Solange

Right from leadoff track "God Given Name,” Solange Knowles declares, "I’m no sister, I’m just my god given name.” If one of the goals of this chameleonic album is to distinguish Solange from her notorious sister, then she’s clearly accomplished her mission. An assortment of high-profile producers (Mark Ronson, Thievery Corporation, the Neptunes and most prominently, Plantlife’s Jack Splash) help Knowles jump from style to style. On here you’ll find Brandy-esque R&B, ’60s doo-wop and even a trance-y slow jam featuring a Boards of Canada sample. But Solange, in trying so hard to prove her uniqueness, engages in so much stylistic pogoing that she doesn’t assert her identity. It’s worth pointing out that the tracks that work best here — "Sandcastle Disco” and the Neptunes-produced "I Decided Pt. 2” — are the breezy pop songs with strong, clean hooks. This album is an adventurous first step but a more focused approach may have been the wiser course of action to take.