Zayn's Nobody Is Listening Has A Song For Every Mood
By Ashley Oken
Zayn’s eagerly awaited third album,
Nobody’s Listening, is out today (January 15), and as a substitute opposed to the sprawling 90 minutes of 2018’s
Icarus Falls or the pop maximalism of his 2016 debut,
Mind of Mine, it scales back concentrate on the singer’s deepest thoughts, including nostalgia, sexual desire, and heartbreak. It’s a tenacious nevertheless delicate album full of stripped compositions and intimate lyrics, the kind that longtime fans need while in a tumultuous time.
Teasing new music for months before the release, Zayn dropped the early singles “
Better” in September and “Vibez” three months later. The former hit the
Billboard Hot 100 in October, while the latter set the tone for the rest of the album to come with its neo-soul vibe. On January 12, Zayn even launched a phone line for fans to get a taste of the new collection, playing snippets of tracks for excited devotees. The finished product comprises 11 tracks that give fans a window into Zayn’s growth an artist and also a person, reflecting on
the recent birth of his daughter and nostalgia on lead track “Calamity” while sustaining his mastery of sensuality on “Sweat.”
Within this entire album, there really is a sense of maturity and clarity inside the lyrical content and production fashion, signaling a step in a fresh direction for the former One Direction member. Urging us to slow down and take stock of what we have, this album is tender, trustworthy, and full of passion — just as our lives should be. Below, we break it down, track by track and mood by mood.
“Calamity”
Listen to it once you’re feeling: nostalgic.
Key lyric: “Can I reject the abyss? / Leave a mark on this without begin, just exist”
One of the most weak songs on the album is its opener. Zayn chooses to rap on the track, sedately reciting an introspective poem that gives fans a look into his life because the dad of a baby girl, his long-term relationship with
Gigi Hadid, and an overview of the last 10 years of his life — though he doesn’t supply details. Listen to this the next time those 3 a.M. Thoughts hit you in the middle of the night.
“Better”
Listen to it as soon as you’re feeling: contemplative.
Key lyric: “’Cause some days it’s better that way / Gotta let it go so your heart don’t break”
Singing about giving an on-off relationship a second chance over a soft beat, Zayn shows that love for someone doesn’t perish with little effort. This song will have you thinking “what if” as soon as an ex-flame messages you on social media.
“Outside”
Listen to it once you’re feeling: apologetic.
Key lyric: “I know I’m not so innocent / however the passion I had for you was real”
With its crooning and potent lyricism, Zayn sings about a turbulent relationship in which he’s committed to his partner and hopes they’ll let him back in. This acoustic-anchored song will have you thinking over that early morning fight you had with your partner.
“Vibez”
Listen to it as soon as you’re feeling: amorous.
Key lyric: “I’ve been waiting all night to get closer / and also you already know I got it for ya”
Over its sultry, ’90s R&B-inspired beat, Zayn flawlessly describes the crushing anticipation and tension that coats the room once you're with your crush. Play this the next time you’re getting ready for a virtual date with your paramour.
“When Love’s Around” (ft. Syd)
Listen to it as soon as you’re feeling: groovy.
Key lyric: “Never feel that kind of way / Nevertheless I need you in my life”
A team-up with singer-songwriter
Syd, the song finds the duo softly singing about not feeling like love is possible up until one individual changes their view. Like the rest of the album, this succinct track is airy, propelled by a soft, danceable beat, and can make you think about the one individual for whom you ditched the dating apps while dancing slowly around your apartment.
“Connexion”
Listen to it any time you’re feeling: lustful.
Key lyric: “And I don’t wanna miss out on another love / So I’m gonna dive in, go headfirst into the unknown”
This simple tune finds Zayn brandishing a unthinkable falsetto and the sort of
bedroom guitar strums he used to create a staple of his Instagram page. Singing about a love that’s enthusiastic and spans both a digital and physical connection in the post-chorus, Zayn evokes all of the emotions that accompany seeing someone you can’t get enough of. Play this the next time you think of the person you’re crushing on.
“Sweat”
Listen to it as soon as you’re feeling: sexy.
Key lyric: “Dripping down your body like gold / Slowly steamin’ up the windows”
An ’80s-style power ballad rooted in dripping synth noises, Zayn gives us an addition to the Spotify sex playlist with lyrics that paint a picture all of the ways physical pleasure can make us hot. Play this the next time you wish to get down with your partner.
“Unfuckwitable”
Listen to it any time you’re feeling: like a boss.
Key lyric: “They mentioned I wouldn’t do shit / Right now they all about my new shit”
This downbeat, lightly funky, and flexing track draws parallels between Zayn’s life as a member of One Direction and everything that came right after, calling forth his strength and ability to be “unfuckwitable” right now that he’s in control of his image and successfulness. Play this next time you ace that work or school project.
“Windowsill” (ft. Devlin)
Listen to it any time you’re feeling: hot.
Key lyric: “Cigarettes and fuckin’ on the window sill / Break the glass, go and show me how you really feel”
Built like an emo-rap track, “Windowsill” hones in on Zayn’s desires — namely, his promises to pleasure his lover on the countertop and every surface imaginable. Over an electronic beat, British rapper
Devlin adds his own devilish specifics, like, “And I'm sure she tempt Satan, if she ain't the devil herself.” Play this the next time you require a soundtrack for some stay-at-home, uh, adventure.
“Tightrope”
Listen to it any time you’re feeling: spiritually in love.
Key lyric: “’Cause I’m already up here and I got my eyes closed / And I ain’t never fell from a love this tall”
Interpolating the swoon-worthy 1960 single “
Chaudhvin Ka Chand” by Indian singer Mohammed Rafi, Zayn includes the Urdu lyrics to this acoustic-based ditty to add to this song about spiritual love. Play this song any time once feel like you have got to know your strength to get through a challenging time.
“River Road”
Listen to it as soon as you’re feeling: hopeful.
Key lyric: “Breeze outdoor my window turned to color / Know that I'll visualize the sun again”
This jazzy pop ballad is a gentle and tender closer to the album, giving hope for better days however we can’t operate the outcome of our current circumstances. Play this any time once you have got to create sense of an abnormal, confusing time in your life, perhaps even right now. “Here’s to a wonderful year,” Zayn recently
tweeted. “Hope [it’s] better than the last!”
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