. On Monáe's 2007 debut EP Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase) she introduced us to her android alter-ego Cindi Mayweather, and a tale of forbidden love, and high adventure.

Now with the release of The Archandroid (Suites II & III) we are finally being treated to the next chapters of this story. It is near impossible to pigeon hole The ArchAndroid, as Monáe flits constantly from RnB to pop to soul to hip-hop to indie pop, unwilling to be tied to just one style. What it all has in common though is that it is very, very good. This is after all an experimental high-concept album which manages to remain light and listenable at all times, and that is a rare feat indeed.