Solange, 'Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams'

Backstory: Solange Knowles, 22, began in show business as a backup dancer for older sister Beyoncé’s group Destiny’s Child and went on to co-write solo singles for Ms. Bootylicious (“Upgrade U,” “Get Me Bodied”) and DC’s Michelle Williams (“We Break the Dawn”). She released her first album “Solo Star” in 2003 and slowed down her musical output to have a baby the following year at the tender age of 18. Her new album finds her picking up steam in hopes of entering the spotlight.

Why you should care: Solange avoids all the vocal gymnastics and materialistic lyrics that are Beyoncé’s trappings and is generally a more imaginative artist.

Verdict: “Sol-Angel” offers a pleasant blend of the esoteric and the mainstream. The Neptunes-produced single “I Decided Pt. 1” is a smart and catchy update of the Supremes style of R&B, though closing the album with “Pt. 2” is a little redundant. She works the retro tone through songs like “Sandcastle Disco” and “Ode To Marvin,” yet is distinctly future-thinking with her two forays into electronic music. “Cosmic Journey” starts off at a gentle pace, but shocks when it erupts into an arresting club beat, while “This Bird” samples ambient act Boards of Canada into a leftfield soul groove.

X-Factor: Solange occasionally moonlights as an actress. After roles in films like “Bring It On: All Or Nothing” and “Johnson Family Vacation,” her coolest role yet might be happening next year, when it is rumored she will play Thelma in a film adaptation of the popular ‘70s sitcom “Good Times.”

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