畫面模糊,Las Vegas 賭場門口對着天喪心病狂地大笑,這是The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) 去年公佈《Heartless》時的照片。Joker風格的裝束及詭異笑容,加上他的一句「no more daytime music」,預示着接下來的音樂將以暗黑風格帶歌迷進入其迷幻瘋狂的世界。自2016年《Starboy》、2018年迷你專輯《My Dear Melancholy》後,時隔兩年 The Weeknd 終於回歸。這次整體風格在率先公佈的三首歌《Heartless》、《Blinding Light》、《After Hours》上就顯示出來:Abel 找回其《Trilogy》專輯年代的暗黑格調,連同《Starboy》後受Daft Punk、Gesaffelstein 影響的電音曲風,形成嶄新的憂鬱 R&B。

還沒有專輯名的時候,大家都以「Chapter 6」來指代 The Weeknd 這個第六張專輯。而專輯發放前三天,他在社交平台率先公佈歌單。驚喜的是,整張專輯所有歌曲均沒有與其他歌手的合作,可以說是一張真真切切的 Abel 專輯。

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Track List… 3 MORE DAYS

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感情一向是 Abel 歌曲表達得最多的題材,當中為人熟知的就是與 Bella Hadid 離離合合的過往,以及與 Selena Gomez 的短暫感情。這次專輯不少歌曲都暗指 Bella,例如《After Hours》“Sorry that I break your heart”、“I said you’re wrong for me”、“cuz house is not a home without you baby”;《Save Your Tears》“Save your tears for another day” ;《Snowchild》“She never need a man, she what a man need” 等,有戀戀不捨亦有勸她放下,並於Scared To Live》“Time we lost will never be replaced / I’m the reason you forgot to love為過往在感情上犯的錯道歉,可以看出經歷多件感情事後變得成熟的 The Weeknd。

Bella Hadid and The Weeknd are seen in Soho on October 9, 2018 in New York City.

Bella Hadid and The Weeknd are seen in Soho on October 9, 2018 in New York City.

整體來說,麻木的心、瘋狂的世界,可以說是 Abel 對過去十年自己音樂生涯的一個昇華。Apple Music 顯示《After Hours》專輯正式上架就獲百萬預訂收藏,打破 Billie Eilish 最新創下的紀錄,R&B之王的地位依舊。而他在專輯發佈前,則透過社交媒體,倒數同時指出希望以音樂為大家打氣。

Let the music heal us all during these dark times.

The Weeknd

The Weeknd 每次專輯在視覺的要求都十分高,這次不少專輯的藝術風格都延續到周邊產品,有衛衣、T-shirt、棒球帽,還有時鐘、青蛙糖果等,相當吸引。以下精選數款周邊產品,均在 The Weeknd 官網發售。

PSYCHOTIC PULLOVER HOOD + DIGITAL ALBUM
AFTER HOURS DISCO TEE + DIGITAL ALBUM
XO LOGO AFTER HOURS TRIP TEE + DIGITAL ALBUM
NEVER COMING DOWN SWEATPANTS + DIGITAL ALBUM
AFTER HOURS XO LOGO VELCRO CAP + DIGITAL ALBUM
AFTER HOURS WALL CLOCK + DIGITAL ALBUM
HEARTLESS LOLLIPOPS MYSTERY FLAVOR + DIGITAL ALBUM
AFTER HOURS ACCESS PASS + DIGITAL ALBUM
AFTER HOURS POSTER 002 + DIGITAL ALBUM
PSYCHOTIC PULLOVER HOOD + DIGITAL ALBUM
AFTER HOURS DISCO TEE + DIGITAL ALBUM
XO LOGO AFTER HOURS TRIP TEE + DIGITAL ALBUM
NEVER COMING DOWN SWEATPANTS + DIGITAL ALBUM
AFTER HOURS XO LOGO VELCRO CAP + DIGITAL ALBUM
AFTER HOURS WALL CLOCK + DIGITAL ALBUM
HEARTLESS LOLLIPOPS MYSTERY FLAVOR + DIGITAL ALBUM
AFTER HOURS ACCESS PASS + DIGITAL ALBUM
AFTER HOURS POSTER 002 + DIGITAL ALBUM
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