Above the simple keyboard line and hypnotic snaps of “Broken Hearts Heal,” Jackson eulogizes her childhood with Michael. The honesty of “Unbreakable” also elevates the LP over its competitors. On “Night,” Janet’s classic vocal sound (think the whispered, layered feel of “That’s the Way Love Goes”) sits atop an instrumental track that winks at Jam and Lewis’ tenure with the Time and new millennium synth pop. But the dips into old-school R&B and almost-jazz tones keep ears pricked.Ĭlicking electro beats jump start “Dammn Baby” but smooth soul and vintage keyboards keep the song driving forward. The results give “Unbreakable” a modern (and occasionally cliched) feel. Jackson, Jam and Lewis mix their early approach with twitchy, EDM tricks. (Check out the second single “Burnitup!” featuring Missy Elliott). Of course, she’s not afraid to nod at her nasty girl past. This kind of quiet storm soul shows up again and again, on the big ballad “Well Traveled” and the lead single “No Sleeep.” Repeated listens reveal she learned a lot from Frank Ocean (or maybe it was the other way around).
Unlike her peers, Jackson doesn’t fear slow-burn R&B. Instead of charging into the record with a grand statement (see “Control,” “Rhythm Nation”), she opens with a stroll, a tender, sincere love letter to her fans. “Hello, it’s been a while, lots to talk about, I’m glad you’re still here,” Jackson coos at the close of the title track, which opens the LP. Now, seven years since her last release, Jackson has reunited with Jam and Lewis for “Unbreakable.” Jackson and her team began chasing the sounds of a younger artist or rehashing styles that hadn’t been innovative (or interesting) in a decade. The trio’s inventions took Jackson from forgettable kid sister to icon, from 1986’s “What Have You Done for Me Lately” to 2001’s “All For You.” Then came the inevitable slide. To add variety, they split the difference between hard and soft with detours into new jack swing or Paisley Park grooves. When the tracks became too tough, the triumvirate vented tension, finding something between Jacko’s humanistic ballads and Madge’s breathy torch songs.
Teaming with Janet Jackson, Jam and Lewis carefully constructed club jams at the intersection of Michael’s hard-edged dance funk and Madonna’s sexy, feminist pop. In 1986, producers and songwriters Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis imagined an aesthetic between PG-rated Michael Jackson and R-rated Madonna.
Janet Jackson back in control on ‘Unbreakable’