The moody R&B superstar explores the agony and ecstasy of love

While plenty of R&B stars have chronicled the desperation of heartbreak, few have explored the darker side of love with the intensity of Canadian party monster The Weeknd. He's scored massive hits with undeniably smooth dance-pop anthems and luscious slow jams, whether he's reviving the slick bounce of ‘80s electro-funk on “Can't Feel My Face” or flipping the club-ready bump of house music into brooding after-dark soul on “Starboy”. That's just one side of singer-songwriter Abel Tesfaye's sound, though. Dropping beats that throb with the sensual menace of classic trip-hop, tracks like “Wicked Games” plunge you into the moment where the ecstasy of a decadent night out teeters on the edge of the regretful morning after. The Weeknd's glittering club bangers will pull you onto the floor, and his steamy between-the-sheets ballads will seduce you. But it's his anguished tales of romantic longing that will haunt your head and your heart.