7/10

When we first got to hear this new material, it was accompanied with a video for title-track 'Starboy', which opened with the old Weeknd being killed off by the new one. Not exactly the most subtle of introductions but it certainly led us to believe that this new album would be drastically different from his last, and that is definitely true. And while his previous full-length 'Beauty Behind The Madness' took him from cult-favourite to international superstar, 'Starboy' seems to be a record that is looking to make the most noise.

While some of the singles we have heard so far have been extremely hit-and-miss, the album as a whole is a far more focused than we were originally led to expect. The sore-thumb in the mix that is 'False Alarm' seems to be just a one-off anomaly on this release, as much of it sticks to a very contemporary and experimental RnB release. Yet even though Daft Punk are only credited on two tracks, you can hear their influence almost entirely throughout this album, giving it a very cohesive sound.

It may not have any of the surefire hits that run rampant on his previous full-length, but still manages to keep its head above water and deliver a good mix of ideas that we haven't heard from him before. The old Weeknd may be gone but this new one certainly isn't anything to underestimate.