Since quitting One Direction a year ago, Zayn Malik’s next steps have been difficult to track. He initially asserted that he wanted to live as a “normal 22-year-old,” so he remained out of the spotlight for a while. But then he started attending award shows and posing with some high-profile celebrities, including with Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan. Zayn later revealed that he had been in the studio creating music, and formed a partnership with recording artist Naughty Boy - a friendship that inspired “Zaughty Boy,” a name for the duo - that eventually blew up in the form of an ugly Twitter spat. Two months earlier, Zayn had also engaged in a Twitter battle with ex-bandmate Louis Tomlinson.
But after months of this scattered, and at times highly dramatic routine, Zayn finally announced his forthcoming solo album, "Mind of Mine." The later released album art immediately sparked controversy due to accusations that Zayn copied album covers by Lil Wayne. Despite this initial hiccup, since its release on Friday, the deluxe edition of "Mind of Mine" has bravely debuted a grand total of 18 tracks, all of which contain strong influences from a select pool of artists, some of whom Zayn has listed as inspirations, and some who do not seem as intentional.
One of the most striking aesthetic features of the songs on "Mind of Mine" is the way Zayn stylized their titles with a mIx oF CApiTaL and LoWErCAsE LeTtErS, which proves tricky to read. For the sake of convenience, this review will spell out the track titles in a normal fashion.
"Mind of Mine" understandably begins with “Mind of Mine (Intro),” in which Zayn invites listeners to “open up and see / what’s inside” of his mind. Like most introductory tracks, the main purpose of this song appears to be conceptual rather than musical. Following the intro track is “Pillowtalk,” with its catchy synths that emphasize rather than overshadow Zayn’s vocal range, proves why it was featured as the first single off of "Mind of Mine."
Fans of “Pillowtalk” might also enjoy “Tio,” and “Wrong,” which take the romance and physicality of “Pillowtalk” to an edgier and more explicit level. Both tracks bear strong lyrical and musical resemblance to music by The Weeknd. In “Wrong,” Zayn sings, “you’re looking in the wrong place / for my love / don’t think that ‘cause you’re with me this is real.” This sentiment mirrors the Weeknd’s 2011 song “The Birds (Part I)” where he sings, “so don’t you fall in love / don’t make me make you fall in love.” In “Tio,” Zayn steadily repeats a chorus of “take it off, take it off, baby just take it off.” The explicitness of this song resembles The Weeknd’s themes, but without the compelling lyrics.
Despite some lapses in originality, "Mind of Mine" retains some lyrical gems. In “Rear View,” Zayn confesses, “I’m tired of looking at myself / in my rear view.” “Rear View” is the most R&B song on the album, with a melody reminiscent of John Legend’s songs, but Zayn in this first album has understandably not yet attained the same poetic lyrics so characteristic of Legend’s ballads. But even for his first album, Zayn dabbles in lines that resemble poetry. A standout lyric on “Lucozade” is when Zayn sings, “time heals pain and promotes self-soothing / when the scars are gone you can’t see bruising.”
Zayn emerges as his best on "Mind of Mine" when he combines captivating lyrics with original musical arrangements. “Intermission: Flower” is an example of where this combination shines through. Here, Zayn sings romantic lyrics in Urdu, and his versatile vocals embrace the South Asian musical scale rather than the Western one. The soft guitar in “Intermission: Flower” compliments the lyrics, thus making the interlude a key song on the album. “Borders,” with its eerily funky beat and Zayn’s understated singing, asserts itself as one of the album’s best tracks with lyrics such as “she is the life of the party / don’t stick that knife in my body” and “just like the ocean / you change what I see.” One of the most fascinating songs on "Mind of Mine" is “Bright,” where Zayn revives the spirit of Frank Ocean with a choppy melody through which guitars and synths weave in and out. This resemblance makes sense considering that Zayn worked with Frank Ocean’s producer. Another distinct electric guitar track is “Truth,” with its soft percussive backdrop and chorus that is simple yet soothing rather than repetitive.
“Intermission: Flower,” “Borders,” “Bright,” and “Truth” all succeed in conveying emotion in musically and lyrically creative forms. When Zayn attempts to focus primarily on the beat rather than lyrics, the songs are catchy and radio-friendly as a result: “Like I Would” and “She” are prime examples. But on the other hand, Zayn’s attempts at slow ballads fall flat - “It’s You” and “Blue” translate as mopey rather than solemn due to their overused falsetto and lack of musicality. If one were to pick, “She Don’t Love Me,” in its resemblance to Sam Smith’s vocals and melodies, would have to be the most successful ballad on "Mind of Mine." A sort of in-between song with both decent music and lyrics is “Drunk,” which resembles Drake’s songwriting closely with lines such as “I’m emotional / I lose control / when I’m with you.”
Within the context of One Direction’s monumental success, it was an ambitious move on Zayn’s part to release a record on a solo platform. While "Mind of Mine" is not a perfect album, several tracks carve out a distinct space for Zayn in the mainstream music industry. Many debut albums fail even to complete this task. Thus, while he by no means crossed the finish line with "Mind of Mine," Zayn certainly will find himself at a fair starting point for a stable and even illustrious future career.
