Liam Payne’s tragic death has left us in a whirlpool of sorrow and nostalgia, hurtling us back into the artifacts most precious to his musical legacy. “Made In The A.M.” the fifth and last studio album by One Direction, has a new taste now. The record was released in 2015, already in the depressing shadow of Zayn Malik’s exit, and now serves as a memorial of Payne’s lasting imprint on the band’s music.
Revisiting “Made in the A.M” today isn’t an act of just musical experience, but remembrance—celebrating Payne’s art and a heartfelt adieu to the voice that spoke to millions.
From the opening bars of “Hey Angel,” a track bathed in reverb-drenched piano chords and echoing harmonies, the album provides a landscape at once familiar and subtly shifted.
Shimmering production courtesy of Julian Bunetta and John Ryan retains the polished sheen of previous One Direction releases, yet with new depth, a richer texture that teases toward the band’s musical maturation. The singing among Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson is tighter than ever: the individual timbres blend together in a powerful, unified sound. This new confidence of the band is perfectly captured with the lead single of this album, “Drag Me Down,” a pulsating synth-driven anthem. The interplay between the driving bass line and syncopated hi-hat patterns imparts constant propulsive energy while layering on vocal harmonies gives way to a sense of soaring and anthem-like qualities.
Co-written by Styles and Tomlinson, “Perfect” is a sparkling pop gem whose catchy melody and naggingly insistent beat burrow deep into the brain on first contact. Built around a more traditional verse-chorus-bridge structure, it moves through changes of pace and dynamics, its climax a stunningly effective, massed vocal chorus.
“Infinity,” a power ballad written by John Ryan, Jamie Scott, and Julian Bunetta, features the completeness of the band members’ vocals. The song follows its course from an exquisite piano introduction to a highly emotive, screamed climax. Soaking the vocal harmonies in reverb and delay creates an astoundingly great layering of the song, while the dynamic range increases the depth of the song.
It’s not all serious on the album. “History” is a folksy, nostalgia-tinged track that celebrates the band’s journey and the connection they have made with their audience.
“End of the Day” is a midtempo number with a driving rhythm and infectious melody that shows off the band’s ability to belie a pop sensibility with a touch of rock edge.
“If I Could Fly,” which he co-wrote, cements that Styles is a talented songwriter and emotive vocalist. The song structure, as laid out with this simple piano melody and then subtly layered vocal harmonies, provides the stripped preview through which pure emotion is bullishly brought to the lyrics. Added to that subtle string arrangement and atmospheric effects, it brings a vulnerable, close intimacy that makes the song truly captivating.
“Made in the A.M.” isn’t a perfect album; some of these songs, such as “Olivia,” are enjoyable enough but lack that emotional resonance or musical complexity found in the standouts on this album. However, in the wake of loss, those imperfections fade into insignificance. What remains is a wave of nostalgia, an ache so sweet it hurts. Every note, every harmony, every lyric now carries a different weight— an echo of Liam Payne’s bright presence. A reminder of the joy he brought to millions “Made in The A.M.” far from being a faultless magnum opus, will be a real treasure time capsule, capturing a moment in time snapshot of a band on the cusp of change and undeniably talented vocals of a young artist whose voice will go on ringing in our hearts.
