With a light bass floating lazily in the background, Zayn Malik sings, “I’ve done this before/Not like this/Not like this.” And well, he has.

After five years of being in the widely successful boy band One Direction, Malik quit the band to pursue a solo career on March 25, 2015. Now, one year later, he has dropped his first album, Mind of Mine, as a solo artist.

Malik’s style, while still classified as pop, is infused with R&B. Slow, lethargic vocals bleed in with heavy sounds and steady beats.

‘Mind of Mine’ mixes romantic, sultry numbers such as It’s You’ and ‘Drunk,’ with upbeat tempos and highs as featured in ‘She’ ‘Like I Would’ and ‘Pillowtalk.’ No matter what the tempo, Malik’s voice is almost hypnotic, each note delightful and almost soothing.

In ‘INTERMISSION: flower,’ Zayn sings in his father’s native language of Urdu, his voice delicate and lacey. The lyrics translate to say, ‘Until this flower of love has bloomed/this heart won’t be at peace.’ What’s unique about the album is the steady blend of dark and rich songs with quick, fast paced numbers. Raunchy lyrics reflect how Zayn has not only grown as an artist, but as an adult as well. The title, ‘Mind of Mine,’ shows what has been brewing inside of Zayn’s head musically for so long. His breakaway from One Direction proves what different style of music he had from the rest of the band, and it’s evident in every track.

Overall, ‘Mind of Mine’ is a steady blend of rich vocals and steady beats, but certain tracks fall short in comparison to others, such a ‘It’s You’ and ‘Blue’. Some sound extremely similar to one another. The abundance of raunchy numbers and colorful diction choices appear to be thrust at you almost forcefully, as if Malik is forcing you to believe he has cut off all musical ties with One Direction. However, this is Malik’s first album as a solo artist and a completely new time in his life. ‘Mind of Mine’ is definitely worth the listen. If you wish to hear an album somewhere in between Usher and Bieber, than this is the one for you.