'There was a lot of confusion and nonsense where I grew up, so I reacted by creating my own little world. (...) I began to see how music could change lives, and I began to dream about a world where every day was like anime and Broadway, where music fell from the sky and anything could happen.'
In some ways for me, 2018 has been The Year of Janet Jackson, at least in part. Not for the things Janet's put out herself, though she did make a return a few weeks back. Just that for me personally I've learned to properly appreciate all of those great records she put out in the Eighties for the first time. Mainly because I've heard the echoes of it in a couple of wonderful albums that I've liked a lot this year.
The first is Natalie Prass's The Future & the Past, which I'll write about more when I come to do my countdown of favourite records in November and December. The second is Janelle Monae's genuinely noteworthy Dirty Computer, which came out in April but which I've only just caught up with. My loss.
Dirty Computer reminds me of Janet though it's a heck of lot franker and deeper in terms of its concerns than Janet ever was. It reminds me of Prince. Of Lauryn Hill. And also of Kelis whose Milkshake has been going round my head for weeks unknowingly waiting 'til I got round to listening to Janelle. At a certain point it even reminded me of Anita Baker (Don't Judge Me).
It's a dirty record, (hence its name, a reference to Dirty Mind?) in the way that black artists have always done them best. It's also sensual, sensitive, funky and smart. It makes political comment whenever it wants to, (it's almost the ultimate reverse-Trump statement in terms of its sensibility). All the time it's non-stop fun and fantasy. It also packs in big hitting collaborations, Pharrell Williams, Grimes, Zoe Kravitz and even Brian Wilson, (of all people), show up at various points. It will remind you of no end of classic records, (Make me Feel, is purely and quite deliberately a transition from Kiss) while being an absolute classic record itself.
It's a statement too of self-liberation. Read the gushing Pitchfork review for further detail None of that particularly needs to be itemised here, investigate further if you want to, but Dirty Computer is certainly a statement of pride and intent. It's also the best Pop album I've heard this year. And much more than that too!
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