The Weeknd 'Echoes Of Silence' Mixtape Completes Trilogy

by UInterviewDecember 22, 2011, 12:00 amNews >

Abel Tesfaye, 21, better known as The Weeknd, has surprised his fans by dropping Echoes of Silence, his third self-released "mixtape" online on Wednesday night.

The Toronto-based producer, who proved that he values exposure over sales by making all of his tracks available for free online, released the previous two mixtapes in his trilogy earlier this year. In March, House of Balloons garnered an impressive amount of critical praise, and gained some traction after it was publicly acknowledged by popular artists, most notably hip-hop musician Drake.

The nine-track House of Balloons was followed by Thursday in August, a veritable time warp compared to industry standards. The Weeknd promised a third mixtape in the trilogy before the end of the year, and he just made it. The blogosphere was teeming with rumors on Wednesday that the new tracks were about to drop, and while the fans were off about a few details, they got the main point right.

Echoes of Silence was released with nine tracks, including a rendition of Michael Jackson's "Dirty Diana." Tesfaye was also recently approached by Florence + The Machine to remix their single, "Shake It Up," and by Lady Gaga to work some magic on "Marry the Night."

You can download Echoes of Silence on The Weeknd's website.