My Dear Melancholy, [EP]
by The Weeknd
  • Record Label: Republic
  • Release Date: Mar 30, 2018
User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 310 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 260 out of 310
  2. Mixed: 37 out of 310
  3. Negative: 13 out of 310
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  1. fedefreaks
    Aug 24, 2023
    8
    I still believe this EP has some of his best songs to date. To me for sure better than his last few projects.
  2. buwygib
    Mar 29, 2023
    10
    this ep is a true art
    i looove itttt
    the productions and lyrics, all are fire absolute masterpiece
  3. josum
    Jan 2, 2023
    10
    Surprise EP, which was very well received, the mixed feelings within this work are very strong, it is necessary to put yourself in the place of the person playing to feel what he felt, the production is impressive, we can see it in 'I Was Never There'.
  4. BeanBags
    Dec 27, 2022
    5
    While this isn't a terrible EP, many of the tracks on MDM are buried underneath the melancholic theme of the album. This leaves a lot of the tracks sounding uninspired and dull.
  5. All_ButTrU4
    Aug 25, 2022
    0
    Weepy,boring and unnecessary cashgrab. This Ep is a low.that he's proven better than in his past projects. Disappointing.
  6. neverhadabagel
    Aug 20, 2022
    9
    A truly great EP I wish it was an album so we could have more. A few songs personally were not as good as the others and I admit were kind of forgettable for me, but it does not take away the overall talent this EP had.
  7. narolo
    Mar 31, 2022
    7
    goodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgood
  8. Andrek23
    Jan 21, 2022
    10
    I wish there were 2x more songs of that league in that ep to make it a full album. The mood of it is unprecedented , out of this world. Melancholy is the right word and it just makes that. It makes you feel this way. There would be no better album in the world to feel that melancholy and all the emotions around It. My favorite piece of work from Abel so far with house of balloons. It’sI wish there were 2x more songs of that league in that ep to make it a full album. The mood of it is unprecedented , out of this world. Melancholy is the right word and it just makes that. It makes you feel this way. There would be no better album in the world to feel that melancholy and all the emotions around It. My favorite piece of work from Abel so far with house of balloons. It’s what he does best.… Expand
  9. Somebody557
    Jan 18, 2022
    8
    This was probably not an ambitious album like others were. This was all about what the artist feels like and I believe that is the art of it. While some songs like "Call Out My Name" gave me near to goosebumps feeling, some just really couldn't.
  10. rezaxo
    Jan 8, 2022
    10
    One of the best Album, Love this Alum so much...
  11. AbelTesfaye
    Jan 7, 2022
    10
    Best surprise EP ever! Played these six songs on repeat forever. Easily lasted me during the long wait in-between albums.
  12. Mahy04
    Jan 7, 2022
    9
    definitely the saddest album by him. the opener"call out my name" is just perfect. my only issue with the ep is it's length for it's too short
  13. Sweethour22
    Oct 30, 2021
    10
    the growth in his music is amazing, and in this album he shows it again, the transitions that he makes when advancing each song is incredible, very well thought out of all those who put effort into this amazing album
  14. Deseorun
    May 7, 2021
    10
    A very melancholic (as the name implies), personal and touching EP. In it, The Weeknd spoke about his relationship with Selena Gomez, conveying the whole set of emotions and suffering that were with him at this time.
  15. EVERLEDIS
    Apr 17, 2021
    10
    *Before the song:*

    *( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)*

    *After the song:*

    *( ͡⊙ ͜ʖ ͡⊙)*
    *Before the song:*

    *( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)*

    *After the song:*

    *( ͡⊙ ͜ʖ ͡⊙)*
  16. wendytesfaye
    Apr 3, 2021
    10
    Bu harika EP'nin nasıl olur da yalnızca 244 oylaması olur? Gerçekten siz bi tuhafsızın amk
  17. TheJacob257
    Mar 20, 2021
    9
    Do not listen to critics. If anyone is curious about The Weeknd, this is where you start. Starboy & BBTM were mostly your average pop/moody albums, comimg after the Trilogy which pretty much changed R&B forever. But here Abel is coming back to his roots and brings them to a level we simply never seen before. I mean ever, in any album or with any singer.

    Abel is heartbroken, and if there    Do not listen to critics. If anyone is curious about The Weeknd, this is where you start. Starboy & BBTM were mostly your average pop/moody albums, comimg after the Trilogy which pretty much changed R&B forever. But here Abel is coming back to his roots and brings them to a level we simply never seen before. I mean ever, in any album or with any singer.

    Abel is heartbroken, and if there is something this guy can do is to deliver his emotions. When a singer manages to make the listener feel not just with great lyrics but with sound and production alone, this is pure genius. The songs are touching, hurtful, honest and relatable. Privilege and IWNT are easy top 10 of Abels all time. One point was taken because Hurt You is a repetition of LINF, and because Wasted Times was meh. Besides that this album is incredible and essential. Sad boy hours just got a lot sadder    … Expand
  18. Cley
    Mar 25, 2020
    10
    This EP came at the right moment for me.
    The Weeknd was heartbroken,so do i.
    Anyway,The songs are very deep and touching,the production is very competent and the EP is perfect in my opnion.
    10/10
  19. EthanMilne
    Feb 14, 2020
    10
    One of the Weeknd's best offerings since trilogy. This EP takes you back to the early, darker days of Abel's music and the production across the album is top notch, especially the gessaffelstein features. Tracks like Call Out my name and I was never there are very emotionally heavy lyrically, and the whole EP is riddled with sadness and a true offering from a broken heart.
  20. Shaymooose
    Aug 17, 2019
    4
    generic abel ****

    Best Tracks:Call Out My Name,Hurt You
    Worst Tracks:Try Me,Wasted Times,
  21. fifi3
    Jul 28, 2019
    4
    This EP was too forgettable to explain why I thought it was so forgettable. I'll just settle at a 4, because Abel is a great vocalist.
  22. harsnyi
    Feb 24, 2019
    9
    Beautiful , dark EP about a broken relationship . When you listening it at the same time as yours , you can feel out every meaning that makes this unforgettable.
  23. gabrielcipriano
    Dec 21, 2018
    9
    The Weeknd goes back to the roots of this album, and brings a small and graceful thing at the same time. The quality and drowsiness of this EP are incredible and without words to describe.
  24. hornysoul
    Oct 3, 2018
    8
    SIM! SIM! SIM! Finalmente, The Weeknd volta às suas raízes e traz-nos uma boa (ainda que pequena e simples) surpresa. Este EP é mais inovador e estético. Mexe contigo e obriga-te a sentir o que o artista sente ao longo destas seis faixas.
  25. notAvillan
    Jul 14, 2018
    8
    Beautiful alt R&B EP. I think it has cuts that aren't as adventurous as I would like, but production is on point. Many eary and catchy songs on this EP and lots of raw emotion. It definitely sets the smooth and sad mood that Abel intended it to sound like I just wish he would take it a step further with the genre and experiment with new sounds like he did before. Anyways this EP is one ofBeautiful alt R&B EP. I think it has cuts that aren't as adventurous as I would like, but production is on point. Many eary and catchy songs on this EP and lots of raw emotion. It definitely sets the smooth and sad mood that Abel intended it to sound like I just wish he would take it a step further with the genre and experiment with new sounds like he did before. Anyways this EP is one of the best of this year so far.… Expand
  26. JhosepKingsley
    Jun 20, 2018
    10
    A masterpiece of alternative R & B. A moved story of love and lack of love that impresses in each of its stages. It seems to me very subtle but at the same time it needs the way in which Abel tells this narration through each song. Strong and impacting lyrics and deep and engaging sounds. It deserves to be called an album without filler more than a simple EP.
  27. Morgangriffin
    May 17, 2018
    9
    This surprise album really fueled my hate for selena gomez jkndsknknsdkjnfnkasnfsjdnfndkfnskfns.dfnfaskjdfns 75 characters
  28. fwtll636
    May 13, 2018
    7
    There isn't any material that would point to major commercial success unlike previous releases, but The Weeknd's new EP 'My Dear Melancholy' is a short and sweet examination of heartbreak.
  29. u137288reddit
    May 6, 2018
    2
    For such a short album, it's amazing how much it manages to run together. Call out My Name is good, if not particularly inventive or innovative. But the rest of the album fails to leave an impression, it's a breakup album, but there's no fire to it, not anger. The Weeknd has done songs with passion and emotion like In the Night or even his cover of Dirty Diana, but it's all gone here,For such a short album, it's amazing how much it manages to run together. Call out My Name is good, if not particularly inventive or innovative. But the rest of the album fails to leave an impression, it's a breakup album, but there's no fire to it, not anger. The Weeknd has done songs with passion and emotion like In the Night or even his cover of Dirty Diana, but it's all gone here, replaced with the worst parts of Starboy's filler. It honestly makes me wonder why he released it. It's not a full album, and nothing seems to be getting any promotion, so why was it released?… Expand
  30. Jevus
    Apr 21, 2018
    7
    This facet of The Weeknd is not very to my liking, I do not like it when it gets very "dark" or as the title "melancholic" says, it bores me and with this EP it almost succeeds, the first and the second track are quite good , the other songs gave me the same. I'll wait for him to release a new album and keep growing as he did in Starboy.

    Call Out My Name 95 Try Me 86 Wasted Times 90    This facet of The Weeknd is not very to my liking, I do not like it when it gets very "dark" or as the title "melancholic" says, it bores me and with this EP it almost succeeds, the first and the second track are quite good , the other songs gave me the same. I'll wait for him to release a new album and keep growing as he did in Starboy.

    Call Out My Name 95
    Try Me 86
    Wasted Times 90
    I Was Never There 70
    Hurt You 80
    Privilege 70    … Expand
  31. thedaywalker
    Apr 20, 2018
    7
    Getting really personal here, comes an unexpected EP from The Weeknd, while call out my name is certainly a hit, the rest of the songs fail to live to it. The rest of the EP is in no way bad, i really enjoyed "Call out my name", "try me" and "wasted times", i start enjoying less, after half of "i was never there". I loved the weekend in Kiss Land and Beauty Behind the Madness and this EPGetting really personal here, comes an unexpected EP from The Weeknd, while call out my name is certainly a hit, the rest of the songs fail to live to it. The rest of the EP is in no way bad, i really enjoyed "Call out my name", "try me" and "wasted times", i start enjoying less, after half of "i was never there". I loved the weekend in Kiss Land and Beauty Behind the Madness and this EP is him going back to that, but after half of it, he goes to resort to techno, which is not bad, but not what I like certainly. As far as EP's go, this is a good one… Expand
  32. JNOTR
    Apr 16, 2018
    10
    PERFECT!!! The Weeknd did it again. No words needed to describe this piece of art.
  33. aleppo
    Apr 11, 2018
    6
    By no means is this a bad record. However, it isn't necessarily a good one, either. For me this is very much a middling effort from The Weeknd, who seeks to return to a sound and mood reminiscent of his mixtapes on My Dear Melancholy,. But in aiming to replicate a past formula, Tesfaye fails to break any new ground with this EP, which leads me to question where he is headed artistically.By no means is this a bad record. However, it isn't necessarily a good one, either. For me this is very much a middling effort from The Weeknd, who seeks to return to a sound and mood reminiscent of his mixtapes on My Dear Melancholy,. But in aiming to replicate a past formula, Tesfaye fails to break any new ground with this EP, which leads me to question where he is headed artistically. The lyrics and themes offer nothing new, and while the production is characterized by thumping beats and an overall dark allure, it predominantly pulls from contemporary sonic tropes that undermine any attempts at musical innovation. I hate to place an artist in the shadow of his previous work, but to me it seems that Abel will never release an output as thrilling as House of Balloons.

    Highlights include 'Wasted Times' and 'I Was Never There'.    … Expand
  34. NETMUSIC
    Apr 11, 2018
    3
    So disappointing after Starboy. ugh. this is so boring.

    Best Song:
    Call Out My Name
  35. eagleeyeviking
    Apr 10, 2018
    8
    Focused, melancholic, and consistent, “My Dear Melancholy” is a raw, downbeat success for The Weeknd.
  36. Lansier
    Apr 7, 2018
    9
    The first time a heard this, well it have The weeknd¨s vibes with a really good verses, so Thank you so much Selena Gomez, this EP will win album of the year if you don´t release your album girl.
  37. lauradelreyxo
    Apr 6, 2018
    10
    Abel just did that i am so proud of him i still want him fully back to dark Abel but MDM was close to trilogy vibes thanks Abel. Best EP of 2018
  38. CraigEchols
    Apr 6, 2018
    8
    Nothing new for the The Weeknd, but that's the point. As a person who didn't enjoy Starboy, this album sounds more like Trilogy which is the The Weeknd that I enjoy most. The lyrics are simplistic, but are given the depth necessary by Abel's delivery. It seems like The Weeknd, on this EP, on a down week with little to no partying wanted to some quiet time to himself and wanted to make someNothing new for the The Weeknd, but that's the point. As a person who didn't enjoy Starboy, this album sounds more like Trilogy which is the The Weeknd that I enjoy most. The lyrics are simplistic, but are given the depth necessary by Abel's delivery. It seems like The Weeknd, on this EP, on a down week with little to no partying wanted to some quiet time to himself and wanted to make some songs without all the lights, cameras, parties, drinks, etc and lucky for us, he delivered us this EP which gives Tesfaye fans hope that the old The Weeknd is still in there and capable of delivering deep, powerful, and emotional lyrics.… Expand
  39. SelmanMP
    Apr 5, 2018
    10
    The best Selena Gomez's EP, nothing new in Selegend Gomez, Mancariana Grande see de lejisimos.
  40. domkopavlik
    Apr 3, 2018
    5
    This EP is mediocre. While it starts with a great, well-produced song "Call out my name", other songs get worse and worse. "Try me" and the two songs featuring Gesaffelstein are not special or interesting anyhow. It has no experimental passages, nothing that would push the boundaries of his previous work. However, the first and the last song are listenable and catchy, so i decided to giveThis EP is mediocre. While it starts with a great, well-produced song "Call out my name", other songs get worse and worse. "Try me" and the two songs featuring Gesaffelstein are not special or interesting anyhow. It has no experimental passages, nothing that would push the boundaries of his previous work. However, the first and the last song are listenable and catchy, so i decided to give it a 5/10.… Expand
  41. miriam1559
    Apr 2, 2018
    10
    This is an album that gets in your feelings. You can almost feel what he is feeling and I am loving every second of it. A masterpiece! XO
  42. cristian9299
    Apr 2, 2018
    10
    Finally, The Weeknd went back to his old vibes and this is the best project I've heard from him since Kiss Land.

    Call Out My Name- Instantly brings in the R&B vibe with dark lyrics and a powerful beat. His voice sounds incredible on this track. An instant classic Try Me- Try me is a very chill track that reminds me of some of his work on BBTM. It has a beat that people can bump too    Finally, The Weeknd went back to his old vibes and this is the best project I've heard from him since Kiss Land.

    Call Out My Name- Instantly brings in the R&B vibe with dark lyrics and a powerful beat. His voice sounds incredible on this track. An instant classic

    Try Me- Try me is a very chill track that reminds me of some of his work on BBTM. It has a beat that people can bump too but follows the trend of the entire album with dark lyrics.

    Wasted Times- Another solid track. A little less of an R&B type beat but once again heavy on the dark lyrics. This song is probably my least favorite on the album, but only because I don't think it flows with the other songs.

    I Was Never There- Wow. I just want to know what was going on in that room when the beat of this song was being created. It's absolutely incredible. One of my favorite songs on the album. Gesaffelstein adds an extra element to this song to really make it one of the best I've heard from Abel in a long time.

    Hurt You- Another incredible track. The lyrics in this song are so dark and powerful. Abel delivers his best work in this song lyrically. The flow of the song sounds a little familiar (Pray for me), but it does not take away from how great this song is.

    Privilege- A great conclusion to a great album. "2 red pills to take the blues away" is probably the most memorable line from the album. The song is a little short, but serves as a perfect conclusion to this album

    Song order from best to worst-
    I Was Never There
    Hurt You
    Call Out My Name
    Privilege
    Try Me
    Wasted Times    … Expand
  43. TimW001
    Apr 2, 2018
    7
    It's pretty normal stuff from The Weeknd. Good lyrics, it's all fine. But that's all that can be said. It's really typical, nothing new, kind of boring.
  44. rova77
    Apr 2, 2018
    10
    A return to form and most definitely his best work since the incredible Kissland.

    This project feels extremely personal, at times so personal you feel guilty for nodding your head along whilst this man pours out his heart, "I take 2 red pills to take the blues away" he croons on the final track. Production wise this is House of balloons meets Starboy and surprisingly there is no    A return to form and most definitely his best work since the incredible Kissland.

    This project feels extremely personal, at times so personal you feel guilty for nodding your head along whilst this man pours out his heart, "I take 2 red pills to take the blues away" he croons on the final track.

    Production wise this is House of balloons meets Starboy and surprisingly there is no sign of his frequent collaborators Doc and Illangelo, but Frank Dukes really steps up to the plate and makes you wonder if he should now replace Doc as Abels go to guy from now on.

    All in all this is a great project and Call out my name has to be an early contender for song of the year    … Expand
  45. Huraxdax
    Apr 1, 2018
    7
    I'm not all too much of a Weeknd-listener, but I can't deny that I enjoyed some tracks by Abel, the majority of them coming off of his 2016 LP "Beauty Behind The Madness". For this EP, I'm glad Abel kind of came back to his more innovative, artsier astheatic. Starboy I found a little too poppy at times.
    My Dear Melancholy features 6 decent tracks, all visibly creative, yet listenable. I    I'm not all too much of a Weeknd-listener, but I can't deny that I enjoyed some tracks by Abel, the majority of them coming off of his 2016 LP "Beauty Behind The Madness". For this EP, I'm glad Abel kind of came back to his more innovative, artsier astheatic. Starboy I found a little too poppy at times.
    My Dear Melancholy features 6 decent tracks, all visibly creative, yet listenable. I love that the drums on this EP don't just blindly choose between the only two options pop music offers right now: Trap and Reggaeton. You do hear the trap influence, but it's subtle, innovative and always has this little twist to it that makes it a Weeknd track.
    I want to shine light on the first track "Call Out My Name" especially. It represents everything Abel stands for: Excellent production, moody and sexy lyrics and instrumental work that is unparalleled in his field.    … Expand
  46. TrevorMcAdam
    Mar 31, 2018
    8
    While it doesn't break new ground for The Weeknd, My Dear Melancholy, is a great listen from beginning to end with very good production and good vocal performances from The Weeknd. It is definitely a must have if you like The Weeknd's early works Like House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence.
  47. chidime
    Mar 31, 2018
    5
    Can't say I particularly enjoyed this EP. It just ends up sounding like a long, drawn out bore, but I'll give The Weeknd points for cohesiveness and musicality. While, lyrically, this is maybe closer to his earlier work, I don't at all agree that in sum, it sounds just ike his earlier work. The instrumentals on this are vastly different from Trilogy (especially House of Balloons and EchoesCan't say I particularly enjoyed this EP. It just ends up sounding like a long, drawn out bore, but I'll give The Weeknd points for cohesiveness and musicality. While, lyrically, this is maybe closer to his earlier work, I don't at all agree that in sum, it sounds just ike his earlier work. The instrumentals on this are vastly different from Trilogy (especially House of Balloons and Echoes of Silence which we can admit are the best 2). While in Trilogy the instrumentals were more experimental with heavy doses of strange but catchy and interesting sounds popping up here and there, and with a general sense of darkness and despair at the edges, in MDM, the instrumentals are more straightforward/bare/bland and lack that general mysteriousness on his earlier work. If this is The Weeknd going back to his roots, I think I'd vastly prefer he keep making Starboy-like songs (which I must say, for the most part are excellent)… Expand
  48. filipehondrey12
    Mar 31, 2018
    9
    This album is full of sex and slow motion vibes, that makes everyone listen to it feeling high. I really like that!
  49. Jarody
    Mar 31, 2018
    7
    The Weeknd pulls off a pretty good sound on this EP, and while it's not his best work, it's certainly not his worst. Dark themes and ideas are explored here and make for a couple of catchy tracks, and some of the Weeknd's vocals are stellar. Although, while there are a couple stand out tracks, the rest are just... average. Not only average but really boring, especially towards the end ofThe Weeknd pulls off a pretty good sound on this EP, and while it's not his best work, it's certainly not his worst. Dark themes and ideas are explored here and make for a couple of catchy tracks, and some of the Weeknd's vocals are stellar. Although, while there are a couple stand out tracks, the rest are just... average. Not only average but really boring, especially towards the end of the EP. I wish the Weeknd had waited longer and released a full length album honestly, because I wanted just a little bit
    more from this EP, despite it still being good at the most.
    Favourite Tracks: Call Out My Name, Hurt You
    Least Favourites: Try Me, Wasted Times    … Expand
  50. lilgnzlo
    Mar 30, 2018
    10
    Very personal EP by The Weeknd.

    I like it,reminds me the sound of Echoes Of Silence but with vibes of Starboy.

    If you are a fan of The Weeknd previous work's you will like this.
    If you are looking for I Feel It Coming or Can't Feel My Face vibes, this is not the right place.
  51. noahbrackenbury
    Mar 30, 2018
    8
    The Weeknd released a 6-track album My Dear Melancholy, by surprise on Friday, March 30th, after only announcing it during the day on Thursday, and it follows a completely different trajectory than that which the confident, rich pop star The Weeknd has been known for on recent projects. The lyrical content as well as production are surprisingly radio-unfriendly, especially in contrast toThe Weeknd released a 6-track album My Dear Melancholy, by surprise on Friday, March 30th, after only announcing it during the day on Thursday, and it follows a completely different trajectory than that which the confident, rich pop star The Weeknd has been known for on recent projects. The lyrical content as well as production are surprisingly radio-unfriendly, especially in contrast to his last two Grammy-winning and chart-topping albums, 2016's Starboy and 2015's Beauty Behing the Madness. As much as this album is a romantically dejected yell into the void, it is also noticeably grounded by indirect yet specific references to past lovers whom have recently shared in his spotlight. However, as is Abel Tesfaye's signature philosophy that brought him both cult success and defied pop-culture logic by giving him huge radio success (specifically with the dark and terrifying 2015 single "The Hills"), Abel is destined to use sex and substances as coping mechanisms for his ultimate alienation and inability to love. He is a touchstone for these feelings, utterly synonymous with them in popular culture, and although many believed he had somewhat grown out of this philosophy, he returns to it with fresh eyes and a freshly avant-garde, emotional, and dramatic sound. This album has no features, except credit for French DJ Gesaffelstein's production on tracks 4 and 5, "I Was Never There" and "Hurt You", and satisfies while leaving the listener wondering what's next for The Weeknd.

    Track 1, "Call Out My Name" is a confrontational ballad that sounds a lot like his Fifty Shades of Grey song "Earned It", but turned fifty shades darker (although he wasn't involved in any of the sequels' soundtracks). The production and vocals on this track build up and expertly explode at the beginning of each chorus. "Try Me" has light notes of trap from co-producer Mike WiLL Made-It, and "Wasted Times" features the most irregular beat of the bunch, employing indie-techno syncopation. "I Was Never There" has some of the darkest self-directed lines on this album, and sees a return to the two-part form that defined the title track of his 2013 album Kiss Land. "So I poison myself again and again until I feel nothing/ I'm on the edge of something breaking", Abel dejectedly croons under heavy reverb. An alarm-like high-pitched synth revives the horror-movie vibes invoked by shrill screams on past Abel tracks like "The Hills" and the 2013 track "Kiss Land", again. "Hurt You" feels firmly in the middle of the Venn diagram between the sound of this album and his late 2016 LP Starboy, which sensibly reflects that Guy-Manuel of Daft Punk (who was instrumental in the success of singles off Starboy) contributed to this track, mostly heard on the electro beat. Abel closes with the call "I'll be back to my old ways" on "Privilege", which truly features the strongest callback to his 2011 mixtape Echoes of Silence yet, both lyrically and musically with a slow, dark, and windy crawl to a pointless finish line.

    All of these songs flow well into each other, but on early listens are difficult to distinguish and sound muddy at times. Most of the tracks feature a stripped-down beat with distorted kick-snare-kick-snare and clean hi-hat dispersed throughout, and every track is extremely heavy on the synth bass lines, which complement Abel's falsetto, but the heavy compression on this project can make the consistent bass overwhelming. Lyrically, this album has some thoughtful lines and subtle references to specific past lovers, but is still carried by The Weeknd's signature, lost-sounding but powerful, Ethiopian-influenced, non-lyrical crooning. Overall, this project succeeded in some ways that Starboy didn't: it captured the attention of his oldest fans begging for a darker sound, and while it hits similar notes again and again, the 6-track length makes this project a perfect vignette of melancholy, as opposed to the similarly monotone, packed, and difficult-to-digest 18 tracks of Starboy. This project is absolutely intriguing, features the genuine and raw emotion that its title set out to capture, and its detail and depth grow with each listen, but it is unlikely to get as much radio play as previous hits from now-superstar The Weeknd.    … Collapse
  52. Fanboyofpop
    Mar 30, 2018
    10
    THIS album is a perfect mix of his mainstream And his old r n b style music to create a master piece. The lyrics and the vocals along with the instrumentals work amazingly and I’m so happy I listened to this. Abel finally goes back to his roots while keeping his mainstream sound creates a new sound that I hope will be relevant on his next album. I love this project

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
63

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. AllMusic
    Dec 11, 2018
    50
    Apart from the sly and sweet 2-step rhythm on "Wasted Times," the sound of the EP is bleary R&B with beats that drag and lurch, suited for Tesfaye's routine swings between self-pity and sexual vanity, chemically enhanced from one extreme to the other.
    Read full review
  2. The 405
    Apr 10, 2018
    65
    Overall, the EP is decent, its production hearkening back to Abel’s pre-pop efforts. It brings in a range of genres and collaborators into The Weeknd’s canon but fails to truly cover new ground in the lyrics and vocal threads. My Dear Melancholy is a promising output but here’s hoping these stylistic ideas can be explored more originally on a full-length EP.
    Read full review
  3. The A.V. Club
    Apr 6, 2018
    50
    On Melancholy, the Starboy wallows in heartbreak. It can be a bit tedious, at least until French producer/DJ Gesaffelstein shows up for “Never There” and “Hurt You,” which plays like a two-part song.
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