“After Hours”: The Weeknd’s latest success

“After Hours,” The Weeknd’s fourth studio album was released on March 20, a balance of modern pop and his own, stark, ambient sound. The artist’s innovative R&B stays true to its roots in his early records, with a recognizable musical style. This album, an ode to his emotional desolation following his most recent break up, has a sad, passive aggressive yearning for the past and an upset realization of a lonely future.In the immediate career hit “Alone Again,” the opening song on the album, The Weeknd sings “I don’t know if I can be alone again/I don’t know if I can sleep alone again.” With a catchy melody but far more vulnerable and personal lyrics than those off of his previous pop album “Starboy,” “After Hours” takes a deeper emotional look into The Weeknd’s affection, despair and an intimate relatability to heartbreak. The Weeknd's vocal abilities shine through his somber lyrics. “After Hours” is littered with his signature sleek falsetto, an impressive natural talent rarely matched by other male artists. The majority of the 19 tracks on the deluxe version of the album have a cinematic tone, grasping the listener as though one is fully immersed in The Weeknd’s sound. His voice is matched by the sensational back tracks that make up each song’s majesty. Ominous keyboards and deep bass build up a heavy chorus, almost all with unforgettable tunes.The album begins with quieter, more gentle melodies including “Too Late,” “Hardest to Love” and “Scared to Live.” As the tracks advance, The Weeknd’s energy doubles in his prompt billboard hits “Heatless” and “Blinding Lights.” The original edition of “After Hours” does not include any features but in turn does not lack any variety. He carries the album gracefully to the end, easily, all on his own.Despite the album’s unhappy ending with the final track “Until I Bleed Out,” its completion is nothing less than satisfying. The Weeknd has once again tested the line between beauty and chaos, seamlessly.