The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe

Damn, what an excellent package this album is! Making your debut studio album a concept album feels like a risky move, but Janelle and company pulled it off rather flawlessly. There are so many different genres across this thing which helps keep things feeling fresh, and the instrumentation is crisp and tight - and Janelle herself brings her A game on vocals. The collabs with Big Boi and of Montreal also deserve a shoutout; both very nice additions.

5