Label: XO. Republic
Executive Producers: The Weeknd, Frank Dukes,
Producers: Frank Dukes. Cirkut. DaHeala. Gesaffelstein. Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo. Marz. Mike Will Made It. Skrillex
Featured Artist: Gesaffelstein
Highlights: Call Out My Name
Rating: 8.5/10
The dictionary definition Melancholy, is defined as , " a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause". There is no denying what is the cause of The Weeknd, a.k.a. Abel Tesfaye's sadness on this 6 song EP; Failed relationships. Dear Melancholy, comes across as someone who reluctantly fell in love and despised themselves for it when said relationships crashed and burned. Billed as a surprise release, (although alot of us knew that a release was imminent) , The EP opens with Call Out My Name produced by Frank Dukes. The main pointed criticism for the Weeknd's recent releases has been that he has left the dark tone from his first 3 mixtapes that made him a superstar. (I hate referring to them as Trilogy being that sample clearances do not give Trilogy the same feel as the original releases). Call Out My Name quickly alleviates you from this concern. Call Out My Name is sure to be one of his most talked about songs this year, because its clear that the lyrics are a reference to his relationship with Selena Gomez. The song samples Earned It and has the same chord progressions but the dark synths gives the dark sonics that fans have been clamoring for. Try me follows on the same vein but with much more syncopation. The EP does not relent in its sadness. Even songs with more major and upbeat sounds like Wasted Times, is contrasted by remorseful lyrics (certainly sounds like hes writing to Bella Hadid on that particular song). The Weeknd does not break new ground here, which for him is a positive given that his core does not really care for his pop leaning projects. Sure they get some acclaim and mainstream success, but its not what his core audience champion him for. Whats of interest though, is the fact that there is few over the top drug references, few braggadocios quips, and not even any tributes to Toronto which is a departure for the Weeknd. My Dear Melancholy, is continuous, unrelenting sadness and regret. The lyrics are not particularly complex or well written, but it is straightforward. It is rumored that there is more Eps on the way (My Dear Melancholy, has an comma at the end, which suggest there is a sentence that follows which can equal more music). Whether there is more music or not, this EP is definately a step towards the right direction.
Make sure to listen on Spotify ,
https://open.spotify.com/album/3iVFKUpkS32p2YcLMA02u6
or apple music
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/my-dear-melancholy/1363309866
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