They say that with age comes experience and with Justin Timberlake‘s new album 20/20 Experience, he shows that he is wise beyond his years. After over a six-year hiatus, the 32-year-old singer flexes his 20+ years in the music industry over a wide array of genre-hopping, mature tunes. Allowing some time to pass, Timberlake teams up with hit-maker producer/writer Timbaland and Harmon to recapture the same magic that made his previous two multi-platinum efforts so successful.
After falsely announcing that Timberlake was not going to return to the music industry and focus on his booming acting career, he surprised fans by dropping the infectious “Suit & Tie”. The lead single is a progressive, yet retro track that mixes genres and eras. Opening with a chopped-and-screwed vibe, Timberlake quickly switches to a Marvin Gaye-esque falsetto as he smoothly croons over a mix of percussion and studio synths. With the addition of a sophisticated, grown and sex hip-hop verse from Jay-Z, this tune set up the tone for the majority of the album and the new sound of the “Future sex/Love Songs” singer.
Continuing with this exploration in sound and effects, the duo of Timberlake and Timbaland continue to offer a new music experience by adding a mix of romance and dance tunes. With soft ballads like “Pusher Love Girl”, “Mirrors”, soulful “That Girl”, and hip-hop influenced “Tunnel Vision”, it is clear that Justin is going through the early post-wedding bliss. Although heavy on the romantic tunes, Justin still retains the same boyish charm and love for nightlife as he sings over the Bollywood-esque “Don’t Hold the Wall” and African tribal rhythms of “Let the Groove Get In”.
Having released two widely successful and critically acclaimed albums, Timberlake sets out to show that he has nothing to prove with 20/20 Experience. Fans of his previous works shouldn’t be surprised that his sound has changed. Over the course of six-and-a-half years, his life experiences have changed. He has grown, artistically, and the maturity in sound reflects that. Although he is older, there are still remnants of the same artist that brought “SexyBack” or made you “Rock Your Body” but in a new pop/R&B pastiche. With a majority of the album’s 10 tracks each clocking in past six minutes, 20/20 Experience offers a hypnotic musical experience that allows listeners to get entranced by the melodic harmonies of Timberlake’s voice over the progressive Timbaland and Harmon production. A couple of the tracks could have used a little more editing as the length does hinder on excessive. Devoted fans will enjoy the step into a more complex sound, but listeners looking for a light-pop, radio-friendly listen will have to rely on his previous LPs.
