The Merits of Zayn Malik's Dorky New Single 'Sour Diesel,' Debated

Former One Direction member and wearer of his girlfriend Gigi Hadid’s Anna Sui T-shirt Zayn Malik is back with a new single that compares a woman to drugs, and a mask that looks like it was ripped off the face of MF Doom. We know weed is good, but is “Sour Diesel?” Jezebel investigates in this exclusive excerpt from our Slack:

Julianne Escobedo Shepherd: New Zayn. About weed (eyeroll emoji). Wow why does this sound like Bauhaus?

Rich Juzwiak: lol. What the fuck. I’m not against this because the chorus has that yacht rock funk to it.

Clover Hope: This is Miguel-y

Rich: Oh yeah it’s very Wildheart.

Julianne: That slap bass, lmao.

Rich: It’s very dad-gets-into-weed.

Claire Shaffer: Extremely Wildheart.

Julianne: Man, I do NOT like this song.

Claire: There’s a lot going on here.

Hazel Cills: Bauhaus??? CLICK.

Rich: I turned it off, JES.

Julianne: I liked the beginning when it sounded like he was gonna do a “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” cover.

Julianne: Oh my god this ‘80s guitar riff. HELP!!!!

Claire: It’s…..not that much like Bauhaus after the intro.

Julianne: NO!!!!

Claire: It tries to be FUNKY and it’s not.

Julianne: Oh my god Rich click ahead to 2:49. This riff is insane.

Claire: Eugghhhhh.

Julianne: Oh my god. It’s SO EIGHTIES GUITAR RIFF

Ashley: Yo.

Julianne: I feel like I’m riding in an ‘87 Fiat and watching a Rodney Dangerfield movie.

Rich: Now I’m back on board. This is too stupid for me not to enjoy it.

Julianne: I think I love it too hahah. Just that part tho.

Hazel: Not good. It sounds like 1975.

Claire: Is this a thing that the Pop Men are doing now? The corny ’80s throwback? I’m just thinking of John Mayer.

Hazel: Zayn just has zero personality.

Clover: Ah to Be Old.

Julianne: You know who did it first and best? Ty Dolla $ign, and saxophones.

Rich: It’s very Bugle Boy Jeans commercial.

Julianne: omg YES BUGLE BOY.

Ashley: This Zayn audio is fascinating me. His music is always more interesting than he is, which sometimes isn’t saying much. But this time it might be.