Last Friday, The Weeknd released “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” meant to be his final release under The Weeknd name. 

Throughout the album’s 84-minute runtime, the 34-year-old Canadian singer, Abel Tesfaye, covers various genres and themes. Some tracks are rave-ready dance songs with energetic basslines and vulgar lyrics, while others are soulful reflections on substance abuse and dealing with fame over slower, more melodic instrumentals, all tied together with cinematic orchestral synths.

An upcoming psychological thriller film of the same name starring Jenna Ortega and Barry Keoghan is set to be released May 16.

The Weeknd is known for working with an eclectic range of producers like Daft Punk, Metro Boomin, Pharell Williams and Kevin Parker, and on “Hurry Up Tomorrow” he collaborated with artists like Future, Lana Del Rey and Florence + the Machine. Some of the album’s most memorable moments come from collaboration tracks. 

On the album’s first track, “Wake Me Up,” a collaboration with French electronic duo Justice, The Weeknd sings over a funky electronic arrangement, foreshadowing the French house-inspired futuristic sound found throughout the album. Italian composer and Daft Punk collaborator Giorgio Moroder is featured on another track, “Big Sleep.”

One of the brightest spots on the album is a four-track run telling a story about coping with celebrity and substance abuse, beginning with the song, “Opening Night.” 

A short, less than two-minute track, “Opening Night” shows off a broad range of stylistic influences and willingness to experiment sonically, two of the album’s defining features. In the song, The Weeknd sings about the rush of opening a show, hence the title.

“You know it’s my opening night / Circulation gone, shaking on the floor / Steroids in my lungs, fighting off the mud,” he sings. 

In the following track, “Reflections Laughing,” The Weeknd comes down from the rush of performing and sings more vulnerably about coping with fame. Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine provides guest vocals on the track.

A voicemail recording played about halfway through “Reflections Laughing” features a woman asking about The Weeknd’s safety after a show before the instrumentals transition and Travis Scott delivers a verse.

The Weeknd is more candid about his experiences with substance abuse in the following track, “Enjoy the Show.” The track features an incredible guest spot from rapper Future, who gives a surprisingly heartfelt performance where he both sings and raps.  

“But I’m not scared, fuck it, overdose / No one thought I’d makе it past twenty-four / And when the curtains call, I hopе you mourn / And if you don’t, I hope you enjoy the fuckin’ show,” The Weeknd sings. 

Concluding this series of songs about drugs and fame is “Given Up On Me,” a song that begins as a trap-influenced pop song before transitioning into a jazzy, mellow second half. In the first half, The Weeknd sings about giving up on himself, while in the second, he takes on a much more hopeful tone. 

Not every song on the album shares the same deeply introspective tone. Two of the album’s singles, “São Paulo” and “Timeless,” show The Weeknd experimenting with new sounds in a more fun, lighthearted way.

A collaboration with Brazilian pop sensation Anitta, “São Paulo” was released last Halloween. The song is The Weeknd’s own take on Brazilian funk music and features hard-hitting, distorted basslines and percussion, sounding more like something you would hear at a rave than a nightclub. 

“Timeless,” a collaboration with Playboi Carti was released last September as the first of the album’s singles. The Weeknd follows up a verse by Carti with one of his own, rapping in his distinctly auto-tuned singing voice. 

The Weeknd’s final release perfectly encapsulates the magic that made him famous in the first place, a uniquely catchy blend of dance-pop, rap and R&B fueling his greatest hits. Although its runtime lends itself to some dull moments, “Hurry Up Tomorrow” bookmarks the end of Tesfaye’s career as The Weeknd.