Hurry Up Tomorrow is The Weeknd’s sixth studio album and the final album in his most recent trilogy. This concept album is also his last project under The Weeknd moniker. He ends his album run with a grand, boisterous, and synth-heavy album.
Conceptually, this LP is brilliant. The Weeknd touches on themes like death and rebirth, while diving into introspective insights from his life. What kept me invested into the listening experience was how easily each song transforms from the next. What drives this albums atmosphere forward is the rich and clean production. Every instrument is placed in a way that gives it importance, while also letting The Weeknd’s vocals stand out. The mixing is also fantastic and paves the way for the future of dance and electro-pop.
The lyrics are solid, but there’s a certain unsettling quality to them. Knowing as little as I do about Abel, it’s getting harder to listen to his music. He gives off “I lied to protect you” energy, which adds an uneasy undertone. Aside from that, the lyrics fit the instrumentals well and are delivered confidently. The features are fun but don’t surpass anything unique. They match the tone and aesthetic but don’t contribute much more.
Now, the elephant in the room—the runtime. This album does not need to be an hour and a half long. Too many songs have bridges that lead nowhere and instrumentals that only serve to drag out the runtime. This project could have easily been condensed to 45 minutes.
Overall, this project feels like the next wave of electropop. There are many more technical elements, often blending Yeezus-style distorted 808s with clean, modern, and boundary-pushing drums and synths. When this album works, the moments are breathtaking. Sadly, these moments are buried between five-minute songs and an hour-and-a-half runtime. Once the album clicks, I found it to be a warm, vibrant, and eccentric experience. I might revisit this, but looking at the runtime, it might feel like a chore.