Former Fall Out Boy singer Patrick Stump has stepped away from his pop-punk roots with the release of his
debut solo studio album, Soul Punk, on Oct. 18.

As the name describes, the tracks on Soul Punk display a diverse mix of genres, with influences from pop, rock, R&B, jazz and electronic.

According to rollingstone.com, Stump combined the sounds of Kanye West, Michael Jackson, Timbaland and Prince when creating the record. All songs on the album were written, composed, produced and performed by Stump.

“This City,” the first single released off Soul Punk, is an anthem to Stump’s hometown of Chicago. The song features rapper Lupe Fiasco and is a radio-friendly dance song filled with club beats and studio effects.

Soul Punk also features “Everybody Wants Somebody,” about forbidden love; “Explode,” the opening track with an electropop vibe; and “Allie,” a soulful addition to the album.

So far Soul Punk has received mainly positive reviews from critics, with Rolling Stone describing the album as being one of “the most irrefutably catchy albums of 2011.”