Artist: Justin Bieber

Album: Purpose

Genre: Pop/R&B

Rating: ★★12

Best Tracks: Sorry, What Do You Mean, The Feeling ft. Halsey, Love Yourself

Worst Tracks: Children, Purpose

A wide-eyed teenager’s view through a blaze veneer laid the remnants of Justin Bieber’s career. 2015 has proven to be the year in which former teen idols make strong attempts to revitalize their careers, from Selena Gomez’s surprising sophomore effort revival to Demi Lovato’s Confident. However, the album that definitely took this critic back was Justin Bieber’s Purpose. The last few years were definitely eventful for Bieber, with his fallouts, abysmal sales, and critical response. Not many people believed that he would be able to reach former heights, in terms of popularity of course. After taking a two-year break from the music industry, was Bieber able to advance both personally and sonically?

Even though Purpose is perceived to be Bieber’s most cohesive and adult album yet, this effort does not feel like one refined body of work, but rather a transitional album, which lacks the proper framing that Bieber and his team aimed for. This is Bieber’s first venture in terms of songwriting, so, of course, there are some lyrical hiccups and chiles. These hiccups are obviously not rare occurrences; almost all the choruses and bridges feature tired lyrical tropes. In addition, these reductive topics evoke the teeny bopper persona that Bieber tries so heavily to let go of. The apex of this crude habit is “Children”: Bieber tries to tackle lofty ideas such as humanity and the future; however, he falls flat with his shallow lyricism and wannabe crooner vocal delivery. In terms of framing, this release feels very smug, as an album that is advertised to be remorseful. Bieber comes off overly cocky and incense.

Although it may seem like this album is inherently terrible, there are moments of sheer brilliance. However, these do not come from Bieber himself. The first is the stellar production from super producers Diplo and Skrillex and other new producers. For instance, on “Sorry,” the warped synth horns and the skittering synths are liquid gold, and the build up before the courts with the vocal samplings are superb. On all the tracks, the producers provide atmospheric sounds and immortals that leave the perfect gaps to let Bieber’s voice fill the void. Sonically, the album is eccentric, full of texture, and atmospheric with electro R’nB vibe.The final highlight and frugally the best track on the album, “Love Yourself,” features sweet instrumental and harsh lyrics that give the song a good contrast. In addition to excellent production, the song is also very stripped down featuring just one solid guitar which allows Bieber to display his vocal ability

Purpose is a good album when put into the scope of Justin Bieber’s past efforts, but when taken into the grand scale of another pop artist, Purpose is neither phenomenal musical feat or a flop but an average pop album. This album definitely shows a steady progression from Bieber as he gains more and more agency with his career. However, Purpose fails to evoke an honest approach from Justin. Rather, he still seems like a contrived artist. I highly doubt the public is begging for an experimental and heart-wrenching album a la Miley Cyrus and Her Dead Petz, but as Bieber ventures into his creative landscapes I hope for something more personal, original and less contrived.