Justin Timberlake - 'FutureSex/LoveSounds'

When you're trying to make everyone forget your early boyband misdeeds, it helps to have producer/musician Timbaland's Midas touch on your side. Initially adorned with alternative funk/hip hop flavours and a sharp pop attitude, this degenerates into R&B balladry fit for your average screaming, hysterical, oversexed girlie. 'Future Sex/LoveSounds' opens with an Another One Bites the Dust backbeat, and progresses through spine-tingling minor changes; something close to George Michael's catchier tracks. The album's slightly subversive theme is explicitly communicated, and all tracks are based around the root words of sex, sexy, love and assorted metaphors for same, like a funky double entendre. The tempo is kicked up on Sexyback, and built around the high, teasing tones of Timberlake ("I'll let you whip me if I misbehave"), with Timbaland's rougher exhortations in the background. My Love's stop-start rhythm and hesitant synths pull off the impressive feat of a ballad without the cheesiness. Chop Me Up (w/Timbaland and Three 6 Mafia) and Pose (feat. Snoop Dogg) move into out-and-out hip-hop, which works well; it's just a little confusing. Timeberlake's suited and booted affluent image, and R&B offerings elsewhere on the album, seem incongruous.'FutureSex/LoveSounds' manages to be safe, subversive, surprising, and sultry all at the same time. [Alex Burden]