It’s been three years since her last released album, A Seat at the Table, Solange Knowles has
returned. This is a piece full of creative motifs heavily influenced by the culture she has grown up with, combined with the culture she has only began to largely contribute to. When I Get Home (WIGH) takes the listener down a rabbit hole filled with empowering samples, H-town references, with a mixture of jazz and electronic. Artists including Playboi Carti, The-Dream, Pharrell, Devin the Dude, ABRA and Tyler, the Creator have had the opportunity to add their own familiar, yet prolific sound. Knowles’ also included a visual exclusively on Apple Music that she called “A Texas Film”
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, Solange makes clear connections to the types of
things she would see as a little girl. The visuals in “Dreams” and “Down with the Clique” shows the authenticity of rodeo’s and riding horses. “Tracks like Way to the Show”, “Nothing Without Intention” and “Almeda” gives the listener a taste of Houston’s chopped n screwed style of music. These songs pay homage to the Houston culture and demonstrate common staples like, “candy-paint down to the floor” which describes the significance of bright colored cars that are often shown off in Texas.
Solange also uses influential women like Debbie Allen, Phylicia Rashad and Alexyss K. Tyor in We Deal with the Freak’n (Intermission) to help portray the amount of female empowerment she was exposed to as a child. With all the elements within in the album, Knowles still manages to incorporate a cosmic vibe. “Jerrod”, “Binz”, and “Sound of Rain” are the best examples of the galactic energy that we hear.
What I love most about When I Get Home is all the moving pieces of each song. Almost as if
each song has more than one sound to it. Not just Hip Hop, Jazz, or electronic. Not to mention each track blends so beautifully to where you can barely tell when the next song starts. I love it! This album tells a great deconstructed, yet perfectly constructed story and gives us a deeper insight of what represents Solange and what inspires her. WIGH is definitely not one for everyone, but for those who appreciate the creativity definitely respect Solange’s creative ability in a new way.