#emotionpicture

t

So, Dirty Computer is the new soundtrack to my life and I have not stopped listening since its release date, so its safe to say that i am obsessed with it and it will most likely be my favourite album to come out of this year, but in this post i also be writing about the emotion picture, which are the images that go with the narrative.

 Dirty Computer, being Janelle Monae’s third studio album, takes her artistry a step further, and is a distinct chapter in her career with a more experimental sound and aesthetic. Janelle Monae has always been a musician who is heavily involved in her art and consistently pushes boundaries as opposed to simply being a generic “cookie-cutter” artist, and this is showcased even more so in this new album x era.

As the emotion picture starts, we are transported to this ultra modern, futuristic like world. Erasion of identity and what it means to be “dirty” is discussed, as we are then introduced to Janelle Monae, as Jane 57821. At 4:14 a short snippet of “ I Got That Juice” ft Pharell Williams (track 9) can be heard in the background, followed by the imagery of a drone like gadget which seems to stop Jane whilst she is driving. This could be symbolic of the high number of African American’s who are constantly stopped and searched by the police and Janelle could be referring to the institutional racism in the police force, which is a issue that has affected many and is heavily discussed today. Shortly after this, it cuts to the spoken intro of “Crazy,Classic, Life” which is an interpolation & excerpt of the United States “Declaration of independence” by MLK, whilst a variety of different individuals are presented in the shot. Janelle could be trying to convey discrimination by presenting minorities in society, and again, reinforce the theme of identity. "Crazy, Classic, Life” embodies Jane’s care free spirit in the album and makes a great introduction to the music, and could be described as more “pop” than what we are used to hearing from Janelle Monae. This part of the film is particularly visually appealing, from the clothing, to the lighting and the many different scenes and self-conscious editing. 

We are introduced to Jane’s love interest “Zen” and at 12:23, “Take a Byte” start to play, which is a cleverly crafted song title as the spelling of “Byte”refers to a gigabyte, fitting in with the theme of technology, but can also be taken literally, so it has a double meaning. This is intriguing as a music fan, as this play on words is not commonly used but adds more substance to the song.This is my favourite song on the album as it acts as ear candy due to the memorable bassline and authentic melody. It also sounds effortlessly classic and is interesting as it is difficult to pinpoint a particular genre to it.

A S C E R T A I N M E N T :  J A N E L L E  M O N A E

Our first Ascertainment week comes to a close; I hope you all enjoyed the ride. Today I’ll share just a single piece of media but one nonetheless of central importance. Alongside the release of the Dirty Computer album was that of the accompanying Emotionpicture. This formally continues the story of Cindi but, as eluded to in the previous episode, has transmuted into the story of Monae. It’s also an excuse to listen to the whole album and watch every music video again which I highly recommend. Also, while I wish to avoid condescending sentiments where I go on and on about how stunningly gorgeous Janelle Monae is, I will at least say that her status as a superlative fashion icon is laid bare in these videos. Take a look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jdH2Sy-BlNE&frags=pl%2Cwn

Finally, I want to end the week with asking, perhaps even begging, for you all to experience the works of Monae if you haven’t already. I can write flowery prose of what she means to me but strong ideas are formed both via the synthesis of external influence and internal contemplation. Watch and listen to Monae and form your own opinions of her and her music.

Finally, I’d like to say that I think my life is happier and better given that Monae is in the world, spreading her music and her message. I would like nothing more than for this to be true for all of you as well. Times are tough and I’m powerless to change them; hopefully this music I’ve shared with you brings the same light to your dark days it has to mine.