For her second album, Solange has amassed a familiar team of collaborators, songwriters and producers resulting in Sol-Angel And The Hadley St. Dreams - which is a far more upbeat, interesting, and star-studded record than her first.

Featuring the production skills of Mark Ronson and Gnarls Barkley's Cee-Lo, and the vocal contributions from Lil' Wayne and Q-Tip, this new album marks Solange's musical development since her first record - 2002's Solo Star.

Current single I Decided, is one of the songs that really stands out on the album, with it's 70s-style motown influence clear to hear.

Written by Solange and another big name - Pharrell Williams - I decided samples the hand-claps from The Supremes' Where Did Our Love Go, and the motown theme continues later on in the album with Ode To Marvin.

But it's Sandcastle Disco that gives the greatest pleasure on an album that is proving just how 'different' Solange can be in a market of repetitive sounding tracks, by mixing it up with blues, hip hop, jazz and soul.

Sandcastle Disco is catching and enjoyable and is a very upbeat song that will have you wanting to dance along.

This latest offering from Solange is a vast improvement on Solo Star, which failed to set the charts alight, but this time round things are different and the album has far more of a soul and R&B feel to it.

That's not to say every song is a blinder on this (appallingly titled) album, and two of the more electro songs like Cosmic Journey and This Bird do seem to go on forever, but this album is a breath of fresh air in an otherwise monotonous music scene that should see Solange step out from her big sis' shadow and really make a name for herself.



Track listing
1. God Given Name
2. 6 O'Clock Blues
3. I Decided (Album Version)
4. Sandcastle Disco
5. T.O.N.Y.
6. I Told You So
7. IWouldvebeenthe1
8. An Ode To Marvin
9. ShampagneChroniKnightCap
10. Valentine's Day
11. Cosmic Journey
12. This Bird
13. I Decided Part 2 (Freemasons Remix)
14. White Picket Dreams
15. Danc'n In The Dark