The Weeknd dropped his latest studio album entitled "After Hours" which comes four years after his 2016 project "Starboy."
Whenever I think of The Weeknd, I'm automatically reminded of my college days, as his mixtapes were the soundtrack of my walks through campus.
As "After Hours" begins, the very first track, "Alone Again" takes me right back to that mental state where I'm tuning out the world, power walking to my next class with my earphones in. If this is any indication of the rest of this project, I can already tell the production will be immaculate. This track is somewhat reminiscent of "Trilogy" - slow, moody, psychedelic, even with the beat switch up halfway through the song.
Then we're taken to "Too Late," the second track which takes me from campus to the inside of any Forever21 store. I would say this track is the perfect combination of old Abel and new. There's the moody elements that we first fell in love with and also the pop elements that he tapped into in more recent years.
One of my favorite tracks of the album from first listen was "Scared to Live" - a relatable tune of moving on after a love you're used to that you probably shouldn't have loved to begin with. He sings "If I held you back, at least I held you close." (That sounds like that toxic energy everyone loves talks about these days, right?)
It seems we have moved into the confessional part of the album as "Snowchild" begins sounding like a diary entry of problems from his past mixed with truths of his present. I liked this song before he even started singing, it's vulnerable.
He told us in "Snowchild" that "Cali was the mission, but now a n*gga leaving'", so it only seems right that the following track is titled "Escape From LA." Now, this song sounds like the quintessential The Weeknd that I first fell in love with. The almost 6 minute track is full of recollections of his escapades and encounters with women. I love it here. These three - "Scared To Live," "Snowchild" and "Escape From LA" are my personal faves, and I love that they come right after the other.
Now halfway through the album, I've decided this project caters to the OG The Weeknd fans that may have been missing his old style, while still feeding the pop fans who discovered him later. Also I was so happy to see that there was an interlude (why don't more artists include these? I love them) and "Repeat After Me" is an. interlude. Ok? Although it's definitely long enough to hold it's own as a song. "You don't love him, if you're thinking of me." Oh, hello again, Mr. Toxic.
All in all, as an older The Weeknd fan, I'm pleased with the album and feel satisfied with the amount of tracks that tap more into his original style. What do you think of the album, and what are your favorite songs?
Comments