Toronto’s eerie-sounding R&B enigma turned mega-pop star The Weeknd seems to reinvent himself each album not only musically, but visually as well, tending to change his hairstyle and attire come every new release. On his fifth studio album, After Hours, Abel Tesfaye’s newest iteration sports an afro of sorts, is dressed in a red blazer, and possesses a bloody nose that doesn’t seem like it will be fixed anytime soon. As peculiar and detailed as the look is, it is beyond perfect for the music that accompanies it – which this time around draws influences from 80’s synth-pop, new wave, and R&B in addition to the usual dark motifs that define the star’s game-changing sound.

On After Hours, The Weeknd seems to expand on the nihilistic and hedonistic traits he has explored on past releases as seen by some of the lines he delivers on songs such as Track 8, “Faith.” On this thick, synthesized, bass heavy cut, he sings to the addressee of the song that if he were to overdose, he would like them to do the same right beside him. While such lyrics are Abel-esque to the tee, the entire package they are a part of is something that has not yet been seen or heard from the singer. After Hours unlike previous releases from The Weeknd seems to effortlessly blend the signature sound his core fans have come to know and love him for with pop elements that are collectively served in a mainstream-accessible fashion; something Abel did not seem to execute as perfectly on his previous releases. Furthermore, the stylistic choices he makes aids him on this mission beautifully, as he calls upon sounds that give a nod to 1980’s synth-pop and new wave which he pays homage to adequately throughout the entirety of the record. The focused lyrics, seamless blends of sounds, and glitzy production that would easily make its roots proud, culminate in what is arguably The Weeknd’s strongest album to date. While this album was the result of a four-year waiting period since his last full-length release, 2016’s Starboy, After Hours has proven itself to be a record that could be a timeless edition to The Weeknd’s discography and an effort that has fans waiting for the next look and musical undertaking he has in store for listeners.