The ArchAndroid is the debut studio album by American singer and songwriter Janelle Monáe, released on May 18, 2010, by Wondaland Arts Society, Bad Boy Records, and Atlantic Records. Production for the album took place at Wondaland Studios in Atlanta and was primarily handled by Monáe, Nate "Rocket" Wonder, and Chuck Lightning, with only one song without production by Monáe. She also collaborated for certain songs with Saul Williams, Big Boi, of Montreal, and Deep Cotton.
The album is composed of the second and third parts to Monáe's Metropolis concept album series. Incorporating conceptual elements of Afrofuturism and science fiction, The ArchAndroid continues the series' fictional tale of a messianic android and features lyrical themes of love, identity, and self-realization. Critical commentaries have compared the album to the works of David Bowie, Outkast, Prince and Michael Jackson.
The ArchAndroid debuted at number 17 on the US Billboard 200, selling 21,000 copies in its first week, while charting modestly in several other countries. Monáe promoted the album with the release of two singles – "Tightrope" and "Cold War" – and concert tours in 2010 and 2011. A widespread critical success, The ArchAndroid received praise for its thematic concepts and Monáe's eclectic musical range. It later ranked among 2010's best albums in many critics' lists and earned the singer a Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary R&B Album.
Writing and recording
The ArchAndroid follows Janelle Monáe's debut EP Metropolis: The Chase Suite (2007) and is composed as the second and third parts to her Metropolis concept series.Lewis, Pete. Janelle Monae: Funky Sensation . Blues & Soul. Retrieved July 12, 2010. Partly inspired by the 1927 film of the same name, the series involves the fictional tale of Cindi Mayweather, a messianic android sent back in time to free the citizens of Metropolis from The Great Divide, a secret society that uses time travel to suppress freedom and love.
In an interview for the Chicago Tribune, Monáe said that she drew inspiration for the album from the quotation, "The mediator between the hand and the mind is always the heart". She explained her incorporation of the android as a metaphor for the minority, in addition to being the role of the story's protagonist. In an interview for Blues & Soul, Monáe said the character "represents the mediator between the haves and the have-nots, the minority and the majority. So in that way she's very similar to Neo, the Archangel from The Matrix. And basically her return will mean freedom for the android community".
Monáe has said about the recording sessions, "Over the last year and a half when we were recording the ArchAndroid I went through a very transformative period in my life". Monáe completed the album in Atlanta at the Wondaland Studios. Monáe has stated that the album signifies "breaking the chains that enslave minorities of all types". She has said of recording the album, "Overall, this music came from various corners of the world—from Turkey to Prague to Atlanta—places we were on tour. While recording, we’d experiment with different sounds. Once we became engulfed in the sound, we all had an emotional connection to the album. It has definitely transformed my way of thinking, the way that I approach the stage and overall, my life".
Music and lyrics Monáe has stated that the album's musical influences encompass "all the things I love, scores for films like Goldfinger mixed with albums like Stevie Wonder's Music of My Mind and David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust, along with experimental hip hop influences from albums such as Outkast's Stankonia". Huw Jones of Slant Magazine described her sound as "a unique gray area between neo soul, funk, and art rock".Jones, Huw (December 8, 2010). Janelle Monáe (London, U.K. - December 5, 2010) . Slant Magazine. Retrieved December 9, 2010. Music writer Greg Kot stated that the album "touches on" musical genres such as funk, hip hop, folk, electro-pop, glam rock, big-band jazz, rock and classical music.
Monáe has stated that the album's lyrical themes and storyline were heavily influenced by Fritz Lang's Metropolis. Conceptually, Kot described the album as "a self-empowerment manifesto couched inside a futuristic 'emotion-picture' about an android’s battle to overcome oppression. The notion of space travel and 'new worlds' becomes a metaphor for breaking the chains that enslave minorities of all types – a theme that has a long tradition in African-American music, from Sun Ra and Parliament-Funkadelic to Cannibal Ox and OutKast".Kot, Greg. Turn It Up: Janelle Monae, the interview: 'I identify with androids' . Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 12, 2010. The Atlantics Brentin Mock called The ArchAndroid "unique, forward-looking, and apoplectic... something of a jitterbug between Prince's 1986 movie Under the Cherry Moon and the 1977 Watts movie Killer of Sheep, and Daughters of the Dust". Seth Colter Walls of Newsweek described the album as "rocking in parts like Dirty Mind–era Prince, unfolding in a suite form that recalls Abbey Roads side two, and bumping throughout with the best innovations of contemporary hip-hop".Walls, Seth Colter. Review: The ArchAndroid (Suites II and III) . Newsweek. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
The opening song "Dance or Die" features performer Saul Williams and contains neo soul influences. It then transitions into "Faster", which has new wave, gospel and retro pop influences. The song "Locked Inside" features a rhythm similar to the opening break from "Rock with You" by Michael Jackson, and it has been compared to Jackson's music with Quincy Jones. It has also been noted for similarities to artists such as Estelle and The Jackson 5. The track features a more mellow R&B style in contrast to the previous tracks. "Sir Greendown" continues with this theme and has "old-fashioned" pop themes. The track "Cold War" is a song with new wave tendencies which has big hooks and "sugar fuelled" beat influences.
The track "Tightrope", featuring vocals by Big Boi (from the hip hop duo Outkast), has influences from the duo's single "Hey Ya!" (2003) and a sound described as "funky soul" and neojump blues. The album's ninth track is "Oh, Maker", a song with English pastoral folk influences. "Come Alive (The War of the Roses)" has been described as having rock and punk themes. "Mushrooms & Roses" is the next track on the album and it has themes of psychedelic music and it has influences by such songs as The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" and Prince's "Purple Rain". The next track, "Make the Bus", features of Montreal on vocal parts and it has been compared to such artists as Placebo and George Clinton. The song "Wondaland" has a synth-pop sound and has been compared to the work of Tom Tom Club. Deep Cotton guest-stars on the song "57821" which has been described as "space-folk" and has been compared to works by Simon & Garfunkel. This is followed by the track "Say You'll Go" and features a segment from "Clair de lune" by Claude Debussy.
Marketing and sales In late September 2009, "Come Alive (The War of the Roses)" was released as a free promotional single by Kia Motors, which featured Monáe as a member of their "Kia Soul Collective" of musicians and artists. "Tightrope" (featuring Big Boi) was released as The ArchAndroids lead single on February 11, 2010, through Pitchforks website, with a companion song entitled "Cold War" debuting the following day via Monáe's official website.Janelle Monae's debut album, The ArchAndroid, due in May; first single, "Tightrope", to arrive via JanelleMonae.com . Hip Hop Press. Retrieved May 30, 2010. On March 31, the video for "Tightrope" was released presenting Monáe dancing in the Palace of the Dogs also starring Big Boi.Dombal, Ryan. Video: Janelle Monae: "Tightrope" . Pitchfork. Retrieved May 30, 2010. Monáe performed the song on the Late Show with David Letterman on May 18, 2010,Dombal, Ryan. Janelle Monae Blows Out "Letterman" . Pitchfork. Retrieved May 25, 2010 The Ellen DeGeneres Show on May 26, Lopez Tonight on May 27, Last Call with Carson Daly on May 28, and The Mo'Nique Show on June 9.Janelle Monae on The Mo'Nique Show. JanelleMonae.com. Retrieved July 12, 2010. Rolling Stone later named "Tightrope" as the eighth best single of 2010.Staff (December 7, 2010). Rolling Stone's Best Singles of 2010 . Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
To promote the album, Monáe hosted a listening session for press and VIPs at Rubin Museum of Art in New York City on March 4, 2010.Janelle Monáe Showcases Debut Album at New York Museum . Rap-Up. Retrieved April 25, 2010 A short film, teaser trailer style, was released on April 14 on YouTube showing an aerial view of the fictional futuristic city of Metropolis.Concepcion, Mariel. Erykah Badu Announces Tour . Billboard. Retrieved April 20, 2010. Monáe also performed at the 2010 ESPY Awards (joined on stage by comedian Will Ferrell), Later... with Jools Holland (where she performed the album-track "Faster"), and Last Call with Carson Daly (where she performed "Cold War").
The ArchAndroid was released on May 18, 2010, through Wondaland Arts Society and Bad Boy Records. In the week of June 5, it debuted at number 17 on the US Billboard 200 chart,Billboard 200 – Week of June 05, 2010 . Billboard. Archived on May 27, 2010. selling 21,000 copies.Kaufman, Gil. Another 'Glee' Soundtrack Tops Billboard Album Charts . MTV. Retrieved May 31, 2010. During the week of February 23, 2011, the album re-entered the Billboard 200 at number 171, after selling 3,000 copies that week. In the United Kingdom, The ArchAndroid debuted at number 51 on the UK Albums Chart.
Monáe toured in further support of the album. She joined recording artist Erykah Badu on the latter's Out My Mind, Just in Time Tour during May to June 2010. In February 2011, Hooligans in Wondaland – a joint co-headlining tour by Monáe with Bruno Mars – was announced. The concert tour featured dates throughout North America from May to June. Monáe also toured as a supporting act for No Doubt and Paramore.
Critical reception
The ArchAndroid was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 91, based on 28 reviews. One of 2010's best-reviewed releases, the album received praise for its Afrofuturistic concept and Monáe's eclectic musical range.Burns, Zeenat. May’s Best New Music. Metacritic. Retrieved May 25, 2010.