Deep Dive: The Weeknd Part Four (Dawn FM)

    We're back again! This time with The Weeknd's fifth studio album, Dawn FM. This synthpop and dance pop effort is no ordinary album! The Weeknd plays with his sound quite a bit here. It gives off a Stranger Things vibe. It's really cool. And it's all framed by this radio station, 103.5 Dawn FM, which is just a cool device to help set the mood and tone. It's scary. It gives us horror game feelings. It's just a cool device. Let's tune in and Deep Dive!

    So we open our descent with the title track, "Dawn FM." This is a great way to start us off because we get a taste of the sound that's to come, but we're also introduced to the radio device that will feature throughout. It transitions us to the album's first full-length track, "Gasoline."

    "Gasoline" sees The Weeknd experiment with vocals. It's a cool, futuristic track though. Though it also feels like an 80s throwback. It's crisp and clean. It cuts deep. Whereas After Hours started off like a slow burn, Dawn FM dives right in. It's like a handshake versus a slap. 

    We get guest features on the album which is different from the previous one. Max Martin blesses us again here. We also see fellow big names Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia at work here too! 

    

    I think the highlight of Dawn FM truly is the melodies. Seriously, they're amazing. Give "How Do I Make You Love Me?" a try. It's an amazing song. This would have been a hit single. (And it still could be knowing The Weeknd's track record). The lyrics are playful. We continue the upbeat trend. Which is much welcomed. Thematically, we're not too far off from After Hours which is fine, but I think we get some variety here as the album's like "the light at the end of the tunnel."

   "Take My Breath" is such a career highlight. It's amazing. The instrumental is killer. The transition from "How Do I Make You Love Me?" to here is seamless and glossy. The Weeknd sounds amazing. I chose it to represent the album because it pretty much does. When it hits it hits hard.

    "Sacrifice" keeps the retro party going. Once again, the instrumental champions us to the finish line. It hits hard. It's infectious. The vocals kill and dance over our ears. They're so shiny and brilliant. This is a record highlight, if not a career highlight. It samples a song called "I Want to Thank You." This album really utilizes to the fullest extent samples. It's the album's greatest weapon as we will see with several tracks.

    Then we get an interlude called "A Tale By Quincy." Shoutout to this interlude because the story told is heavy and deep. And we get trickles of "Midnight Pretenders" here as THE sample for an excellent track called "Out of Time." 

    "Out of Time" samples Aran Tomoko's excellent, highly-revered city pop standard, "Midnight Pretenders." I was shocked the first time I heard "Out of Time" because I was like "NO WAY!!!" It adds to that polished and futuristic/throwback sound the album has cultivated. And it does it perfectly. Whoever came up with the idea for this sample, we salute and love you. That flute. Right? Am I right? THAT FLUTE. Ethereal.

   The radio device returned at the end of "Out of Time" to transition us into "Here We Go... Again" featuring Tyler, the Creator. The album's first collaboration. It's a stunning song. Perhaps the most stunning one on the album. There's a lot going on and a lot to dissect. The melody is perfection. Tyler, the Creator's feature gives the track an extra layer. The Weeknd and his vocals shine the most though!

    "Best Friends" is funky. It hits hard. The production is soooo crisp. The album does not miss when it comes to its production. Overall, we're more upbeat and vibrant here versus After Hours. And it's nice to compare and contrast the lyrics since they're part of an as of yet unrealized trilogy. (We're begging for a drop later this year).

    "Is There Someone Else?" is fantastic. It's fun. Again. The melody. I clapped when this song finished. It's that good. The narrative of the lyrics is interesting too. Especially in the second verse. So groovy. A real standout. 

    "Starry Eyes" is shorter than what we're used to so far. It packs a punch. The synths are nice. The way it's built, it reminds me of songs from After Hours but with a brighter sound. 

    "Every Angel is Terrifying" falls into the same boat as "Starry Eyes." Also, the title reminds me of the artwork of biblically accurate angels. Seriously, look into that. It's fascinating. This is more of an interlude of sorts to go with the album's overall narrative. We get a spoken-word poem. It flexes through its production.

    "Don't Break My Heart" is 80s perfection. The vocal effects add such depth and feeling. It's a mood. And again. Melodies. Also the way he says "I almost died in the discotheque" is very catchy. 

    

    Another collab! Lil Wayne features here on "I Heard You're Married." I know I keep saying it, but I'll shorten it to just 3 words: melody, production, perfection. Lil Wayne's contribution adds overall to the song. His voice is perfection for this song. Seriously. It's a solid contribution, but the combo of Wayne's voice and music is sick!

    "Less Than Zero" is upbeat and bright sonically. It's hope. It's light at the end of the tunnel. It's like the "Save Your Tears" of Dawn FM. The chorus opens up to the sky. It's great.

    The final track on the standard version of the album, "Phantom Regret by Jim" reveals to us the radio announcer is, in fact, Jim Carrey! I didn't realize that at the beginning. He gets a writing credit here which is pretty neat. 

    Then we move into the alternate world. We get some remixes and then "Moth To A Flame." This is a great song to end the album with. It's different production wise from the rest of the album. I'd say like 90% different. But that gives us a little more pulse and gets us wide awake for the grand finale. It's blatantly danceable, and that's a good thing!

    So what do we think overall? It's a great listen from beginning to finish. It's fun. It keeps you engaged. If you're a Weeknd fan, you'll continue to be one after digesting this release. He continues to throw punches, and he even adds in a few surprise jabs. The melodies here are the highlight, and they're all beautiful. Seriously breathtaking. The Weeknd is one of the very best in the game, and Dawn FM is a flex that attests to that.

    This will conclude our Deep Dive series on The Weeknd! I've enjoyed this one tremendously. The Weeknd just has such a darker vibe to him with his music that makes his catalog so immensely interesting and refreshing. I guess I will rank his albums now (or attempt to):

1. After Hours
2. Dawn FM
3. Beauty Behind the Madness
4. Starboy

    That was very, very, VERY hard to do. As I like all of his albums about equally. I feel like "Blinding Lights," "Save Your Tears," and "Out of Time" pushed the first two respective albums ahead though. I could see how this all could change though!

    So who's next? I've given it a lot of thought and deliberation. And... *drum roll* I pick Beyoncé! I picked Beyoncé because her career and longevity is so interesting. I feel like she kinda started out her solo career being a singles artist who also made awesome albums, and then she transitioned into albums artist and blew us all away. We're going to give credit where credit is due!

    Until next time!!

Rank: A Rank

Recommendation: when you tune into Dawn FM!

Standouts:

    The album's first half is flawless!

    Moth To A Flame.