Justin Timberlake’s willingness to take his time creatively (relevant: his first decade as a solo artist yielded only two records) seems to directly shape the sonic opulence of The 20/20 Experience. Once again teaming up with Timbaland, JT presides over 10 maximal tracks that run fearlessly from symphonic neo-soul (“Pusher Love Girl”) to bustling eastern-tinged funk (“Let the Groove Get In”). Then there’s “Mirrors.” An unashamedly romantic 8-minute brew of elastic percussion and soaring guitar that caps a masterpiece of space, experimentation, and cinematic scope.
- Pharrell Williams
- Rihanna