1. "MiNd Of MiNdd"
Lauren: I have no idea what he’s saying. Actually I don’t even know if it’s English? But I like the slow/fast beat and the smoooooooth sound. That lasted three seconds. Oh wait, that was the intro. OK I’M READY FOR ZAYN. 1/10
Kevin: The intro is kinda weird; I feel like this is the beginning of some sort of house song that Calvin Harris would play in Vegas. When is the beat gonna drop?!?! What’s happening? OMG OK LOL what just happened, I didn’t even realize that it was over and then it kind of dropped. But OK, I wanted more ZAYN! I WANTED MORE! 4/10
Kristin: OK, Zayn. I'm INTRIGUED. Confused, but intrigued. 3/10
Michelle: Well, this is interesting and unexpected. It reminds me of Bon Iver a little bit in that I’m not sure what he’s singing but it sounds spiritual and hypnotic. It seems unfair to rank this out of 10. But 5/10? I really don’t know.
Whitney: My first thought is I’m so here for this. It’s so soulful! It’s like I can feel Zayn’s emotions as he bellows each note. He sounds so pained — what happened, Zayn? Was it Perrie or was it the breakup of One Direction that burned you so bad? So yes, to answer the call of this introductory song: I’m VERY ready to be taken into Zayn’s mind. 5/10
Matt: Zayn is the new Ariana Grande in that half the time I have no idea what he’s saying. This reminds me of “Lotus Intro” from the critically de-claimed “Lotus” album. Christina Aguilera's impact is real. 2/10
Andrew Richard / BuzzFeed
2. "PILLOWTALK"
Lauren: I fucking love this song. It makes me want to have sex with someone immediately (sorry). It gets weird when I listen to it on the subway because of that feeling. RECK-AH-LESSS BE-HAY-VEYAHHHHHH. This is a jam. I was ready to hate Zayn for leaving 1D and releasing shit music, but then he dropped this and I was like, "OK, nvm." 9/10
Kevin: I’ve heard this song before for sure, and it hadn’t really grown on me, but I’m starting to like it now. It’s very sultry. I like the chorus. Better day, better days, better days. 8/10
Kristin: OK, this is sex jam perfection. After listening to it approximately 15,756 times every single day for the past two months I have reached peak obsession. I wanna listen to this every damn day — it’s sexy and sultry as hell. 10/10
Michelle: I fckin love this song. This song is when I knew Zayn was fire. My only comment is I don’t know what he’s doing with his voice when he sings, “Bed all day.” It sounds like “Buhetta Day.” I’m not saying I hate it. I just don’t get it. 10/10
Whitney: Obviously we’ve heard this song before and I can’t help but think of Zayn and Gigi “fucking and fighting on” in their paradise/war zone. This is trite, but every time Zayn says “Wah Zone” and “Bedda Day,” I giggle. 8/10
Matt: I recently learned he was saying “bed all day” and not “better day.” Also I don’t understand this song, so is he just mega anti-talking after having sex? Is this like a pump-and-dump anthem? Yeah, IDK, I still love this song. 10/10
Kroljaaa/ ThinkStock
3. "iTs YoU"
Lauren: I just keep thinking of the Lana del Rey song, “It’s you, it’s you, it’s alll for youu, everything I do.” Blah blah blah. I love LDR. But this is about Zayn. He goes high in this song. Real high. Idk, I’m bored. Next song please. 3/10
Zayn / instagram.com
Kevin: OK we have an organ here… I’m in, but I’m not sure what I’m in for. I like the beat… the lyrics… eh, but let’s give it a chance… Pretty slow tempo still… I’m trying to figure out what kind of occasion this song would be for… Sex, I guess? He’s really stretching that register of his, but he sounds good. I wonder who wrote this song? It’s youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, lol. It’s a little too slow for my liking but I don’t hate this song. 6/10
Kristin: The vocals got me feeling some type of waaaay. His voice is soothing and dreamy like being hugged by a big fluffy cloud, and I really wanna like it, but the pace is so slow that I can’t ever really get into it. It does deliver on those insane, mega-high vocals though. 6/10
Michelle: His voice hits some real high notes in this one. It’s all very angelic and intimate, like he’s singing directly to your soul. 7/10
Whitney: At first I was like “snooze!” but by the end of the song I’m in awe of Zayn’s range. It almost feels as thought this track is on the album for the sole reason of showing off Zayn’s incredible high notes. (And that’s fine!) Could this be the next big prom song of 2016? If I was a teen in high school I’d want to dance with my crush to this. That said, it kind of goes on for a while. While this song isn’t a banger, it’s definitely been stuck in my head since it dropped two weeks ago. ♬ It's youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu ♬ 8/10
Matt: He sounds like a ghoul. Haunt me. 5/10
4. "BeFoUr"
Lauren: I’m into this from the start. I like the drums and the feel. I like how the chorus builds and then it’s kind of angelic for a minute. WOW HIGH NOTE. I *do* like this song, but it’s missing something for me. I need more energy or just a better hook or bridge. NOT TOO SHABBY THOUGH. 6/10
Kevin: This is a party bob. I’m here for it. I can imagine listening to this on the beach or at a fun pregame in the summer. I like it. I like the sound and the trop-pop beat. Also the lyrics are good too. This is a fun song. 9/10
Kristin: I feel like this would be killer live. You can’t listen to this without immediately wanting to dance. And when he hits the high note at the end <3333 9/10
Michelle: It’s interesting??? There’s just a lot going on, you know? It feels busy and I’m not really sure what to do with myself while listening to it. 5/10
Whitney: Digging the beat. It feels like we’re learning a lot about Zayn in this track. He doesn’t drink to get drunk. Wow. Prolific. 9/10
Matt: This sounds like a less problematic Robin Thicke song. Here for it. 8/10
5. "sHe"
Lauren: Good vibes hitting me only at the start. “Somebody to Love” is all over the chorus here. Literally because those are words that repeat frequently, and also because it kind of sounds like, “I just need somebody to loveee.” I think Bieber has influenced him more than we know. Having said all that, I would definitely blast this from my car with the windows down and pump the bass. That is if I had a car. 7/10
Kevin: Another dance-y poppy song. I'm here for it. I like the lyrics. This is where the sound gets a little R&B-y. I’m liking this one a lot, it's definitely a chill song you put on when you’re chillin' with a boo or just, like, smokin' in the house cleaning or something. I also would like to know who wrote this song as well. I’m into it. I typically always LOVE the breakdown of songs and I really like this breakdown IN THE RIGHT WAY IN THE IN THE RIGHT WAY!!! COME THROUGH, ZAYN! OK I'M HERE FOR THIS TRANSITION. I like how the song changes. I liked the outro. 9/10
Kristin: This song is a bop — I reaaaaallly wish there were more uptempo tracks like this on the album. Feeling some Timbaland/Justin Timberlake vibes at the end and I’m very much here for it. 8/10
Michelle: This is one of those songs that five seconds in, you know it’s going to be good. It’s definitely one of the catchier ones. 7/10
Whitney: Finally, a song I can bop to, though it feels like it could be a song by Nick Jonas (“Jealous 2.0, anyone?”). Who is she? And Zayn, why are you so damn judgmental? Maybe she DOESN’T need somebody to love her, maybe she’s just fine on her own! #IndependentWomen2k16. Enjoying the outro also. 7/10
Matt: A little too cis for my taste. This gives me Nick Jonas “Jealous” feels. Actually I love this song. I changed my mind. This needs to be a single. 9/10.
6. "dRuNk"
Lauren: All of these songs sound familiar. With that kinda slow, but also kinda fast tempo feel. This sound is a little too “gonna bump n grindddd” (lol what?) for me. Now that I think about it I think all of these songs were made just for people to have sexy-sex to. The lyrics however pretty much resemble any other millennial's summer. DRUNK ALL SUMMER, YUP COOL. 6/10
Zayn / instagram.com
Kevin: This one sounds kind of similar to "Pillowtalk" but just with a different, slower beat. I’m not complaining though. I like the beat as it picks up a bit too. This is much more R&B and I like it. I’m drunk a lot so I can relate to this song tbh. Drunk all summer. I can see this being a single. It's a sexy song but also a party-ish song too. I foresee the DJs having fun remixing this one if it become a hit. I like this one is all I keep thinking. Its v. v. relatable for me. I can’t wait for the summer. 10/10
Kristin: Another track talking about getting drunk and having a hip, cool ~late night~. Real talk: The lyrics are corny as hell but I’m gonna forgive him because his voice is stellar. 6/10
Michelle: This is more low-key than I was expecting. Like this is not the fun kind of drunk. This is the “I got drunk alone and now it’s 4 a.m. and I don’t know what I’ve been doing for the last six hours" drunk. 6/10
Whitney: I definitely enjoy Zayn’s honesty in this album thus far. This song is pretty good — and is obviously a party jam — but it doesn’t get amped up enough to actually listen to at a party. The very '80s guitars in the background feel a little out of character but I’m glad it’s at least experimental. 7/10
Matt: "Drunk all summer.” —My summer mantra, 2016. This is boring, though. 3/10
7. "INTERMISSION: fLoWer"
Lauren: There’s an intermission for the album!!!!! It’s actually really nice and very cool to hear Zayn sing in a different language. 5/10 — it’s like 30 seconds long. I can’t rate it that high because there’s not much of it.
Kevin: This sounds like i’m in a villa or something in Morocco. It's relaxing. I wish I knew what he was saying. I like when it picks up and the guitar comes in more. 6/10
Kristin: Sounds like the end of my yoga class, which is pretty much PEAK ZEN. Would like to wake up to this every morning. 7/10
Michelle: This is nice and tbh I would probably buy an entire album of songs like this. It feels kind of out of place on the album, but it’s cool to hear Zayn sing in Urdu. It’s a different side of him we haven’t really heard. Not sure it’s fair to rate, but I guess... 6/10
Whitney: It’s beautiful, it’s spiritual, and I would listen to an album full of this to be honest. Light some sage and mellow out or mediate... Into it, Zayn! 9/10
Matt: Pretty. 6/10
8. "rEaR vIeW"
Lauren: I like this song, but I can’t figure out its purpose, other than just being a song. It’s a fine song to have on at a party when people are mingling and not really paying attention to the music much. Or maybe a good song to smoke weed to. Or to play while on a road trip and maybe the sun is setting and life is just ~good~. 6/10
Kevin: This one kind of sounds like a Coldplay song… hmm… It also has a sexy vibe. Then it picks up — OK I like it more now. It’s not Coldplay anymore. It's good. I like how it picks up and I also enjoy the background beat. This is pretty poppy but I'm not complaining. I like the chorus a lot. 6/10
Kristin: Getting a little bit of a Chris Martin vibe in the beginning of this song, which is confusing but also I’m into it? I listened to this while walking to work this morning and I can confidently say it improved my mood by roughly 45%. A+. Obsessed. 9/10
Michelle: This one is a good combination of mellow and upbeat. Zayn’s voice comes through really clear in this one, so that you can really hear the lyrics. I’m not super impressed with the chorus but the verses are lit. 7/10
Whitney: Back at it with something a little more upbeat! Definitely feeling the synth on this track. But regarding the album, I’m so unclear why the track listing alternates between upbeat and slow… it’s like, who is this for? 8/10
Matt: All of these songs are like in slow motion, which is not a bad thing, but I’m #justsaying. This doesn’t work for me. This is filler. 4/10
9. "wRoNg" feat. Kehlani
Lauren: OK, all these songs really do sound the same. BUT WAIT THERE’S A GIRL ON THIS TRACK. She’s good. I love duets. I love sexy duets. My favorite duet of all time is “No Air” with Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown. Back to this song though, it’s good, but still kind of slow. Once again Zayn is making me picture people having sex. What’s wrong with me? 6/10 — SORRY 6/10 IS MY COMFORT ZONE!!!
Kevin: OK I REALLY LIKE THIS ONE 40 seconds in. It's true pop. I love when the drum comes in. I like the lyrics too… Sexy. I like this one a lot. This one has a kind of hip-hop beat but it still feels poppy. I like the feature with Kehlani. She’s on the come-up so this is a good feature for Zayn. I'm into it. It's a little slow, but still good. KEEP IT ON THE LOW. I like this one. I will admit it's a little slow, but, again, I DONT MIND. I’m into this one. I like it. I’d definitely be able to listen to this one over and over. 10/10
Kristin: This song is pretty hot. “Don’t think because you’re with me this is real” — it’s like peak fuckboy Zayn and tbqh I’m here for all of it. 7/10
Michelle: This is a pretty decent slow jam that definitely makes you wanna slow grind. Kehlani’s feature is refreshing. 7/10
Whitney: This song was only OK in my book until Kehlani started singing — then I was ALL IN. 9/10
Matt: This sounds like a not as good “Pillowtalk.” It’s OK. 5/10
10. "fOoL fOr YoU"
Lauren: Zayn has a lovely voice, it’s true. He really can get all those notes and shit, but this is boring. This actually reminds me of “Hopelessly Devoted” from the iconic musical Grease. But that song is better than this one. Next song please. 4/10
Kevin: Now we have a ballad. Let’s see how this goes…. I’m not typically a fan of ballads. So I don’t really know how to feel of this one. I mean it isn’t bad. It isn’t that great. Jury’s still out; I think I’d need to listen to this one again, but I don’t know if I would voluntarily do that. 4/10
Kristin: His soothing, sexy voice + a piano is a very golden pairing. Not gonna lie I’m obsessed with this track. Zayn’s probably not talking about me in this song but it feels nice to pretend like he is. 8/10
Zayn / instagram.com