Awash with references to cyborgs, The Terminator, droids, Philip K. Dick and Fritz Lang’s Metropolis, Janelle Monáe’s stunning debut made just as many musical allusions: to funk (“Tightrope”), psychedelic soul (“Mushrooms & Roses”), James Bond themes (“Babopbye Ya”), classical music (“Suite II Overture”) and, amazingly, even more. Parts two and three of a concept trilogy started on her Metropolis: The Chase Suite EP, The ArchAndroid stars messianic android Cindi Mayweather freeing her oppressed synthezoid society through the power of love in the far-flung year of 2719. Follow the storyline or ignore it — the album created a new benchmark for alt-R&B.