Justin Timberlake

Timberlake emerged from *NSYNC before releasing Justified in 2002. The Neptunes and Timbaland helped build a setting that drew on R&B, funk and pop without sounding like a simple exercise in revival. “Like I Love You” runs on a wiry guitar figure and precise percussion; “Rock Your Body” lets the melody glide over a much warmer groove. “Cry Me a River” is darker and more theatrical, with the production responding to every shift in the vocal.

FutureSex/LoveSounds in 2006 changed the scale and structure. Working closely with Timbaland and Danja, Timberlake made space for long tracks, interludes and abrupt transitions. “SexyBack” uses a rough electronic vocal as a rhythmic instrument, while “My Love” places falsetto lines over a flickering synthetic beat.

The 20/20 Experience in 2013 returned to extended arrangements, with “Suit & Tie” and “Mirrors” taking different routes through the same interest in rhythm and layered vocals. Some of the pleasure lies outside the first obvious hook: a second section arrives, the drums change emphasis, or a repeated line starts to feel different after several minutes.

For a first listen, Justified and FutureSex/LoveSounds work particularly well together. The former is compact and song-led; the latter keeps testing how far the arrangement can stretch. Both show a performer whose identity is tied to the details of the groove rather than vocal force alone.