An R&B and soul album,[REF][REF][REF][REF] Journals steps away from Bieber's more teen-pop sound of his previous efforts, while also having pop influences.
The album is composed by many "slow numbers", such as "Hold Tight," "All Bad" and "PYD", which Carl Williot of Idolator considered "racy, restrained jams in the vein of The Weeknd's mixtapes (minus the danger), each utilizing the bare minimum in terms of percussion."