The ArchAndroid steals the show…

So, Glastonbury is over and unfortunately I wasn’t able to go this year, because I’m stoney broke and also because I’m pretty sure I was somewhat underwhelmed by the headliners, with the exception of Beyonce (she’s someone I would probably never actually see live) and given her other halves amazing performance the other year she was bound to put on a show. But thanks to the BBC, I did manage to catch a lot of the acts on T.V which was awesome. Myself and ChoccyR had ourselves our own festival via Xbox Live which was fun. The one performance that sticks out for me however, was Janelle Monáe. I’ve been listening to her stuff for a couple of years, I think her first ep, Metropolis: Suite I (The Chase), was out in like 2007. I think the first reason I picked it up was the cover actually, who says you can’t judge a erm… album by its cover. Obviously it resonated somehow with me, perhaps because of its reference to Fritz Lang’s 1927 film. I loved the film so I thought ‘if this lady has good taste in films then she must be a pretty sweet artist’. And alas my somewhat roundabout theory was proved right. I think the other thing that I liked so much about it was that it was a concept album. In the opening track, March of the Wolfmasters,  Monáe announces in an plastic jovial tone:

Good morning cy-boys and cyber girls.
I am happy to announce we have a star-crossed winner in today’s heartbreak sweepstakes.
Android Number 57821, otherwise known as Cindy Mayweather,
Has fallen desperately in love with a human named Anthony Greendow.
And you know the rules!
She is now scheduled for immediate disassembly!
Bounty hunters, you can find her in the Neon Valley Street District on the 4th floor
At the Leopard Plaza apartment complex.
The droid control Marshals are full of fun rules today,
No phasers, only chain-saws and electro-daggers!
Remember, only card carrying hunters can join our case today.
And as usual, there will be no reward
Until her cyber-soul is turned into the star commissioner.
Happy hunting!

March of the Wolfmasters, Janelle Monáe 

This is probably one of my favourite openings to a song. It reminds me in some ways of the chase scene in Blade Runner where Deckard chases Pris through the dystopian cyberpunk streets of Los Angeles. Obviously the circumstances in the film a slightly different but I think you get the idea, thats just how I see it. Anyway, I digress, back to Glasto. Janelle’s performance on West Holts was easily worthy of a place on the Pyramid stage. She is an incredibly dynamic and accomplished performer. The crowd seemed to be lapping it up and I would imagine that a fair few of them had never even heard of her. It is a testament to her talent that after her appearance at Glasto her album, The ArchAndroid, made it into the top 20 on iTunes (it’s currently sitting at number 13). So I guess what I’m trying to say is that you should go check out the album and her ep, I guarantee at the very least that you’ll appreciate what she is trying to do but hopefully you will love it.

Anyway its getting late so I’ll catch y’all on the flip-side.

Thrash Hologram