The Weeknd's Abel Tesfaye is finally readying the release of his debut album proper, after the mixtape sagas of 2011 and 2012. 'Kiss Land' - the title track from it - is the first glimpse we've been given. A sprawling, eight-minute epic, it is a fascinating listen complete with twists and turns, odd samples and of course, Tesfaye's mesmerising croon. Amazingly, earlier this year The Weeknd announced an arena tour of the UK, a bold move for such a new artist but it pretty much encapsulates the confidence that drips throughout his work. Listen [...]
Listen to the first single and title track from The Weeknd's first official full-length album, Kiss Land . It's a near-eight minute epic, complete with horror movie screams, chopped samples and Abel Tesfaye's signature pleading-menacing vocal delivery. And that's just the first half. Like Frank Ocean's "Pyramids" last year, "Kiss Land" picks up in its confessional, drum machine-led second half. Read more articles like " The Weeknd - "Kiss Land" " on PMA - Pretty Much Amazing . Tags: Featured [...]
It's 2013, and human beings are still trying to figure out how to automate music discovery. Trends come and go, new services pop up and disappear, and a music discovery app is created, marketed, and killed off every few days. The thing is, no algorithm, social networking service, or customizable radio station has been able to really nail it. There's still nothing quite as effective as a friend saying, "You like so-and-so? Check this out."
Ever hear a song and want to tuck and roll under a table, slide across the hood of a car, or just put a nice suit on and creep around, solving mysteries and carrying out top secret missions? Yeah, us too. Here are 12 songs that make you feel like a secret agent. Regina Spektor - "Edit" You can't hear those opening piano stabs and not think of some James Bond shit. Who knows what Regina is singing about. "White lines on your mind.. something something... Uncle Albert... something something... edit edit edit edit." Is it about coke? [...]
The Weeknd usually lets his actions speak moreso than words, relying on music, imagery and intrigue to build anticipation for what's next. Case in point, using Twitter to share the [...] The post The Weeknd Wants You To Know His New Album Title appeared first on The Smoking Section .
The Weeknd shared some exciting news on Sunday, the title to his upcoming album. Evidently the set, his first brand new set for Republic records, will be called Kiss Land . Alright, so that in and of itself isn't that exciting, we agree, but the confirmation that an album from The Weeknd is just around the corner definitely is. Kiss Land , whenever it may come out, will be the first new major release from Tesfaye since Echoes of Silence in December 2011, if you don't count the [...]
Electro-Soul in a New Era Recent years have seen a resurgence of soul music, as artists such as The Weeknd, Frank Ocean and Rhye have brought soul sensibilities into the contemporary fold. As passionate croons meld with modern styles and production, it becomes increasingly exciting to see what new talents may enter the fray. Banks is exactly that. The Los Angeles-based singer draws on the soulful past, but rather than get lost in history she envelops her dark, lustful voice in evocative electronic production. Banks, who is now signed to IAMSOUND, has little on offer, but [...]
Ultra Music Festival 2013 , taking place March 15-17, 2013 and March 22-24, 2013 at Bayfront Amphitheater in Downtown Miami, is celebrating its 15th anniversary the only way it knows how - by once again booking some of the world's best DJ and electronic talent to perform at its world-famous event. We're giving away a precious pair of tickets to weekend one to a lucky Big Shot reader courtesy of our friends at UMF. The jaw-dropping bill includes a lineup of stellar international DJ talent: Swedish House Mafia, Armin van Buuren, Paul van Dyk, Yeasayer, Eric [...]
This Valentine's Day we went in three different directions this year - sentimental and dance ready. We've got everything for those who love V-Day and those who just can't stand ...
Every week we will be featuring The Sweet Five! What's The Sweet Five you may ask? Well I'll drop you five sweet songs that you should listen to once a week, that will help you get over your mid-week slump and set sail towards the ever-nearing weekend! Ready? Okay! The Downtown Fiction - I Just Wanna Run When I first heard this track, I did want to do like the title encourages. Such a great up tempo rock ballad that will get [...]
You couldn't help but feel the hype as you walked pass the long entrance line at the Orpheum Theatre in Downtown LA on that crisp Saturday night. Despite the chilly weather, Abel Tesfaye's (The Weeknd) fans waited patiently outside for their chance to see the R&B star. And they had nothing but smiles on all their faces in anticipation of the evening the ahead. Upon enterning the historic Orpheum Theatre, people we're literally walking on top of black balloons with "XO" screened on them... which seemed a nice little touch for the sold out show. [...]
Having stopped by Jools Holland on Tuesday night, it would have been rude for Abel Tesfaye not to stop in on long-time fan Zane Lowe. Last night the ever enthusiastic Kiwi aired The Weeknd's debut Maida Vale session, which was every bit as jaw-dropping as his appearance on Jools. Tesfaye and his group played four songs from the reissued Trilogy, a collection of his three debut mixtapes. Listen to all four tracks below. Trilogy is out now.
If the remixing, re-packaging and re-releasing of his three mixtapes under the Trilogy umbrella and a slot on Jools Holland has told us anything, it's that Universal Republic think this is the right time for Abel Tesfaye to make his mainstream crossover. And there is no denying that his is music that deserves to be heard by infinetly more than currently are. Over the course of four-and-a-half minutes he stole the show from the clutches of the prorgramme's other performers of note, Lana Del Rey and Palma Violets. His voice, along with a beefy [...]
"Tesfaye's music takes you to another place. There is nothing else to do but to keep it on repeat and never come back..." The Weekend | Trilogy For the large part of The Weeknd fans reading this, you will already have all of his songs safely stored on your iPod. Yet, for those who are blissfully unaware of Abel Tesfaye’s The Weeknd, Trilogy - made up of three remastered mix tape and released under Universal Republic and his own label XO - is the best musical introduction of an r'n'b artist that [...]
Like any popular new artist in the Internet era, The Weeknd has been remixed many times over. His original tracks end up leaving so much space in them that we can imagine most producers are sitting at the edge of their chairs, salivating with ideas of rearranging basslines and adding new sounds. With Trilogy in stores today, we decided to take a look back at the best examples of retwerking The Weeknd's catalog, bringing deeply inspired edits and surprising twists to the masses. Click the picture or hit "next" to advance...
by PETER TABAKIS It’s only a matter of time before the weirdoes rise from a dominant genre of popular music, hijack it, and redefine its soul. Contemporary R&B, which rose to prominence in the late-1980s, is the proud mother of a few remarkable upstarts who are now undermining and reinvigorating her rich musical tradition. Artists such as Frank Ocean and Tom Krell, and to a lesser extent James Blake and Jamie Woon, are a bold new breed of R&B. Uniquely (for lack of a better word) indie in character, they are willing to discard [...]
The Weeknd's gargantuan "debut album," Trilogy is out today, and unsurprisingly, the songs of last year's House of Balloons , Thursday and Echoes of Silence sound fresher than ever. In fact, they sound so good . Here's the deal: come for the album's perfectly solid new songs, ("Twenty Eight," "Valerie" and "Till Dawn") stay for Able Tesfaye's dark confessions and ingenuity. Listen to Trilogy and other albums for free at Rdio . Read more [...]
For all the great things it does for music (and the rest of the world), the Internet can cause some equally fucked up things. One of those happens to be oversaturation, something you know full well if you have ever started and maintained a music site. The struggle to keep up with everything new that arrives is a constant one that has no concept of time or integrity. It builds an ungodly amount of thirst, aka the need to get attention, keep it, and retain relevance. Too often this results in an artist spreading him or herself way, way [...]
“You are the music while the music lasts.” -T.S. Eliot Animal Collective - "Crimson" Apparently recorded in the sessions for Centipede Hz , Animal Collective are dropping "Crimson" as the B-side to their new 123 single of "Applesauce" . It's been a live staple for a while, but the deep, melancholy, Avey Tare sung tune gets even more concentrated in its studio form. It might be a stretch, but the chorus of "I'm sorry I cut [...]
“A little nonsense now and then is relished by the wisest men.” -Willy Wonka Angel Haze - "Gossip Folks" She did a hell of a job reworking Missy Elliott - so why not find the highest place to sing it from? Future Islands – “Inch of Dust” Anyone in theater - both newcomers and veterans - should take notes from Samuel T. Herring. Green Day – “Stray Heart” The concept, while a tad literal, [...]
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