Album Review: Finding Balance in The Weeknd’s 'After Hours'
The Weeknd grapples with his usual hedonistic subject matter while masterfully maintaining his sound in perhaps his most experimental project to date.
Written by Samantha Paradiso
Photo courtesy of NME
Abel Tesfaye, most commonly known by his stage name The Weeknd, first emerged onto the music scene in 2011 with his debut project House of Balloons, later released as a part of his trifecta of mixtapes Trilogy. Since then, the R&B artist has put out numerous projects all with varying sounds, from the eerie Kiss Land to the more upbeat Starboy. And now, two years after My Dear Melancholy, The Weeknd has returned to the limelight with more breathy, electrifying jams in After Hours.
The album’s initial track, “Alone Again,” begins with a flurry of synthesized key notes paired with crackling and static feedback that adds a muffled effect, calling back to his sound in songs like “The Birds, Pt. 2,” and “Coming Down” in Trilogy. Later on in the track, the key notes are layered with a deep bass and heavy reverb, transitioning into a more ominous feel, similar to that of a horror film score. This is not new for the Canadian artist, however, as he channeled similar energy in Kiss Land, stating that he derived inspiration from the likes of filmmakers John Carpenter and Sir Ridley Scott. But, towards the two-minute mark, the track’s rhythm changes altogether, moving into a faster-paced trap beat paired with his autotuned, echoed vocals. Highly unpredictable, “Alone Again” sets the stage for the rest of the experimental album, guiding listeners through jazz solos, upbeat jams, and ‘80s feels.
Though most tracks bounce around between rhythms and pace (from the low key “Escape From LA” to the more pop “Blinding Lights”) the album has an overall brighter, more vibrant tone than his previous projects. In “Hardest to Love,” the track fluctuates between an airy, melodic rhythm with soft electronic keys and a quick tempo whose beat drops keep listeners on their toes. Similarly, “In Your Eyes”’s initial beat channels an ‘80s vibe with a faint jazz tone that eventually erupts into a full-blown saxophone solo. And perhaps the highlight of the album is the catchy and energetic “Blinding Lights,” which was initially released as a single in January. With its rapid keys and speedy drums, the track is fitting of the climax music to a blockbuster flick, making it hard for any listener to not bob their head while it’s playing.
Yet, despite the album’s drastically different sound, The Weeknd still dwells on his usual hedonistic subject matter. No stranger to calling out his exes in his music, this album is no exception. In “Escape from LA,” he meditates on the superficiality and toxicity of the coastal California city and his relationship with an unnamed woman. Rejecting the fast-paced nature of LA, The Weeknd sets his foot down in this track not only with his lyrics but the beat as well. Throughout the song, the artist makes numerous references to speed, including cars and the titular film “Speed” starring Keanu Reeves. Unlike the rest of the album’s sound, however, this track’s beat is a bit slower with the singer's vocals a bit more hushed and lulled. With its repeated, “Well this place is never what it seems / Take me out LA / Take me out of LA / This place will be the end of me” backed by a simple trap pulse, the artist is ironically unable to sneak away from the city scene’s vanity and momentum. Reflecting on his love life he sings, “LA girls all look the same… The same work done on they face,” which could be interpreted as a jab at his ex, model Bella Hadid. So although After Hours may deviate from the artist’s general feel in his previous music, he can’t seem to escape from singing about heartbreak, drugs, sex, and his exes.
Photo courtesy of XO and Republic Records
Though The Weeknd succeeds in pushing out a project unlike any he’s done before, it’s difficult to not view this album through the lens of his others. From House of Balloons to Starboy, he has teetered between a dark mystique to a more palatable, commercialized style, allowing listeners to journey through the Toronto native’s different sounds throughout his albums. So if listeners were expecting The Weeknd from 2012’s Trilogy, this album will only disappoint. However, expectations aside, the Starboy is able to explore beyond the means of his typical sound in his highly experimental and fun After Hours.