The Weeknd is a 30 year old singer/songwriter from Toronto, Ontario, Canada that rose to stardom in the early 2010s with a trilogy of highly acclaimed mixtapes: House of Balloons, Thursday & Echoes of Silence. He then made his full-length debut in 2013 with Kiss Land, which was followed up in 2015 with Beauty Behind the Madness & then Starboy the year after. Last we heard from Abel was in 2018 with his debut EP My Dear Melancholy, & almost 2 years later now, he’s back with his 4th full-length album following a cameo in the A24 Films crime thriller Uncut Gems.
The opener “Alone Again” finds Abel sings about substance abuse over a glimmering instrumental from Ging & Illangelo, but then the drums kick in around the 2nd half & just hit you hard. The next track “Too Late” talks about how he & Bella Hadid are on their own now over a cool UK garage instrumental while the song “Hardest to Love” talks about how it isn’t easy for his past lovers to let him go over a liquid drum & bass instrumental.
“Scared to Live” is basically an apology to his exes over a gorgeous synth lead & some punchy drums while the song “Snowchild” talks about wanting to be famous at 16 & now he doesn’t want the fame anymore over a futuristic instrumental. The track “Escape from LA” talks about how Los Angeles will be the end of him over a melancholic beat from Metro Boomin’ while the song “Heartless” talks about being just that over a decent trap instrumental.
The track “Faith” talks about relapsing after being sober for a year over a hypnotic beat while the WWE WrestleMania XXXVII theme song “Blinding Lights” talks about how he can’t see clearly without Bella over a synthpop instrumental. The track “In Your Eyes” talks about how he sees something burning inside of this woman over a synthwave instrumental while the WWE WrestleMania XXXVIII theme song “Save Your Tears” pretty much tells Bella to cry another day over an 80s throwback instrumental.
“Repeat After Me” finds Abel telling her ex that he knows she really doesn’t love her new man over a euphoric instrumental from Tame Impala mastermind Kevin Parker alongside Oneohtrix Point Never while the title track is an open apology to all the women he’s hurt over an instrumental with some elements of future garage & progressive pop.
The closer “Until I Bleed Out” officially ends After Hours talks about not needing love or drugs anymore over an ambient pop instrumental while “Nothing Compares” complexly starts the deluxe run coming to terms with his feelings for his lover. “Missed You” realizes he still has feelings for a past love in his life & the final bonus track “Final Lullaby” sings to his lover helping them try to fall asleep.
When it comes to all 4 of The Weekend’s full-length albums, this is EASILY the best & I’d honestly put it on par with Trilogy. He artistically reinvents himself by expanding his alternative R&B sound in favor of synthpop, synthwave, future garage, ambient pop, trap soul, new wave & dream pop projecting the themes of loneliness, self-loathing & escapism.
Score: 4.5/5
Legends Will Never Die 