The Weeknd’s Dawn FM
The ‘80s pop dreamscapes of After Hours were no fluke. Abel Tesfaye has so thoroughly embodied them that he has structured his fifth proper outing as The Weeknd, Dawn FM, in the form of their chief emissary: the radio. The depths of Tesfaye’s depravity has always been alarmingly inviting, but never has it been more sonically accessible than it is here; a resplendent descent into sonic purgatory seamlessly sequenced by disk jockey Jim Carrey on the fictional airwaves of 103.5 FM. Complete with numerous musings on the afterlife and philosophical mic breaks—the best of which is delivered by Quincy Jones—these glistening exposés and vignettes pay tribute to the polished pastiche of the past without ever reaching its depth, crafting atmosphere without much substance beneath. “Take My Breath Away” and “Sacrifice” pair together for the record’s first highlights, sporting memorable melodies that unfurl in distorted robotic synth glory. “Out of Time” recalls the delicate grandeur of Michael Jackson’s “Human Nature.” The contributions of guests Tyler, The Creator and Lil Wayne’s on “Here We Go… Again” and “I Heard You’re Married” respectively are largely forgettable, but bookend the record’s most transporting passage, built around sublime production from Max Martin, Oneohtrix Point Never, swirling synth motifs and Tesfaye’s transfixing voice. The grandeur of “Less Than Zero” is the closest Dawn FM comes to delivering an anthem anywhere close to on par with the globe-conquering “Blinding Lights,” but meeting that high bar is clearly not the focus here. Where does one go after such a period of sustained chart-topping success? Both Dawn FM’s album cover and themes, coupled with some of Tesfaye’s recent comments in interviews, suggest that the character of The Weeknd maybe be reaching its conclusion. While listeners are left to wonder, basking in the “the depth of this moment,” as “Phantom Regret by Jim” suggests, and the glorious pop prowess of 2022’s first blockbuster album is by no means a bad place to be.
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If you like Dawn FM, check out:
Random Access Memories by Daft Punk
Violator by Depeche Mode
Planet Her by Doja Cat
Atlas by FM-84
Until Now by Swedish House Mafia