A Seat at the Table was the revelation of Solange Knowles, Beyoncé’s sister, now well positioned on the superstar’s left flank. For her third album, Solange had amassed a repertoire that reflected on African-American identity, autonomy, pride, independence, mourning, healing, the status of women in the predatory realm of pop culture, and the obstinacy required for all humans from disadvantaged backgrounds to have a voice at the table. Co-produced with the maestro Rapahel Saadiq, A Seat at the Table is supercedingly smooth, an ideal balance between classic soul, creative pop, hip hop flourishes and beatmaking in the digital era. “Don’t Touch My Hair” and “Cranes in the Sky” are confirmed classics of the decade, needless to say.
