Driving down a California highway late at night with nothing but cars and street lights passing by, you turn the volume dial and the voice of a radio station DJ breaks the silence.
“You are now listening to 103.5 Dawn FM,” the DJ says as an hour of commercial-free, funky synth-wave begins to play.
“Dawn FM” is the name of Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd’s newest album released on Jan. 7.
The Weeknd is known for his clean vocals, dark lyrics about failed relationships, drugs and alcohol and a consistent ear for great production that sets a mood and accentuates his voice.
“Dawn FM” is an evolution of the artist’s transition to electropop from his 2020 album “After Hours.”
With Canadian-American actor Jim Carrey playing a fictional DJ for the radio station Dawn FM, the album is more than just a collection of songs, it’s a 16-track immersive audio experience that evokes funky ‘70s disco vibes.
The synth-heavy electronic production combined with The Weeknd’s vocals create replayable, upbeat songs that tonally connect the entire album.
The album is best experienced by listening to it in its entirety with Carrey’s ominous DJ narration perfectly opening, ending and transitioning the songs.
Singles such as “Take My Breath” and “Sacrifice” are reminiscent of the ‘80s pop sound often used by Michael Jackson and are accompanied by radio-friendly sonical introductions similar to Jackson’s 1982 hit “Thriller.”
The Weeknd lets the beat ride during songs so listeners can fully appreciate a song’s synth-heavy beats, catchy choruses and echoey use of his voice during the bridges.
The five track sequence which includes “Out of Time,” “Here We Go… Again,” “Best Friends,” “Is There Someone Else” and “Starry Eyes” are the perfect mix of retro and experimental pop.
The tracks are multifunctional songs that can be listened to at a lit concert or even during a long drive with your parents.
“Out of Time” has a low-fidelity vibe similar to The Weeknd’s 2016 song “I Feel It Coming” from his album Starboy.
Sampling Japanese pop singer Tomoko Aran’s 1983 “Midnight Pretenders”, The Weeknd sings “Say I’m there for you but I’m out of time” during the chorus, allowing listeners to imagine it playing with their significant other on a dance floor under a disco ball.
“Here We Go Again” features The Weeknd and L.A. based rapper Tyler the Creator reflecting on the anxiety surrounding new romantic relationships in a hip-hop/pop-esque ballad that sounds like a twisted Alice in Wonderland adventure. The obscure song serves as a great standout track.
In the track “Best Friends,” The Weeknd sings to a friend who he is having a sexual relationship with, to not fall in love with him because he is scared of a new relationship. The song features a trap-esque beat with an insanely catchy chorus that will be stuck in your head for weeks.
“Is There Someone Else” and “Starry Eyes” put The Weeknd’s vocals front and center as he argues with a lover and eventually forgives her with vocalization that truly showcases the multifaceted elements of the album.
“Dawn FM” radio station commercials are ingeniously put at the end of select songs to smoothly transition listeners to different tracks and create a full experience.
The finale of the album doesn’t stick the landing because the five songs that compose the album’s ending are mostly forgettable.
“Every Angel is Terrifying” and “Phantom Regret by Jim” include infomercials for “Dawn FM” and “Afterlife”, a fictional over-the-counter drug that’s serves as an analogy to seeing the “light before death” making the album cohesive, but the tracks are not replayable for future listens.
Slow songs such as “Don’t Break My Heart” and “I Heard You’re Married” are the worst songs on the album, with the latter song including one of the worst verses ever written by hip-hop legend Lil Wayne.
“If I ain't your husband, I can't be your hybrid. I heard you're married. I bet he treats you like Virgin Mary. You like it dirty and I'm Dirty Harry. I thought we were some love birds, canaries, word to Larry,” Lil Wayne raps.
Save yourself the pain of listening to that verse and just skip the song.
Despite a few unsatisfactory tracks, the album is a must-listen that has the potential to take over radio and social media this year.
Even though the album is not The Weeknd’s typical sound, his newest release is definitely worth a listen. “Dawn FM” is the perfect soundtrack for a late night drive, a chill evening with friends or even studying in a library.
