In a just-released teaser, Justin Timberlake offers a brief look at what went on behind the scenes during the production of his forthcoming album, Man of the Woods.
Included in it are a handful of unreleased and unheard songs, but it's uncertain whether they'll be making the cut once the album is released. The clip starts with Timberlake recording a track infused with hues of R&B, but as he points out, the vocals in it bears a distinct country-like melody.
"I think the album has a wide range of sonics to it, but I guess I would describe it as modern Americana with 808s," said Timberlake, laughing afterward at the absurdity of mixing those genres. However, it's worth pointing out that he certainly wouldn't be the first one to blend seemingly discordant genre elements and fuse them together in a surprisingly innovative and unique melody. Music, after all, is a mix of risks and experiments, and Timberlake is merely taking advantage of his wide musical sandbox.
In an interview, the Grammy-winning artist explains how he tried to combine his Tennessee roots with more modern sounds and musical styles for Man of the Woods, saying:
"We talk about those, like, Southern guitars and the sound that feels like heritage — that is me exercising my love for where I came from. But then you mix it with something modern — that's just like, where we are today. To me, if you can put those two things together, that's like an equation for life."
Timberlake shows the different instruments he employs to bring out the sounds that support his artistic concept, crafting songs on piano, guitar, and working with topnotch producers the likes of Pharrell Williams and Timbaland, a longtime collaborator of Timberlake. There are also scenes in which Timberlake runs along a field of wheat and flowers, adding to the whole Americana vibe. Could Man of the Woods be a visual album, too, akin to Lemonade by Beyoncé? We'll find out soon.
Timberlake has only released one single off the album thus far, titled "Filthy," accompanied with a Steve Jobs-esque music video featuring robots and artificial intelligence. Man of the Woods is set to arrive Feb. 2, just a couple of days before Timberlake performs at the Super Bowl LII Halftime Show.
Excited for Man of the Woods? What do you think of Timberlake's new single? As always, feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
