On first listen this album is really really good. I've liked a lot of the Weeknd but he has some times left me cold. His music can be very impersonal and purposefully heartless (its a theme in a lot of his songs).

I really started to appreciate him though with the video series from that last album. It was so twisted and freakish, made me realize there was some serious stuff going on under the surface.

He has been tinkering with this synth 80s sounds for some time but I think he figured it out how to do it beyond novelty and pastiche and has real heart.

I use to think he was a bit too derivative of MJJ, but he has definitely broken free of that with this album. Its fitting he is wearing old man makeup on the cover because this is definitely a more mature album. He even indirectly addresses his previous coldness with the Quincy Jones (I'm guessing) interlude. That “I Want To Thank You” sample on “Sacrifice”, chef's kiss.

Can't wait to listen to a bunch more times.



**********
"Everyone has a plan until you punch them in the face. Then they don't have a plan anymore." (c) Mike Tyson

"what's a leader if he isn't reluctant"

now he finally unlocked the sound/aesthetic with the cohesiveness of after hours...project came out fire

took me 7 songs to get into one i really liked on this but then the rest pretty much stayed on the same level. definitely going to give it more plays.

it certainly makes After Hours look even better than it already did, though.

I really really really think he's been listening to:
Breakbot
Holy Ghost!
And a liltte.... Justice

PLUS All the post-disco/boogie stuff we all heard in the 80s.
PLUS All the new wave synthpop groups from the 80s.

And I like it.

But a song like Sacrifice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VafTMsrnSTU

Sounds *a lot* like a Breakbot song. Not in in particular but they general sound.

Other songs sound like Depeche Mode mixed with Holy Ghost!.

Again, I dig it.

Because Bruno Mars has blatantly stolen a Breakbot song and now if The Weeknd is aping from him as well... then this dude, virtually unknown by the general public, is influencing the hell out of the generation's biggest pop stars. There's an article begging to be written about this.

>Because Bruno Mars has blatantly stolen a Breakbot song and
>now if The Weeknd is aping from him as well... then this dude,
>virtually unknown by the general public, is influencing the
>hell out of the generation's biggest pop stars. There's an
>article begging to be written about this.

I might be hearing Breakbot when I'm actually hearing an updated take on Nu Disco and City Pop - which both influenced Breakbot a lot.

And the vocal stylings on Breakbot songs when collaborators Ruckazoid and Yasmin sing are similar to the style The Weeknd employs often - but ALL are very obviously influenced by the non-HE-HE style of Michael Jackson.

City pop song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZyS-ms6-RA


I don't think he's biting at all, just have very similar shared influences.

I think he could cover Another You very easily:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dybNNo8y48k