By: Skylar Jones
After four years of radio silence, The Weeknd finally released his newest album, “After Hours” on March 20.
The album is a blast from the past due to its retro-style tracks, which feature fast beats, electronic guitar riffs and flawless vocals. The music is upbeat and eccentric, but the tracks entertain listeners with unique and thrilling beats.
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, professionally known as The Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actor and record producer. His music generally consists of topics such as sex, drugs, and heartbreak, evoking strong emotion within listeners. The Weeknd had been nominated for multiple awards and won Grammys for Best Urban Contemporary Artist in 2016 and 2018 and a Grammy for Best R&B performance in 2016.
“After Hours” is The Weeknd’s fourth studio album release and contains nineteen tracks. The album launched on March 20 by XO and Republic Records. The Weeknd released three singles such as “Heartless,” “Blinding Lights,” and “In Your Eyes,” before the album’s release.
“After Hours” incorporates diverse and unique tracks. The album has some songs that are slower paced, and others that are more upbeat and thrilling. This aspect of the album feels unlike other pop albums he has released in the past, making it highly memorable and a significant change in The Weeknd’s musical style.
The track “Blinding Lights” is refreshing with its originality and retro background beat. This song highlights the overall album and the style of music that “After Hours” contains. The Weeknd’s vocals are flawless and never stray away from the steady, retro and electric beat.
The Weeknd captivates listeners with the story told in his songs, which portrays strong emotion and passion. He primarily sings about love and heartbreak, evoking strong emotion within the listeners. In addition, his vocals are flawless and add another layer of depth to the tracks.
“After Hours” is a unique and amusing album, deviating far from the Weeknd’s past music. The Weeknd creatively incorporates an electric and retro theme into the album, which is a new feature for the band and a fresh touch. Overall, listeners’ expectations were exceeded making it worth the four year wait.
Released on March 20, “After Hours” is available for purchase for $11.99 on iTunes and for streaming on Spotify, Youtube and Apple Music.
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