@theweeknd
On the final night of his After Hours til Dawn Tour, The Weeknd attempted to sing one of his most powerful songs, “Alone Again,” — but nothing came out. This moment, its causes, effects and fallout, is one the artist revisits many times on his latest album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow.” Draped in eerie instrumentals reminiscent of his debut, combined with such impressive lyricism and an array of guests, the Weeknd’s newest work is one of his most polished and complete projects to date — and, perhaps, his last.
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” begins with the intense, existential “Wake Me Up,” featuring French singer Justice. Around two minutes in, the song samples “Thriller” by Michael Jackson to great effect, as it turns the sad track into one reminiscent of a disco dancefloor classic. It successfully adds to the nighttime vibe that the Weeknd attempts throughout the project. The album doesn’t limit itself to one genre, though, as it explores Brazilian funk with “São Paulo” featuring Anitta, electro-R&B with “Enjoy The Show” featuring Future and even ’80s synth-pop with “Give Me Mercy.”
The Weeknd goes from a funky, ’90s R&B vibe with “I Can’t Wait To Get There” to straight horror with “Red Terror,” a poignant, creepy and introspective reflection of his versatility. The centerpiece of the second half of the record, the song acts to center the album on the themes of identity. The Weeknd declares, “Call me by the old, familiar name” at the end of “Red Terror,” implying he may want to rid himself of the Weeknd moniker and embrace his real name, Abel Tesfaye.
Certain tracks show off Tesfaye’s impressive lyrical abilities. For example, “Baptized In Fear” creates a beautifully tragic picture of fear and anxiety with lyrics like “Couldn’t scream for help, I just slowly felt the pressure hit.” The Weeknd is extremely talented at creating an aesthetic by turning dark, intimidating feelings into impressive songs. The number of metaphors, creepy symbolism and artistic interludes make the entire work seem polished and complete while simultaneously holding a sense of chaos and eeriness. The sequencing of the album contributes to this feel. Tesfaye’s musical genius shines through completely, such as the incredible production on “Opening Night,” which explores paranoia related to performances and fame.
However, the album suffers slightly from being too long and lacking a totally cohesive tracklist, with some songs taking too many risks that do not blend with the overall sound. A primary example is “Drive,” a slow-tempo song that breaks the flow of the album and suffers from being situated so late in the tracklist. While impressive lyrically and production-wise, the song simply doesn’t stand out as much among the other tracks.
Despite these setbacks, the strongest aspect of this album remains the messaging behind it. Throughout the trilogy of his last three works, from nighttime disco in “After Hours” to “Dawn FM” to now, with “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” Tesfaye has wrestled with his own identity and mortality. He exclaims, “I’m ready for the end,” in the final track, revealing his true feelings about fame. Tesfaye is tired of being the Weeknd; the pressure to ensure people “Enjoy the Show” is clearly draining him, as communicated through this work.
In my opinion, “Niagara Falls” is the best track by far, telling the story of the Weeknd and a former lover. It provides a necessary break from some of the fame imagery by exploring the famous waterfall as a metaphor for his complex feelings of love.
There are so many great moments on this whole album that show off Tesfaye as the Weeknd’s artistry. It’s eerie, dark and expands on his previous work in a new light. Focusing on fame, we get an inner look at his psyche that fully pays off. While it might be his last album, it’s also in the running to be his best.