★ ★ ★ out of 5
When former One Direction member Liam Payne released his infectious, hip-hop influenced, debut single "Strip That Down" back in May 2017, earning his first solo Top 10 chart hit in the process, many believed his official debut album would immediately follow. More than a year later though, and following equally impressive single releases such as "Bedroom Floor" and "Familiar, said album is still nowhere in sight.
Perhaps the delay was due to subsequent official singles either stalling or failings to make an appearance on the coveted Billboard Hot 100 -- "Get Low" with Zedd at #91, "Bedroom Floor" at #98, "For You" with Rita Ora at #76 -- or Payne's recently publicized breakup with girlfriend Cheryl Cole. For whichever reason, and to tide impatient fans over, the artist has decided to share his debut First Time extended play instead.
Comprised of four genre-hopping tracks, the mini project showcases Payne's extensive vocal talents and production inspiration. Whether it's on the album's strangely explicit piano ballad, pop-forward radio jam or lead, French Montana-assisted single "First Time", the artist provides passionate, convincing performances and makes a clear statement of intentionally refusing to be placed in one artistic box. While the album teaser might be incoherent in terms of sound, it is definitely consistent in quality and meeting expectations.
Extending on his “Familiar” collaboration with J Balvin, Payne once again toys with a mix of Latin pop and R&B on lead project single “First Time” alongside French Montana. Fixated on a significant other following their initial sexual encounter, the artist sounds both enamored and frustrated with how the relationship is now progressing. Instead of romantic getaways, Payne is getting nothing but cold shoulders and silence.
"Home With You" carries the urban/R&B influence of its predecessor, blended with a subtle pop beat this time around. Wishing for a potential suitor to ignore the advice of fake friends, Payne hopes the start of a new relationship is right around the corner. "No stress 'cause my eyes are dialed in, my ears are all yours, I'm listenin', sounds like that you are still feelin' it," the artist sings on the opening verse, ensuring he is transparent with his intentions and desires.
Closing out with "Slow", the most pop-oriented/radio-friendly track of the bunch, Payne must deal with the realization that his relationship has already come to an end, though he just purposefully chooses to remain oblivious to fact. "Let's leave it unsaid, just one more second, if you don't say it, then it ain't true yet," he sings with delusion, creating a somber rollercoaster ride juxtaposed with uptempo production, similar to the work of The Chainsmokers.
First Time is an odd teaser project. While each track showcases promise and highlights different artistic abilities, it struggles with effectively telling the story of what type of artist Payne truly is, or wants to be. After experimenting with straightforward pop, Latin flavor, and R&B production, it's difficult to predict what a true debut album from the former One Direction member would sound like. These four tracks supposedly represent new life experiences for the artist -- some good, some bad -- which is commendable, yet the desire to tell up-to-date personal stories does cause some of the tracks to sound rushed, and strangely, uninspired. Vocals are on point, production is solid, but there's very little of Payne's essence sprinkled throughout. Payne seems content and focused on the R&B genre, but perhaps, it's not where he appears most comfortable.
Tracks to Hear: "Depend On It" and "Slow"
0 Yorumlar