Everything Abel Tesfaye (you know him as The Weeknd, pronounced ‘weakened’ and not ‘weekend’ for those misinformed) brings to the overcrowded table right now is absolutely one step ahead of his peers: from attitude and image to production, melodies, and marketing. ‘The Birds (Part 1)’ is no exception despite being his most digestible radio track yet, while still retaining a rhythmic, pause-and-start swag we’re just not getting from mainstream most if not all R&B cookie-cutters today.Believe the buzz, as we look forward to the scheduled mixtape-albums Thursday (Summer) and Echoes of Silence (Autumn) following up on the brilliant debut, House Of Ballons.
