Fresh out of a long-term relationship with pop star Selena Gomez — Justin Bieber blends post-teen angst, 21st-century pop-ready production and his own incredible work ethic for Purpose, his just-released fourth studio album.
Foremost, if you think you heard this album seven years ago and it was called Ne-Yo’s Year of the Gentleman, you’d be somewhat right. The template of club-ready house music anthems masquerading as R&B songs, earnest ballads and pop production that sounds like the best of tracks wholly inspired by Timbaland and Pharrell’s sound design techniques are all here. Replace the Norwegian Stargate tandem of Tor Erik Hermansen and Mikkel Storleer Eriksen’s “Closer” with Americans Diplo and Skrillex’s track “Where Are U Now,” and Benny Blanco’s “Love Yourself” for Chuck Harmony’s “Part of The List,” and Ne-Yo’s classic formula is updated for the modern age.
What we’ve heard already from the album is all here and it’s still very pop relevant and quite great. Diplo and Skrillex have a hand in the production of “Where Are U Now,” “What Do You Mean” and “Sorry,” and the trio of songs are all bass-driven variants on soulful house records. Thus, Bieber’s lead vocal is best seen here as a weapon of mass dance-floor and pop radio destruction. It’s the oldest trick in the pop musical playbook, just updated for an age where tropical house, UK funky and “Dembow” reign supreme.
Halsey-assisted sweeping trap-soul track “The Feeling” literally has all the feels. Skrillex crafts an ambient and twinkling melody, and whether you’re in it for the barely there 808s skittering across the bottom end or Bieber singing “am I in love, or am I in love with the feeling?,” it’s one of those moments where this album aims for the simple yet profound and grabs it. There’s a place where singing, songwriting and production sometimes converge and find something perfect, and this is one of those times.
“Love Yourself” is a Benny Blanco-produced guitar ballad gone bad in the best way. None other than new-to-soul folk-pop star Ed Sheeran assists Bieber on the songwriting here, and when presented with “my mama don’t like you and she likes everyone, and I never like to admit that I was wrong…and if you like the way, you look so much, oh baby you should go and love yourself,” one can only imagine the deep gulp and “welp, okay” involved in that process.
Rap’s on this album too, and of course it’s Nas joining for “We Are,” while Big Sean and Travi$ Scott drop bars on “No Pressure” and “No Sense.” For the purposes of milquetoast pop-aimed rap, the latter two performances are highlights. It’s almost apropos that Sean raps on “No Pressure” as ever since his release of apparent Naya Rivera kiss-off anthem “I Don’t F*** WIth You,” he’s certainly felt minimal pressure regarding his career and is as much a great collaborator but great co-commiserator for Bieber. Soundz’s gritty, yet soulful trap production “No Pressure” features Bieber’s profound statement that “love don’t make sense when it’s empty,” and when Scott says he’ll “roll up and put a flame to that,” and he’s talking about getting high to deal with a forthcoming breakup, it’s not as profound, but it definitely puts an emphatic period on the track-as-sentence.
“Life Worth Living,” “Children” and “Purpose” close what is a great album in a manner that comes off as disingenuous and flat. Of this trio, “the youth are the future” (or as Kanye would say, “listen to the kids”) track “Children” could be the most cloying. For as much as Skrillex is a genre-blending ex pop-punk rocker, he’s also beloved by the fist-pump crowd who lives for big vocal ballads with high-minded platitudes. As with everything on this album, the level of work by Bieber as a pop star at the top of the industry is exemplary. It’s just that on an album that executes on a level exceeding Ne-Yo’s aforementioned brilliant standard-setter from a year prior, a song like this falls flat.
Regarding this album, Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun stated that we’d get to see Bieber’s “truth.” We get that, and as expected, it’s brutal and revealing. However, when combined with pop-dominant producers, seemingly at the height of their craft, this album wobbles. It’s when Bieber’s honesty feels less-than-honest and the tracks feel less-than-groundbreaking that this album falls short of the heights it should by all means be capable of reaching. Now freed from the throes of heartbreak and also maybe now discovering his best sound and style, Justin Bieber has quite the bright future ahead, and has possibly found his purpose as a performer.
You’ll review Bieber’s album but not Papoose’s? #ISeeHowItIs
Why the fuck is HIPHOPDX reviewing justin fucking bieber? This shit’s not hip hop
are you fcking serious?
what has that shemale to do with hiphop? NOTHING. next time taylor swift and adele? what about david guetta?
those reviewers here are little girlies who got wet panties.
worst “hiphop” website ever.
Really?! Justin Bitchber on a page that call themselves Hip-Hop? Normally you focus on rap more than Hip-Hop, but this is a new low. You are really pathetic. Is this a desperate try to receive more views?!
His not even R’n’B, so there is absolutely no link to his corny pop ass!
The “low” is your comment and inarticulate hate. Fuck off.
How is it hate when it’s the truth?
Clearly, I don’t agree with your ‘truth.’ So you stay as pressed as you like and wrap your ‘truth’ around you. Hunty.
HHDX new LOE as fuck site
I really like the production on this album and Biebs brings that soulfoul vibe as per usual. Diplo and Skrillex kill it! 4.5/5 for Bugatti Biebs.
So we get a Bieber review, but y’all are just gonna skip the Tech N9ne, Lil Wayne, Lil Bibby and Fab ones. Okay…
HipHopDx always keepin it real with the reviews of The Beebs.
Very nice.
Nice review Marcus. Why is a Hip hop site reviewing Bieber album?? I think its time to move on to another site
Pretty sure those reviews are coming. Calm down Rich. So sick of the limited carping of some of the twats who visit this site.
“So sick of the limited carping of some of the twats.”
That’s a fucking hilarious sentence.
And yet, so apt.
Insightful review. Sad that three huge rap-assisted tracks on the album don’t make it self-evident to morons complaining why HHD is reviewing this LP.
Purpose is amazing.
why is this album being rated on a HIP HOP site?????
We don’t care about Hip Hop anymore. Please visit another site.
Yawn. Why are some people so fearful of music. The album contains rap. End of story.
THE ONLY THING GAYER THAN THIS ALBUM IS RICHARD SIMMONS’UTHAFUCKIN BUNGHOLE NIGGAAAAA
stop saying Bull**** , you still care about hip hop and you still care that people keep visiting the site , other wise its you who should go and work in another site . you review now Justin Bieber before albums like chasing the devil ?
we get a bieber review b4 weezy
Nice review, although I think it glossed No Sense (and incorrectly referred it as No Pressure at one point). To me, No Sense is just stunning – one of the highlights of the album and every bit as good as the lead singles.
Nothing succeeds like success. The numbers speak for themselves. The views and hits are already in the billions.
Success means nothing when the music is shit, lying stan.
The music is s— hot, and more. You don’t know what you’re talking about and you sho couldn’t do better or even close. I gave Purpose 10/10. You get a phat ZERO.
The album is FYA @Anon. Check your taste, it needs an upgrade. Urgently.
Though this Was a hiphop site, guess I Was wrong.. Get your shit together DX..
Bruh, you a dunderhead or what?
Straight fire review. Bugatti Bieber’s Purpose is dope. There are three rappers on the album. One of them, Nas — is a fucking legend. That is why this site has reviewed BB’s LP. So, For those telling DX it “get your shit together,” take that advice yourself.
hhdx yall serious?
That all I have to say about his
wtf, nas is on this album. only time i am tempted to listen to a bieber song.
Purpose is dope. No Sense, No Pressure, We Are, Where Are U Now and All In It are my jams.
This is the Nas stans’ favorite album right now, because they’re all bitches.
No-one said it did. But it means it can be reviewed. And if you don’t like that Moreno, or don’t have the intelligence to understand that, that’s YOUR problems. No-one else’s. Yours.
Purpose is a home run. No need to hate on it. And this review was f—- well written. It says something when a site’s getting told it ain’t free to make decisions because of hecklers in the stalls. Pipe down. And listen to the album.
It’s called Hip-Hop DX, not Pop DX or “Everyone else is talking about him so we might as well” DX – the site needs to decide what it’s selling. I’m sure you’d find it disappointing if you rolled up to a Bieber gig only to be entertained by Chopin’s Norcturnes, Op. 9 instead!
Just because there is rap on a album does NOT make it hiphop
thank you
Fuck you
Yo Etta you a 15 year old white girl or what?? This is hiphop dx and Justin Bieber is not hiphop i dont care how many rappers there be on his album or how many time he dress up like pac Bieber is not hiphop its SHITPOP
really guys …really ???????!?!?!?! you review now Justin Bieber !?!?!? in HIP HOP DX ???? and where do I look for Chasing the devil review ? in POP MATTERS ?!?!?!?
Bieber is a clown but I have to admit this album is hot.
You guys reviewed beiber but never did MAYDAY’s “Future Vintage”?? thats some bullshit.
As a longtime fan of this site, what the fuck are you doing reviewing this shit? Yes it’s too late to say sorry.
This album goes hard mufucka
FUCK MARCUS DOWLING
Not even worthy of 1/5
WTF!!! I have been a long time reader of Hip-Hop DX and you’ve had some controversial opinions and reviews in the past but which I can handle…but this!?! Why are you reviewing this?! You miss out so many HIP-HOP artists that should get a review but can’t resists jumping on the Bieber band wagon…and it seems you are “beleibers” too…this sucks big time. Maybe change the sites name to Hip-Hop & Pop (for the masses only) DX…..so disappointing!