Solange abruptly dropped her fourth studio album When I Get Home last week, and it sent fans into a tizzy. Coming off her last album A Seat At The Table expectations were set high. ASATT was her first in 8 years, and it was well worth the wait, being one of my personal favorite albums of 2016. After giving A Seat At The Table a listen, I discovered an album of questions, expression, and self-refection. When I Get Home is an album of demands, and realizations. The beats on the album have more rhythm and jazz. You first catch that vibe on ‘Down With The Clique’ filled with smooth piano and cigar club feelings. This flows into the best run of songs on the album. ‘Way to The Show’ is over a funky instrumental she rides the song like your car heading to the function. That track flows into ‘Stay Flo’ co-produced by Metro Boomin, the first of many unexpected but beautifully done collabs. ‘Dreams’ is co-produced by Dev Hynes of Blood Orange and Earl Sweatshirt, Solange floats over the dreamy slowed down tune, sounding like silk over a cloudy sky, singing for dreams to come along another day.
Some of the best collaborations between artist are when someone takes an artist into a world they typically wouldn’t be in, ‘Almeda’ is one of those special songs. We hear Playboi Carti doing ad-libs for Solange over a Pharrell produced beat, he even comes in with a verse in his “my stummy hurt” voice, it’s beautiful. The song is exceptional and pushes the notion that good music is more important than what we think should work and just doing what feels natural. ‘My Skin My Logo’ continues the fun out of the box collabs with an unexpected Gucci Mane feature. Solange raps over about her Gucci, how it comes, how it goes, how its on her sheets and cleats, before Gucci Mane himself comes in to finish the job.
The album takes a slower turn on ‘Jerrod’ and one of my favorite records, ‘Binz’. The beat is pacing and quick, as quickly as the sounds jump Solange’s voice is slow and drawn out until she jumps back into rapping about big spending and tinted windows, a stunt record for bad women who get it. This album runs like one long song, the interludes are scattered throughout holding everything together. Solange does a great job of keeping the sounds moving so nothing gets old and you stay on your toes. This album sounds like the most fun Solange has had in a long time and I love it. She sings as well as ever, plays on experimental beats, and throws in crazy features from all genres. When I Get Home might be her best album yet.
Favorite Tracks: Almeda, Stay Flo, Binz
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