Justin Timberlake Says New Album 'Punches You Between the Eyes'

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Justin Timberlake has been taking a different route on his forthcoming new album, which he says "punches you between the eyes."

Speaking with Variety in a newly published interview, the singer said although he wouldn't describe his new material as "the antithesis of [2013's The 20/20 Experience]," he believes "it does sound more singular," he says, adding: "If 20/20 sounded like it literally surrounds your entire head, this stuff feels more like it just punches you between the eyes."

As we previously mentioned, Timberlake has been in and out of the studio for much of the past year and he's been working with the likes of Timbaland and Pharrell. And according to the latter, it seems they already have at least half a dozen songs ready.

“Songwise, I think we’ve got a good solid six that are like, ‘Whoa, what was that? Play that again,'" Pharrell said in the same interview, suggesting this new material may be Timberlake's most honest.

"For the biggest pop stars in the world, the place where they have the most trouble is honesty," Pharrell explained. "It’s hard for them to know that the beauty of a record, the sweetest spot in the song, is where they show vulnerability ... If you’re able to really screenshot your own vulnerability, and frame it properly, and color-correct it, then it becomes something that every human can relate to. And I think Justin is in the place where he’s mastering that right now.”

There's no word on when the album will finally arrive, but both Timberlake and Pharrell noted there's no rush. For right now, the focus is Trolls, which stars Timberlake and features his musical contributions on the soundtrack. It opens in theaters this Friday.