Justin Bieber’s sixth studio album ‘Justice’ is a massive reinstatement of the pop star he was always destined to be. Sonically found somewhere between ‘Journals’ and ‘Purpose’, this record thankfully makes up for the lacklustre body of work that was ‘Changes’.
With 80’s influenced synths and instrumentation driving the sonic behind tracks like ‘Anyone’, ‘Deserve You’ and ‘Hold On’, he injects this freshness to his sound that highlights a maturity and growth. His RNB influences are still very much present throughout the full duration of the record, and honestly this is how ‘Changes’ should have sounded. It’s a lot more palatable, and his emotional delivery seems honest and sincere, which I can’t really say for the previous record as it sounded very forced.
There are a lot of collaborations on the record, and each artist he’s worked with brings something unique and different to the album that helps make each track a standout. ‘Die For You’ featuring Dominic Fike’ is a huge highlight with its rhythmic production that is so addictive and infectious. ‘As I Am’ featuring Khalid is a slow jam moment, while Australia’s own Kid Laroi pivots to the top on ‘Unstable’. But one of the most talked about collaborations is ‘Peaches’ featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon which is a very cheeky and explicit moment about getting his peaches out… literally. The only thing missing from this album is female collaborators. In the past he’s worked with Halsey, Kehlani, Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande, but this album he’s kept it very male dominated which is a shame.
The intro and interlude inclusion of a speech by Martin Luther King is a little cringe, but if you can look past that then the rest of the album is truly a big redefining of his artistry, and in a general a much stronger body of work than the letdown that was ‘Changes’. Welcome back Biebs, we’ve missed you!
Must Listen tracks: ‘Die For You’, ‘As I Am’, ‘Somebody’, ‘Deserve You’