One of the more mysterious new artists in all of music has been Abel Tesfaye, also known as The Weeknd. Never heard of him? Well allow me to give you a small introduction. Hailing from Toronto, Canada, The Weeknd became well known after releasing three free albums in 2011 via the internet. After months of letting his buzz build, along with a nationwide tour, The Weeknd has finally released his official debut album, Trilogy.

The album Trilogy is a re-release of the three free albums, House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence. One of the main questions around the release of the album was why would he re-release music that is available online for free? This is a very valid question, but the reason is to make the music better, and that’s what he did. The album consists of 30 songs, 27 from the free albums and three bonus songs. All the songs have been mixed and mastered, to give fans a new listening experience. But does it make for a great album?

Trilogy succeeds in staying true to the original work. The concept of “mixing and mastering” can scare fans because it could change what they love about the original music. Luckily, the changes are minor, but effective. The variety of sounds throughout Trilogy is what pushes the album ahead musically. It can be easily described as an R&B album, but the core of the album is much more complex than that. There are more R&B based songs such as “Wicked Games” and “What You Need”. But there are influences from other genres as well. For example, the guitar heavy “Life of the Party” and “Heaven or Las Vegas” has more of a rock and roll sound, and “House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls” is a mixture between alternative and hip hop.

What sets The Weeknd apart from other artists is his vocal ability. You can’t compare it to any other artist because it is so unique. The pain and vulnerability in his voice comes through strongly on every song, which makes you want to listen to every word he utters. While the content deals with everything from drugs to partying to love, his showcase of his vocal ability increases The Weeknd’s star quality. Some artists let the music be the focal point of their songs, while not focusing on the lyrics. The Weeknd turns this concept upside down on songs such as “Coming Down”, “Rolling Stone” and “Next”.

Overall, Trilogy will effectively bring The Weeknd into the spotlight. From production, to the content, and to his vocal ability, it works as a great debut album even if it is a re-release. While you may not know anything about The Weeknd now, he will soon become