You may have seen The Weeknd around other music blogs and site, as their hype is as ripe as hype can be. It’s the project of Toronto resident Abel Tesfaye, who released a free mixtape/album called House Of Balloons on his website, and it’s been getting acclaim from pretty much everyone.
I finally gave it a listen, and I approve. It’s a modern take on r&b with electronic influences sprinkled in. But don’t get me wrong, this is definitely a r&b album. Take the essential jam “The Morning” as a prime example. It’s a flavorful r&b jam with an undeniable hook that should have even R. Kelly raising eye brows. It’s certainly not shy of any of the joy that good r&b gives us. Haven’t stopped playing this since I gave the album a listen last night.
Be sure to download it, it’s free & legal, after all. Abel does a great job incorporating samples from acts like Beach House which give an entire new look and feel to modern r&b.
[mp3]: The Weeknd – The Morning
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