Credits:The WeekndDescription:Takenasmoodmusicdesignedfortoxicandillicitlate-nightsituations,HouseofBalloons--thedebutfromTorontovocalistAbelTesfaye,releasedasafreedownloadonhisTumblrblog--canmakeforabsorptivelistening.JoinedbyproducersDocMcKinneyandIllangelo,Zodiac,andRainer,Tesfaye--toliftaphrasefromDavidToop--exemplifiesthecombinationof"sugarandpoison"thathaspoweredR&Bthroughoutitsevolution.Tesfaye'svoiceisagentle,bruised,andoccasionallygorgeous-soundinginstrumentthat,throughsoundandwords,mixesbasedbelligerencewithpalpableinnerturmoil."Letmeseethatass,lookatallthiscash"and"Igotmyheartrighthere,Igotmyscarsrighthere,"bothfrom"WickedGames,"sumuptheangle.Theunrelentingstreamofdramaticallydeliveredlyricsaboutgettinghighandlaidcanbedraining.IfTesfayedidntpunctuatesomanythoughtswith"fuck"and"motherfuckin',"orstrugglewithcompletingcouplets--ashedoesmostglaringlywith"I'monthatshityoucantsmell,baby/Soputdownyourperfume"--itwouldn'tb