Pop superstar Justin Timberlake sounds great on “SoulMate,” but the summer song suffers from flimsy songwriting that lacks depth.

Justin Timberlake shocked the world by releasing a new single, “SoulMate.” It’s most shocking because Timberlake only released his album, Man of the Woods, in February 2018.  Being honest, Justin isn’t known for particularly quick rollouts, save for his two-volume album, The 20/20 Experience back in 2013.  Still, Man of the Woods wouldn’t arrive until nearly five years later.  Focusing on “SoulMate” as opposed to Timberlake’s release practices, this single sounds quite different from the material on Man of the Woods.

“SoulMate,” produced by Nineteen85 (the production half of dvsn) has more of an urban contemporary, alternative R&B sound.  It’s not an ill fit with Timberlake – he’s been singing R&B for years – but it is a bit of a different sound.  To some extent, this is more straightforward than the extended songs that characterize much of Man of the Woods.  Still, this certainly doesn’t hail from the times of traditional soul or even the golden age of contemporary R&B in the 90s and early 00s.  The sound is interesting, while the subject matter is cliché – love, sex, summer.

The songwriting certainly isn’t deep – understatement.  It is slightly more poetic on the verses, but honestly, ‘poetic’ isn’t quite the right word, sigh. As for the pre-chorus, chorus, and post-chorus, well, the songwriting is out the door.  The repetition is at an all-time high and grows incredibly annoying pretty quick.  The silver lining? Justin Timberlake sounds great, but it would be a disappointment if he lost his best attribute, right?

Final Thoughts

Sort of like how I miss the old Kanye West, well, I miss the old Justin Timberlake.  He can still sing, but, the music just isn’t as captivating or memorable.  The same can be said of “SoulMate.” The voice still shines, but there’s a lack of depth and substance. Pop isn’t a hotbed for this, but still, feels a bit flimsy.  Not quite a flop, but “SoulMate” definitely falls a bit short of a bop in my eyes.

Justin Timberlake • SoulMate – Single • RCA • Release: 7.3.18

Photo Credit: RCA