The past three years have been a somewhat turbulent time for Justin Bieber. The former teen star descended into a very public meltdown, his once wholesome image tarnished by an extensive inventory of legal issues involving reckless behaviour, drug usage, dangerous driving and other general brattish behaviour. It appeared that Bieber was on a mission to destroy his career and disappear from the music industry, never to be seen again. 2015, however, has been a year of incredible transformation. His triumphant musical comeback has been a surprise to many; singles ‘Where are U now’ and ‘What Do You Mean?’ have been warmly received by critics and fans alike. It appears J-Biebz has got his life back on track.

Bieber really comes into his own on ‘Purpose’, an exuberant affair abundant with euphoric dance-pop. The bubblegum pop has been replaced by material which is far more mature and substantial in nature. It’s still undoubtedly pop music but it contains far greater depth, borrowing influences from EDM, tropical house and R&B.

Much of the album is in the same vein as the impossibly catchy ‘What Do You Mean’, built around electro/pitch-moderated samples, slick beats and breathy synths. Latest single ‘Sorry’ is a prime example, utilising squeaky synths and samba-like percussion to create a buoyant R&B track. ‘Company’, one of the album’s highlights, is a buoyant tropical-house flavoured track with bouncy percussion, breezy keys and vivacious dance bass riffs. It’s low-key but effortlessly catchy and reinforces that sometimes in pop music, simplicity is pivotal.

Elsewhere, the album is softer, mimicking slow-jam nineties R&B. Album opener ‘Mark My Words’ is an understated but effective introduction. Featuring little more than broken fragments of Bieber’s vocals and tender piano chords, it doesn’t particularly lead anywhere but it’s pleasant enough. ‘I’ll Show You’ is built around jittery high-pitched vocal samples and trap-like beats, resulting in a dark but effective R&B track. Dainty acoustic guitar arpeggios are the main feature of ‘No Pressure’, a waltz-like R&B track featuring a rap from Big Sean whilst ‘No Sense’ follows the same formula but is a little heavier. On ‘No Sense’, Bieber’s vocals have never sounded cleaner and they ride the minimal instrumentation beautifully. The song is let down however by an excessively auto-tuned and dispensable segment from Travi$ Scott. ‘The Feeling’, a collaboration with American singer-songwriter Halsey is another of the strongest tracks on the album, comprised of tremulous percussion and a catchy, melodic hook.

At times the album does come close to regressing back to Bieber’s bubblegum pop. Whilst an enjoyable addition, soft and heartfelt piano ballad ‘Life is Worth Living’ is rather saccharine and carries a naivety reminiscent of his earlier material. Likewise, Ed Sheeran collaboration ‘Love Yourself’ is a welcome break from the intensity of the album but does feel rather feeble compared to the rest of the album. ‘Children’ is the most EDM-influenced track on the album (aside from ‘Where are U Now’) but is one of the album’s weakest moments. The corny and frankly rather creepy lyrical content detracts from Skrillex’s scatty production and is reminiscent of Bieber circa 2011.

There is one efficacious ballad on the album, however. Title track ‘Purpose’ is a gentle piano ballad which closes the album beautifully. Whilst it is almost tarnished by the bizarre addition of spoken clips of Bieber discussing his personal life, it thankfully holds its own.

‘Purpose’ is the first of Bieber’s releases to finally serve as a true reflection of himself and his own musical influences. It’s bold, buoyant and enchanting from start to finish.

• Rating: 4/5
• Album Highlights: I’ll Show You, What do you mean?, Company, Where are U now, No Pressure

‘Purpose’ is available now on Def Jam records.