Tell Me, Will You Freak Out

Janelle Monaé “Dance Apocalyptic”

I can see how Janelle Monaé’s commitment to her sci-fi android mythology could wear thin for a lot of people, but it’s a very malleable metaphorical construct for her, and it’s always pretty easy to glean the meaning and spirit of her songs without having to really buy into it. “Dance Apocalyptic” is a perfect example – it’s a joyful song about needing a fun, cathartic release, and you can really just take it at face value and have an amazing time with it. But the android stuff adds a touch of darkness to the song, and sets up this idea that the character is this simulation of a person who doesn’t even know they are a robot, and that’s why nothing tastes right, nothing feels right. You’re not uptight; you’re just a robot. But robots can be reprogrammed!

Buy it from Amazon.