The latest from Janelle Monáe is a focused album of good times and celebration that balances good clean fun with a sexier sense of debauchery. Kicking off with ‘Float’, a collaboration with guests Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, ‘The Age of Pleasure’ draws on a broad mix of genres, from R&B and Hip Hop through Reggae and Dancehall to Afrobeat, Amapiano and more. With many of the tracks driven by rich layers of horns, there’s a grandiosity and theatricality that provides the rich backing required to sustain Monáe’s bold lyrical celebration of self strength, worth, and pleasure. Not that Monáe holds the stage alone, with guest spots from stars like Kuti, Grace Jones, and Dancehall legend Sister Nancy sharing accolades. A true assertion of Pop prowess, ‘The Age of Pleasure’ is Monáe’s finest work yet.