Atlanta - August 24, 2007

Out of This World

“Metropolis,” Janelle Monáe’s Debut Album

Rumor has it (and by rumor, we mean a friend of a friend of a dude at WRAS told us) that the lone lady on Big Boi’s Purple Ribbon label was about to release some genre-bending tunes of her own.

Thank the message boards, because Metropolis, Janelle Monáe’s debut album, drops today. 

Like its kinda-leaked single, “Violet Stars Happy Hunting” (possibly overheard during a sweaty dance session at MJQ’s), its lasting impression is equal parts underground and cool.

Monáe introduces an addictive album concept: Instead of releasing an entire CD, she’s spacing out four or five synthesized, jazzy, funk-rock releases in the coming months.

Suites play novella style, with Monáe singing as alter ego cyborg/songstress Cindi Mayweather, who has just fallen in love for the first time. (Nothing new for anyone who’s ever heard of, say, OutKast.)

Catchy? Yuh-huh. Trippy? For sure. Poised to keep Atlanta on the global music scene? 

Pshaw. That may be the understatement of the galaxy.

Available online at janellemonáe.com. Album release party Saturday night, 8 p.m., at Sugarhill Lounge, 50 Upper Alabama Street, Downtown (404-658-0068 or sugarhillatl.com).

  Music