by Kendra Germany
Staff writer
Internet sensation The Weeknd released his third mixtape “Echoes of Silence” on Dec. 21 taking R&B to a new and slightly creepy level.
The Weeknd has been making waves in the music world since his first mixtape “House of Balloons” hit the Internet in March of 2011.
After the release of “House of Balloons,” The Weeknd was featured on hit artist Drake’s album “Take Care.”
The Weeknd will also join acts like Snoop Dogg, Radiohead and Dr. Dre to perform at the music festival Coachella this April.
Big things are happening for The Weeknd because he is putting out all- around great music. “Echoes of Silence” is no exception.
There are only nine songs on the mixtape, but that doesn’t mean it is lacking in any way. Each of the nine songs has its own style and sound, with a distinct level of brilliance that verges on creepiness.
The first song simply titled “D.D.” is a cover of one of Michael Jackson’s hits “Dirty Diana.”
The song is almost completely different from Michael’s original. The Weeknd’s version focuses more on the lyrics and portraying their dark meaning. “I’ve been here times before, but I was too blind to see. That you seduce every man, this time you won’t seduce me.” The lyrics sound almost haunting as The Weeknd belts them out in a Jackson-esque style.
Another song worthy of praise on “Echoes of Silence” would be “Initiation.” This is a song that goes to a whole new level with eerie-sounding vocals and hard-hitting beats. The song sounds gritty and dirty, but in a good way.
This album is insanely creative on many levels. Not many artists today are making records with such intense creative expression and gutsy choices.
The Weeknd is definitely an artist to be looking out for. He is on his way to becoming a huge star and doing big things in the music world.
“Echoes in Silence” is definitely an album worth checking out. The album is only available by digital download on the official The Weeknd website, www.the-weeknd.com. However you can listen to all three of The Weeknd’s mixtapes on soundcloud.com.