Mind Of Mine Review: Zayn Malik Reclaims His Soul & R&B Roots Outside Of 1D
Entertainment Mar 25, 2016
After five years of gritting through One Direction's music and its constraints on his soul, Zayn Malik reveals his moody and soulful side on Mind of Mine.
From his epic Twitter beefs to his contentious interviews disparaging his former life in 1D, Zayn has dealt with that transition period in the same messy way that we all do when we try to find our voice — but in a more elevated and scrutinized way.
Mind of Mine suggests that Zayn has used that downtime to reclaim his personhood away from Simon Cowell and his boys. It's a brooding and sexy record that aims to transcend the trappings of a newly solo singer.
Photo Credit: www.Itunes.com
Working with producer James "Malay" Ho, whose efforts are apparent in Frank Ocean's work, Mind of Mine has the sleek production values of a Weeknd record.
Zayn had the strongest voices in 1D but used that high falsetto in short bursts throughout his tenure. But on tracks like "iTs YoU," he lets that out with great swooning effect. On that track and throughout the album, Zayn slips moments of raga into his vibrato, and these nuanced touches are a gem.
"INTERMISSION: fLoWer" is a lovely interlude where Zayn sings in Urdu and reminds his South Asian fans that he hasn't forgotten his roots. It's a dreamy track that feels like you're listening to an A.R. Rahman song with its acoustic guitar and floating vocals.
If things don't work out, Zayn could always give Arijit Singh a run for his money because his diction is perfect and oozes with that besotted wonder.
These small snatches of hybridity acknowledge that, in mixing his influences, there's a real treasure of a song that works for both his audiences.
He delivers jams like "lUcOzAdE" and "wRonG" that borrow the druggy, hazy sound that The Weeknd has lorded over. Zayn manages to make it his own even if the lyrics feel a bit overwritten.
Zayn in His Latest Profile in Complex
Photo Credit: Complex Mag
In going the fuzzed-out R&B route, he's treading the same path as Nick Jonas and Justin Timberlake, who dropped sexual lyrics to signify their aging out of boyband days, but the approach feels different in Zayn's case.
The album showcases Zayn's confidence in his voice because he goes from unburdened swagger in "TiO" to the swooning high notes of ballads like "fOoL fOr YoU."
Lyrically, he's a bit rusty, but on songs like "PILLOWTALK," you can tell he's relishing the swearing and using that melisma like he used to in 1D.
Despite the raw lyrics, he goes beyond the bedroom singer crooning to distinguish his voice without ever coming off as screechy.
Mind of Mine is a real masterpiece because it'll appeal to his dedicated fan base but also has enough verve and substance to attract a new crowd. Keep this one on repeat!
Main Image Photo Credit: www.complex.com
Rumnique Nannar
Author
Rumnique Nannar is a new journalist with a passion for all things pop culture, film, and art. Rumnique was born in London, with a predilection for devouring English chocolate with her Vogue, ANOKHI, and Glamour magazines in tow. She is currently in her Journalism Masters at UBC. Connect ...
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