Album Review: Zayn’s Bedroom Under the Stairs

By Ansharah Shakil, June 19, 2024—

Zayn Malik’s musical career has been punctuated by twists and turns, starting with his first solo album in 2016 My spirit to his long and complex concept album Icarus Falls in 2018 on his third album Nobody listens released in 2021. With his latest album Bedroom under the stairsreleased on May 17, it swaps R&B for a more soulful and softer sound, returns to the spotlight and makes its return to the charts.

While Zayn cited wanting to make different music as his reason for leaving One Direction, My spirit, released exactly a year after Zayn left the group, was a proof of concept, a love letter to R&B. On Icarus Fallshe was even more ambitious – the album’s ups and downs were all intentional, and he dove in and out of pop with ease. Nobody listens felt much more grounded and confident, but still began with the unexpected “Calamity,” a combination of rap, spoken word and poetry. What all of his music so far has in common is this tendency to offer moments of surprise, just like his career. Bedroom under the stairs is a genre experiment for him — it’s a big departure from anything he’s done before, and the end result is a serene album that feels sure of itself and its sound, even if that sound itself same is largely the same.

In the past, Zayn has been at his best when branching out into other genres – most recently when he joined Pakistani trio AUR for “Tu Hai Kahan,” in the 2016 Qawwali-inspired track “ INTERMISSION: fLoWer” or singing lyrics from “Mohammed Rafi” Chaudhvin Ka Chand” in 2021’s “Fightrope”. In “Fightrope”, the lyrics “We are who we are when we are alone” recall “We are who we are when no one is watching” from “I Won’t Mind” – arguably one of Zayn’s greatest (albeit unreleased) songs due to its simple, stripped-down intimacy. This vulnerability is a quality that Bedroom under the stairs is too calm and collected to accomplish, despite Zayn saying it was supposed to be his most personal album yet.

What we feel is an album that belongs to him. The production is largely Zayn’s, alongside Dave Cobb, known for working country and rock. And even if Zayn has already had excellent successful collaborations — “wRoNg” with Kehlani, “No Candle No Light” with Nicki Minaj, “Dusk till Dawn” with Sia, “When Love’s Around” with Syd or the famous “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever” with Taylor Swift — there is none on the 15-track version of Bedroom under the stairs or the Z-sides version, released on May 20 with five additional songs.

Opening track “Dreamin” kicks off both versions and sets the tone for the album: Zayn’s signature falsettos are joined by gentle, country- and folk-influenced guitars and drums, the minimalist production letting his agile vocals take center stage. front of the stage. On lead single “What I Am,” Zayn’s lyrics are honest, touching the heart as he sings, “Don’t take me for what I say, just take me for what I am.” »

The Z-sides album includes the demo version of “Alienated”, an introspective blues-inspired track. The first side Z, “Ignorance Is Not Bliss,” is made distinctly provocative by its production. In “Lied To,” the acoustic guitar complements Zayn’s elegant vocals, especially in the chorus when he sings “You do me right / You stay by my side,” stretching out the word “you” like a declaration of love before to effortlessly transform into a lower range for the deck.

These songs could have easily replaced more forgettable songs like “My Woman” and “The Time”, or “Concrete Kisses”, which is lacking in terms of production and lyrics. These three are examples of how strong vocals can’t quite save some songs, which are similar enough to blend together. “How It Feels,” on the other hand, stands out, dissolving into a beautiful falsetto near the end. The following track “Stardust” is stunning – among her soft vocals and twinkling keys are gentle lyrics that simply skirt around being too trite.

“Birds on a Cloud” begins the same way as the other tracks, but the guitars pick up twenty seconds, slightly upbeat like the soundtrack to an indie film. In the end, it stood out as one of the strongest tracks on the album. When Zayn references his daughter in “Shoot at Will,” it’s another lovely bit, a moment of clarity. But “False Start” knocks everything else out of the park: bright and lively, it carries the momentum of its driving rhythms and sublime high notes all the way to the end, with each part of the song working together in harmony. As Bedroom under the stairs Overall, it feels like a transformation: a new chapter for Zayn in his career, and one that audiences can take as is.