On 'Dawn FM,' The Weeknd and Jim Carrey host a dance party in purgatory. Somehow, it works
The Weeknd, like many of us, spent part of 2020 in a pandemic depression.
Plagued by feeling "in this confined state", he incorporated his feelings into his plan for the number 1 "After Hours" of his fifth studio album, 2020, which spawned three polished No. 1 singles ("Save Yourself"). Tears" and "Blinding Lights" between them) and stirred up a lot of Grammy Awards drama.
But the consequences were very deep, very sad and, he said, "emotionally damaging."
So the Canadian superstar officially known as Abel Tesfaye turned his creativity to the idea of purification and got stuck in gridlock in a tunnel, a light sign at the end to signal the transition to the other side.
But before you think the concept sounds weird, The Weeknd enlisted the ideal ambassador to make traveling easier — a soft-rock radio host (voiced in an amusingly influenced DJ mode by new friend Jim Carrey). ) so as to keep you company while listening to "Dawn FM". ,
Yes, that's the name of The Weeknd's new album — 2022's first big arrival — but it's also the fake radio station that "will guide you to the light"
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The title track saw Carey assuring listeners that "we'll be there to hold your hand and guide you through this painless transition" before Depeche Mode-esque thumps kick off with "Gasoline".
Whispering to the audience at a Euro discotheque, The Weeknd adopted a British accent for the verses before swooping down to their familiar melodious vocals for the chorus ("It's 5 o'clock, I'm high again and you can see that I I'm in pain") ("And if I finally die in peace, just wrap my body in these sheets"). It's the end of the world as The Weeknd knows it, and that leaves the name R.E.M. For additional confirmation.
Most of the 16 tracks on "Dawn FM" are filled with dazzling synthesizers showcasing The Weeknd's penchant for new wave and light-R&B as well as melody.
With well-established features (Lil Wayne and Tyler, The Creator), interludes from Carrie and Quincy Jones and clever radio bumpers for Dawn FM include, among songs, "Dawn FM" an all-night dance from the album. is the party. pulse that defies its lyrical depth.
Michael Jackson's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" Colors "How Do I Make You Love Me?" Shades of the Slow Rhythm, while The Weeknd and co-writer Swedish House Mafia stripped down a funky guitar loop from Alicia Myers' 1982 R&B track. "I Want to Thank You" anchors to "Sacrifice" that delivers layered vocals and a captivating key change.
Working primarily with production wizards Max Martin and Daniel Lopatin (aka OPN), The Weeknd embraces the realities of death while navigating the complexities of intimacy.
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By the time Carey returned for the closing speech, "Phantom Regret by Jim," a Dr. Seuss-like poem he wrote, the message was complete: "God knows life is chaos, but he has made one thing true / You have to calm your mind, train your soul to align and dance 'till you find that divine boogaloo,' Carey said.
But before reaching the philosophical climax, here are some other highlights from the journey:
'less than zero'
The unassuming top of "Dawn FM" - also dotted with Martin's fingerprints - is emphasized by a propulsive beat and decorated with keyboard notes climbing the scales before bursting into a chorus from The Weeknd that literally reports. does, "I can't get it out of my head." Sure, the reference is to a romance stricken by self-destruction ("You'll leave me now / To see me die in your arms"), but the phenomenal hook is an instant gem.
'Out of time'
Following "A Tale by Quincy", an interview clip of famed music producer Quincy Jones telling the story of the childhood trauma of carrying her mother in a straitjacket and the effect it has had on her relationships throughout her life, "Out of Off". Time" in his emotional issues of The Weeknd. "I've been too cold for the people who love me," he sings on a sparkling melody that recalls DeBarge with his smooth, retro groove.
'Do not break My Heart'
Though full of rote phrases ("Don't let me down" and "I don't know if I can take this any more" comprise most of the chorus), The Weeknd's quirky phrasing strikes even the most elementary lines with depth. Is. The song opens with a burst of roller-skating rink, neon-lit energy and its swagger on the layers of the synthesizer.
‘Here We Go … Again’
Bitter about being used for fame and sex, but also intrigued by the potential of something real developing from a fling (“When I make her laugh, swear it cures my depressing thoughts”), The Weeknd grapples with falling for someone he knows will break his heart. Enter Tyler, The Creator, with a verse that warns, “You gone sign this prenup.” Through his tangle of emotions, The Weeknd’s upper range is in pure, flawless form as it dances atop background vocals from Beach Boys Bruce Johnston and Christian Love (son of Mike). No, we didn't see that coming, either.
