Fourteen tracks, production from some of the best in the industry, and no features for the first time on one of Abel Tesfaye’s projects. Also known as The Weeknd, his new album “After Hours” is one of the biggest releases of the year so far.

The new project was created alongside producers Metro Boomin, DaHeala, Illangelo and Max Martin, who have been staples in crafting his signature sound. There are also new collaborators like the well-known producer Oneohtrix Point Never. Oneohtrix Point Never and Tesfaye met through the film “Uncut Gems,” whom the former created the soundtrack for and the latter made an appearance in. 

The promotion for the album included singles such as “Blinding Lights,” “Heartless” and “After Hours,” the premiere of the song “Scared to Live” on Saturday Night Live, as well as a short film that shared the same name as the album.

“After Hours” seems to be inspired by cinema and the idea of creating an entire world for those consuming the art. The rollout and promotion of the project was very thematic and consistent, with Tesfaye always sporting a red suit and bloodied face in his performances. All aspects of this era share a theme that can be summed up no better than by The Weeknd himself:

“You can find love, fear, friends, enemies, violence, dancing, sex, demons, angels, loneliness, and togetherness all in the After Hours of the night.”

Sonically, the album features some of Tesfaye’s best vocal performances to date, beautiful production and daring but consistent experiments in sound that keep the project engaging and exciting. “After Hours” has songs ranging in style from hard-hitting trap to 80s synth-pop to drum ‘n’ bass to alternative to ballads and everywhere in between while still maintaining a similar feeling and distinctly Weeknd-esque style throughout.

The Weeknd has made a name for himself by singing about topics such as partying and drug use. However, “After Hours” appears to be a reflection on his past, including his former relationships with Bella Hadid and Selena Gomez. This is heard on tracks such as “Snowchild” and especially on “Alone Again” where The Weeknd opens up about his drug abuse and overdose scare. Other parts of the album critique Hollywood life and the idea of being a celebrity, such as the songs “Escape from LA” and “Heartless.”

Tesfaye dedicated the album to a fan named Lance, who was the host of the prominent XO Podcast, after he died just hours before the release of “After Hours.” He had passed away after struggling with mental health issues and addiction, which is a harrowing example of the effects of some of the same issues The Weeknd discusses on the album.

As Tesfaye describes in the aforementioned summary of the album, “After Hours” delves into a myriad of dark topics and conveys all sides in an honest, personal way. The imagery and videos for the album seem to show The Weeknd performing in a self-inspired character in the same way as Tyler, the Creator’s Igor performances. Both artists adapted a new signature wardrobe, hairstyle, set of mannerisms, etc. to create somewhat of an alternate persona for a particular album.

The character that The Weeknd portrays throughout the album appears to be a version of himself who has been overtaken by past mistakes and regrets. In the album it seems that he wants to apologize for his past and have reconciliation.

The end of the album shows Tesfaye’s growth, with the final two songs, “After Hours” and “Until I Bleed Out,” which focus on a reflection of himself and his emotions.

“After Hours” debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and is already breaking records. The album received 1.02 million pre-adds on Apple Music prior to its release, setting a new record for pre-saves on the platform.