In the six years since his last album "Future/Sex Love/ Sounds", Justin Timberlake has kept a fairly low profile musically. But JT used his time productively, by among other projects spearheading a successful clothing range. Then suddenly art imitated life as his role in the Facebook saga 'The Social Network' led him to invest in the newly re-vamped MySpace. With all of the above on his resume and a new wife in toe, the prospect of Justin returning to his day job of music was an interesting proposition. Timbaland is back as resident beat maker and although the collaboration is not quite pop's answer to Lennon and McCartney, the pair do manage to create a signature sound that infuses hip hop, contemporary R&B and funk with a large dollop of Memphis Southern hospitality.
Curiously, when placed in the context of the album as a whole, the first two singles 'Suit and Tie' and 'Mirrors' are not the strongest tracks in the collection. Even with Jay Z's rhyme stirred in to add credibility to the former and with production that is perfectly polished, the overall result feels deflated with the verses and chorus creating a patch work of ideas that have been stitched but never work seamlessly together. 'Mirrors' meanwhile just sounds derivative of their old material, with the track itself sounding like a cast off from the Future/Sex...studio sessions. Still there’s enough here that works well to tip the balance towards the positive. The edgier beat driven 'Tunnel Vision' is a reminder of how when their sound falls into place it can create pop magic. Timbaland's ornate production, quirky samples and signature ad-libs fit Justin's natural funkiness like a glove.
That natural funk sweeps through like a carnival in Rio with the infectious Latin inspired 'Let The Groove Get In'. The horn blasts and impulsive beat make staying still impossible. Elsewhere, the mysterious tribal drums and Middle Eastern influence of 'Don’t Hold The Wall' is reminiscent of Timbland’s classic collaborations with Aaliyah and Missy Elliot. However, the experimental 'Blue Ocean Floor' is a notable and genuine attempt to push the sonic envelope. It bubbles slowly to the surface, as though it has been created for under water headphones and we have been invited to drift along with its stream of conscientiousness obscurity.
Virtually unrecognisable from his N-Sync days, JT seems to have achieved the impossible, quitting a boy band and cultivating a career with longevity and credibility as a pop musician is no mean feat but Timberlake seems to do it effortlessly. More of a step forward than a giant musical leap, Justin emerges yet again with cool and classy pop music at its best.
Review by Karen Lawler
