Jason Derulo took the world, and the airwaves, by storm in 2010 with the release of his self-titled debut album. On the back off two hugely successful singles, Watcha Say and In My Head, Derulo quickly became a household name. For those waiting to see whether Derulo could repeat the success of his first album, or if he would fall victim to the sophomore slump, didn’t have too long to wait, with his follow up album, Future History releasing just over a year later.

Derulo doesn’t take many risks with the new album, instead opting to stick to the formula that made his first album so successful. Future History contains a mix of upbeat dance tracks and slower R&B ballads. This will please fans of the first album, but those hoping to see the edgier and more experimental side of Derulo that appeared on his early mixtapes, on songs such as Cyber Love and Electrafine, may be disappointed.

If the album proves one thing, it’s that Derulo is a certified hit maker, with the first two singles from the album charting very well. The first single, Don’t Wanna Go Home, samples the Banana Boat Song by Day-O. There is quite a lot going on in the song, and although it doesn’t quite capture the magic of the brilliant Watcha Say, it’s still a solid dance track. This song, which is fittingly about not wanting to leave the club, is bound to keep people dancing in the clubs for a while to come.

Derulo followed this up with It Girl, a slower song that is sure to melt the hearts of the ladies. The track features a great melody, and catchy tune that will have you whistling to it in no time.

Although not yet released as a single, Fight For You, which samples Africa by Toto, is the bound to be a future hit. The empowering song, which is one of the strongest on the album, has a tribal feel to it, and once again sees Derulo nail another infectious chorus.

Derulo showed on the first album that he had a knack for pulling off the male R&B ballad like few others can. This time around the power ballad of the album is the track Dumb, which shows off the strength of his vocals. Derulo also lets his vocals shine in Breathing and Giving Up, two of the slower and more poignant songs on the album.

However, while the album may have a lot of highs, it also has some lows. Some of the songs on the album are more lacklustre than others; the second half of the album in particular being noticeably weaker than the first. Songs such as Make It Up As We Go, Bleed Out and That’s My Shhh all seem generic and uninspired, and seem more like filler tracks than anything else.

Despite some inconsistencies with the quality of the tracks, the good easily outweighs the bad on the album, and Derulo proves that he is more than a one hit wonder. Future History is a solid effort from the young singer, proving to be very accessible with a mix of radio friendly dance tracks and ballads. While he may not make history with the album, it’s clear that Jason Derulo is here to stay, and there is no doubt that we’ll be seeing, and hearing, a lot more of him in the future.

Standout Tracks: “It Girl”, “Fight For You”, “Dumb”

Tracklisting:

1. Don’t Wanna Go Home
2. It Girl
3. Breathing
4. Be Careful
5. Make It Up As We Go
6. Fight For You
7. Pick Up The Pieces
8. Givin’ Up
9. Bleed Out
10. That’s My Shhh
11. X
12. Dumb
13. Overdose
14. Give It To Me

As reviewed by Marcus Hannah for YR

PARTNER LINKS: