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The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Thursday, March 28, 2024

Zayn Malik struggles to break through on R&B-inspired ‘Mind of Mine’

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Zayn Malik of One Direction performs at the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida, Sunday, July 1, 2012.

For millions of millennials, the date March 25 will forever live in infamy. Exactly this time last year, British singer-songwriter Zayn Malik announced his departure from the boy band sensation One Direction, sending shockwaves through the Twitterverse. Following his surprise exit, Malik took toOne Direction’s Facebook page to reiterate that he was leaving “to be a normal 22-year-old who is able to relax and have some private time out of the spotlight.”

Yet, in the time since Malik decided to quit one of the successful musical acts of our generation, the real reasons for his departure have become increasingly clear. After numerous allegations of substance abuse and cheating subsided, it was obvious that Malik wanted to focus one thing and only one thing: music. In a recent interview with THE FADER magazine, Malik explained his decision to break out on his own, saying “there was never any room for me to experiment creatively in [One Direction]."

"If I would sing a hook or a verse slightly R&B, or slightly myself, it would always be recorded 50 times until there was a straight version that was pop, generic as f*ck, so they could use that version," he said. "Whenever I would suggest something, it was like it didn’t fit us … I wasn’t 100 percent behind the music.”

The result of Malik’s quest to achieve creative freedom is the inspired “Mind of Mine,” which was boldly released exactly one year after his split with One Direction. Ignoring the ridiculous song titles that are unfortunately written in an early 2000s MySpace typeface, Malik’s debut sees the ex-One Direction member asserting his newfound independence by embracing a more mature, R&B-influenced sound. This is largely in part due to Malik’s decision to collaborate with Malay, the producer responsible for Frank Ocean’s innovative “Channel Orange” (2012). Make no mistake though; “Mind of Mine” maintains its pop sensibilities through and through.

Malik opens the record with an appropriately titled interlude, "MiNd Of MiNdd", and then proceeds to reintroduce himself to the listener as a moody, sexualized R&B crooner. Lead single “Pillowtalk” is emblematic of Malik’s newfound liberation; however, despite debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming only the 25th song to do so, the song fails to truly set itself apart from superior songs from other R&B maestros such as Miguel and The Weeknd. “iT’s YoU” continues this rather rough opening as the bland ballad sounds like a Radiohead track that deserves to be lost in the 1990s.

However, “Mind of Mine” quickly picks up in quality from this point on with a stunning succession of songs. “BeFoUr” is a subdued anthem that adroitly addresses Malik’s detractors via the track’s tribal beats and his masterful falsetto, which he brings to new highs on the song’s final chorus when he belts “Flashing lights / So say what you wanna say, what you wanna.” Continuing this trend of simply thrilling music is “sHe,” and while the track is not very lyrically advanced, its groovy synths and immaculate construction more than make up for its faults. “wRoNg” features indie R&B star Kehlani, the album’s only guest artist, and makes for a luscious slow jam as the two woefully sing “You're looking in the wrong place for my love / Don't think because you're with me this is real.”

Unfortunately, Malik’s debut sags in its back half, with the album’s overstuffed track list and consistent midtempo nature really detracting from one’s listening experience. When songs such as “FOoL fOr yoU” stand out, it is not for good reason. In that case, the track sounds like a Sam Smith reject, complete with corny lyrics and an overwrought piano sound. Thankfully, the end of the album is not a total waste as “TiO,” the last track, is a pulsating sex jam, as Malik irresistibly demands his love interest to “Take it off, take it off, baby just take it off.”

While “Mind of Mine” is a relatively unexciting debut from start to finish, “Intermission: Flower” is by far the most fascinating track on the album. Despite his Muslim heritage, Malik has always been somewhat reluctant to speak about his background, and this comes through once more in the deliberately apolitical nature of the record. Yet “Intermission: Flower” sees him embracing his heritage in a way that is frankly groundbreaking, as the soft, sweet guitar ballad is sung entirely in Urdu, his father’s native tongue. The track hints that there is something far more interesting underneath the surface of Malik than just another cookie cutter R&B star, and if “Mind of Mine” is any indication, this 23-year-old clearly still has a lot left to say.

Summary Zayn Malik’s debut album, “Mind of Mine” is an intriguing introduction to the former teen sensation, yet the record is bogged down by a sound that is too homogenous for its own good.
3 Stars