Where can you find Jay-Z bouncing to some pretty girly music in a sea of colorful oxfords, natural hair, and random art? At Solange’s listening event in New York City, of course. The constantly evolving chanteuse, never just known as Beyoncé’s little sister, is set to drop her EP, True, on iTunes on November 27. The record is a mélange of kicky dance tracks co-written and produced by Devonté “Dev” Hynes, who giddily admitted, “There’s no one in the world I’d rather have worked with on this than Solange.”

An intimate group of press, along with Solange’s crew, came out to support her last night at a small studio converted into a modern-day speakeasy in the heart of SoHo. The charming pop of the cork every few minutes provided an extra beat to the album as Armand de Brignac (the gold bottle that replaced Cristal for Hov years ago) poured relentlessly into champagne flutes.

Solange glowed for good reason—the EP she shared with the crowd after a brief introduction was energetic, fresh, and creative, an amalgamation of nostalgic influences from the greats, with a twist of the contemporary beats that would make The Neptunes jealous. Also, perhaps because of her experience as a DJ, it came together in a cohesive way like the progression of a night on the dance floor. As the songs flowed out of the speakers, no one could stay in their seats, including hip-hop’s royal couple. Proud big sister B swept her caramel tresses into a ponytail a few minutes in and got off a couch to hit the floor with her hubby.

Rap-Up.com has a 7-track preview of what’s in store on True.

1. “Losing You”
Her first single is pleasantly upbeat for a song about love gone complicated. Solange asks, “Boy, am I losing you for good?” on this track, where the beat borrows sentiment from Madonna’s “Like a Prayer”—honest, tender, yet undeniably dance-worthy.

2. “Some Things Never Seem to Fucking Work”
The title says it all. In a song about ultimatums and questions, Solange ponders the illusion of a relationship. The vocals compete with the beat on this one, but the focus lays toward the reverberating rhythms.

3. “Locked in Closets”
If we were to ever hear a Beyoncé influence, it might be on this track, where Solange boasts her infamous Knowles vocal chops. The beat is reminiscent of Michael Jackson in his “Smooth Criminal” prime, and works flawlessly with her continuing theme of messy and addictive love.

4. “Lovers in the Parking Lot”
The tempo slows a bit on this song, as Solange continues with a strong vocal range. She regretfully admits, “I played around with your heart,” a telling piano riff adding dimension to the project.

5. “Don’t Let Me Down”
This one is more playful, with an aggressive beat that could set the foundation for a hip-hop track if need be. Not as lyrically substantial as the rest of the cuts, a feature in fact may have been beneficial.

6. “Look Good With Trouble”
Synth-heavy and full of echo, this track is versatile on its own—providing a respite from the poignant similar to the preceding one.

7. “Bad Girls (Verdine Version)”
Solange works the hell out of a falsetto on this unapologetic tune about her personality quirks. Embodying the strength of a woman who knows the intricacies of relationships, this one bookended her set well.

–Rajul Punjabi

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