There's a lot of references to Purple Rain on this album. Purple Rain was also a soundtrack to a movie, and I think this could mean the next album is tied directly with the movie he has with Jenna Ortega coming soon.
My interpretation of the album with the knowledge of him being in purgatory meaning he has died, is that this whole album is his journey through purgatory looking back at his life. It starts off with dawn fm and him realizing he died, assuming from OD and waking up in purgatory and realizing he needs to take this journey through the dark to reach the light that he desperately wants. Then we get gasoline, sacrifice, take my breath. To me, this all is him looking back at his drug addiction, partying and not taking much care into his life or the people around him. Sacrifice made that clear when he says “I don’t wanna sacrifice for you love” meaning he wasn’t ready to give up his temporary fun for love. Then we get Quincy jones, out of time. That’s when he kind of matured a bit in his life and realized everything he was doing but also realizing it’s too late and also starting to feel some regret. Here we go again. I guess he finds a girl he likes. Then best friends maybe he’s going back to his old ways. Met the girl he refers to in here we go again but she catches feelings this scares him so he’s doing what he always does and pushes her away and just wants to stay friends he says it’s to protect her because he knows he will ruin it. Deep down he hasn’t changed. Also a call back to the Quincy jones spoken word when he says when someone got to close he’s cut them off. The Weeknd does the same. Now with is there someone else, i kind of get lost because it sounds like he actually wants the girl from best friends but she’s moved on? Starry eyes sounds to me like he’s pretty much begging her to come back and she can treat him like trash as long as she stays? Every angel is terrifying to me is just like an ad to the after life. Like he’s trying to entice The Weeknd to cross over to after life? But right now he’s too busy looking back at his life and still regretting. The next two songs don’t break my heart and I heard you’re married. I think the woman has moved on but still keeps him on the side and if you pay attention to his old music, he was always ok with being a side piece but not anymore. Like he took pride in it and taking women from their men temporarily while he was in town for shows. Then less than zero, I think at this point he feels like he will never change and he will just continue to be his toxic self and it will always be a continuous cycle. He’s still regretting even after all that. Throughout the album he is just showing regret to his past. He may have realized from mistakes but still repeating them? Then the phantom regret by Jim Carey pretty much is telling The Weeknd you been in purgatory this whole time and still have not let go of the regret, you still feel the same and you aren’t changing. So he must stay in purgatory until he lets go of the regret of his past decisions. He has not found peace within himself. I feel like that’s why he looks so old. He’s been in purgatory that long and trying to deal with his past. If you notice the album is on a continuous loop. I think end of phantom regret transitions right back into dawn fm. So that solidifies that he stuck in purgatory until he can let go of all his past and move forward. Honestly, when you watch the music videos in order, it kind of makes more sense. Take my breath is the first video and he’s at a party where everyone is inhaling something from an oxygen tank but clearly it symbolizes drugs. And the woman he meets has a kink of being choked or choking or whatever. He dies in the video from his lifestyle. But I think he ODs . Which it then transitions straight in to the sacrifice video where he wakes up at the same party and then floats toward a light hearing the spoken word from dawn fm . almost like Jim Carey plays the role of god. Letting him know he just died. Then sacrifice plays and he’s getting dragged to what I think is the start of purgatory and demons suck out his soul at the end of the video. The gasoline video is next but I still haven’t figured that one out yet. He’s old at this point and I think he’s watching his past self at a party doing things he used to do but surrounded by demons? Idk as far as the music videos go and visual story, that’s where I get lost 😂
Dawn fm is good. Has a good concept but I think a lot of the OG XO fans prefer the sound from trilogy, kissland, my dear melancholy and afters hours because it’s a chill dark vibe. I know I personally do. 80s dance pop isn’t my favorite sound but I can listen to it and dance along with it. Which is why I put starboy, dawn fm and beauty behind the madness as my least favorite/played albums by him because I like the slow music more buuut they are still good albums
Juelz and Fab are big..if you can react to the Diplomats and Camron you will have a good time lol between the beats the and the lyrics Juelz is par tof the diplomats. Also I thin where you struggle is with understand how rap albums are structured in that there usually had to be at least one song where multiple talented rappers go all in on at least one track for bragging rights. It's ritual, so if the album is silly or a joke there still needs to be at least one serious song proving that the MCs are actually talented
Probably not something to do in a video since it's not really pop or hip hop, but knowing your appreciation of artists like Lustmord I'd *highly* recommend you check out Oneohtrix Point Never's solo work. His albums Replica, R Plus Seven and Garden of Delete are stone cold classics in the world of experimental electronic music in my eyes. His newest record is also quite good and heavily references (and even samples) those previous records.
You need to listen to Haram the duel collab with The Alchemist, its arguably Billy woods and Elucids duo rap group Armand Hammer, what a wicked duo name. Some absolutely disturbing beats and lyrics.
Remember when this came out and I was loving every single song lol. Despite my friends saying other wise I thought the album was incredible and forgot how many bangers are actually in it. The Weeknd is so good
Jim is also a metaphor for God/Devil. As he played Bruce Almighty And The Mask. The duality plays a role in what Abel is trying to express. And The Mask was Abel’s first movie which brings it back to his childhood. Where the next album is headed from what he’s been posting lately. Abel is a mastermind not many understand how many layers and work he puts into his music. And Dante’s inferno is also his inspiration for this trilogy. But this is getting too long. Thanks for your reactions bob 🫡
0:00:00 - Opening Thoughts 0:05:00 - Dawn FM 0:06:20 - Gasoline 0:13:35 - How Do I Make You Love Me? 0:17:55 - Take My Breath 0:29:45 - Sacrifice 0:36:10 - A Tale by Quincy 0:41:25 - Out of Time 0:47:20 - Here We Go... Again 0:53:50 - Best Friends 01:00:30 - Is There Someone Else? 01:06:20 - Starry Eyes 01:10:55 - Every Angel is Terrifying 01:18:20 - Don't Break My Heart 01:24:05 - I Heard You're Married 01:31:00 - Less Than Zero 01:38:10 - Phantom Regret by Jim 01:40:10 - Closing Thoughts
