Review: The Weeknd - House of Balloons

House of Balloons is a classic debut at a time when many of the best debut “albums” appear on Mediafire and UserShare instead of in HMV or Best Buy. Toronto’s The Weeknd, the one-man R&B act made up of 20-year old Abel Tesfaye, is surrounded by mystery as much as he is by industry- and blogosphere-buzz.
 His mixtape appeared online back in March with exactly zero label push, but he’s gotten looks from every major music website, been nominated for Canada’s prestigious Polaris Prize and is confirmed to be featured “a bunch” on Drake’s sophomore LP Take Care. His only video, for “What You Need,” was not even authorized by Tesfaye himself, but has caught fire online anyway.

But despite the building hype, the music is still the best part about The Weeknd.

The first track, “High For This,” sets the tone for the whole project, as the smooth airy vocals and contradictory rough bass-lines and drums are representative of The Weeknd’s sound throughout. The aforementioned “What You Need” may be the standout cut on the album and is the first one on Balloons that may take you back to your late-90s love-affair with everything made by the Devante Swing-Timbaland-Aaliyah camp.

"House of Balloons-Glass Table Girls" picks up the tempo but stays very sexy. When the beat switches up halfway through, Tesfaye responds by busting some raps, just to show that he can.

"The Morning" feels real Southern with its blues guitar riffs that give way to bass and hi-hats, while "Wicked Games" pairs grungy rock elements with R&B soul vocals for a slow, emotional, but neck-breaking joint.

"The Party & The Afterparty" sounds like it could be a pop song, but still feels so anti-mainstream. The melodies and simple songwriting are so accessible but the hardness of the production cancels out any shininess. The Weeknd appears to be creating a new category of underground R&B: so soulful, but grimy at the same time.

All in all, Balloons is more about the sound than the lyrics. Tesfaye's subject matter is a lot like his collaborator Drake's: music about the music lifestyle. The spotlight; the fast life; sex, drugs and R&B. But his sound is realer, grittier and less radio-friendly than Aubrey's, and more grown, although Tesfaye is only 20.

The Weeknd has accomplished a lot already. Next up: choosing a record label that can handle his non-traditional style and maybe grabbing some radio spins on his hometown station. We'll also see what kind of performer he is when he hits the stage for the first time at The Mod Club on July 24. It should be something of a coming out party.