The Weeknd’s name, face, voice and overall career have catapulted from Toronto into the eyes and ears of people all over the world in the past year. Those previously unfamiliar with his work were exposed to him through his features on the “Fifty Shades of Grey” soundtrack and on Ariana Grande’s “Love Me Harder.”

Considering his explosive popularity in the last year, we were all overjoyed by the rumors of his supposed scheduled appearance at this year’s Juice Jam and painfully disappointed about the falseness of those rumors. That being said, even if you can’t see The Weeknd at Juice Jam for $15, listen to his latest album.

On “Beauty Behind the Madness,” which officially released August 28, The Weeknd maintains his distinct sound but doesn’t make you feel like you’re hearing the same songs with different titles over and over. Powerful choruses, extended synth-y harmonies, storytelling/autobiographical lyrics, strong vocal runs and dramatic backing instrumentals, are all classic characteristics of The Weeknd’s previous music and permeate through his newest work. The album is still fresh.

Like Grande did on her most recent release, The Weeknd (whose real name is Abel Tesfaye) has collaborated with several talented artists on his second album, “Beauty Behind the Madness.” The singer features Lana Del Rey and Ed Sheeran, who both co-wrote the songs they provide vocals for on the album, Labrinth and Kanye West, who co-wrote and co-produced the song “Tell Your Friends.”

The album as a whole is a journey, as any good album should be, and each song takes you to a different place along the way. Each song meanders sonically, often peaking with an explosive vocal and instrumental chorus, featuring extended harmonies in the bridges of the songs.

“Real Life,” the first track on the album, engages the listener with a deep, synth-guitar intro, which couples well with The Weeknd’s soulful tenor voice.

Strong intros are a common theme in the album. “Losers,” starts with a captivating piano intro made of simple, extended chords. On the track, The Weeknd reaches into his lower register, which is a departure from his usual high-climbing vocal hikes.

Editor’s note: This song contains explicit content.

“Tell Your Friends,” the track Kanye West was involved in writing and producing, features a mix of electronics and guitar reminiscent of Kanye’s 2007 album “Graduation.”

The track, although calmer both vocally and sonically than a lot of the other tracks on “Beauty Behind The Madness,” is important in that it demonstrates why The Weeknd is so significant in pop today — he incorporates various aspects of other genres into the pop world and makes it work. His distinct lyrics are reminiscent of both hip-hop and rap, his use of guitar and drums are both blues and rock-influenced.

Listeners who have a difficult time getting through the longer, less dramatic tracks on the album will experience relief through the most famous songs on the album, already popularized by earlier releases. “Often,” “The Hills,” “Earned It” and “Can’t Feel My Face,” arguably the most festive of the songs, are strategically placed in the middle of the album lineup. They give listeners something familiar to look forward to as well as a reason for any dubious listeners to power through to hear the final few tracks.

Overall, The Weeknd’s latest release provides a bridge between pop fans and hip-hop fans to each other’s worlds, and while a lot of songs may be a little lengthy, his acrobatic vocals and creative use of instrumentals solidify The Weeknd’s sound on this album and in the music industry.

Isha Damle is a junior television, radio, film major. She rarely knows the actual lyrics to songs, but is good at faking it until she makes it. Plus, her version is probably better. She can be reached at idamle@syr.edu or on Twitter @ishadamle.

Published on September 1, 2015 at 10:43 pm