The Weeknd's new album Dawn FM may sound futuristic, but the execution is old-school.
It is a collection of 16 tracks that are perfectly sequenced and, in some cases, that segue into each other. The release is also united lyrically and sonically. The stark and icy production matches the singer’s tale of romantic woes and redemption.
Dawn FM comes on the back of a similar giant release.
Adele's 30, 2021’s biggest-selling album in the US and UK, is also a brilliantly cohesive set of lovelorn ballads meant to be heard in a specific order and in one sitting.
With other successful albums released in 2021, such as Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres and Dua Lipa’s Future Nostalgia, and anticipated titles on the way from Kendrick Lamar and Lizzo, for example, it begs the question: is the album format enjoying a revival?
The blockbuster releases by both artists may suggests there is still life to the dogged format yet.
However, both are swimming against a growing industry tide.
The advent of streaming has made the once-dominant album sound increasingly tired as new generations of listeners consume music in radically different ways.
With the rise of mood playlists and the shuffle function, the listening experience has become increasingly fractured and non-linear.
Such a freewheeling approach has meant the album has begun to lose its stature as the peak of an artist’s creative expression, in addition to becoming a liability for record labels.
According to Variety, 102.4 million albums were sold in the US in 2020.
This is a stark comparison to the boom years two decades ago, with 2000 being "the album's fattest year" with 755.1 million units sold.
Such figures would make any pop star weary of stepping into the recording booth.
Adele, however, remains such a passionate proponent of the album format that she requested Spotify dismantle its shuffle feature when streaming 30. Taylor Swift is also a supporter and describes the format as an authentic look into her life.
“These are essentially instalments of my life, two years at a time," she told Rolling Stone when releasing her 2014 blockbuster album 1989. “And I work really hard to make sure that those instalments are good enough to also apply to other people’s lives in two-year periods of time.”
EDM star David Guetta, on the other hand, has questioned its effectiveness.
The French DJ, who released 12 singles in 2021 instead of one collection, said streaming platforms have shortened the life span of albums.
“I am not sure how relevant the album format is today because people don’t consume music the same way,” he told The National in 2019. “If you drop an album now it will only have a lifetime of six months, no matter how amazing it is.”
Same tune, different formats
Sony Music Middle East general manager Mike Fairburn says the debate is as old as the industry itself.
"I don't think formats matter anymore and they never really did," he tells The National.
"We went through radio, vinyl records, cassettes, CDs, mini discs and now we find ourselves streaming music. The mechanism of delivering music will always change as technology develops.
“What remains consistent, however, is the artist’s desire to tell their story through the music.”
Emotional connection between an artist and listener is the key attribute that ultimately defines success, Fairburn says, and it can be equally applied through singles or albums.
This explains Adele’s meteoric rise.
Ever since emerging in 2008 with debut album 19, each subsequent release has become a vivid snapshot of the preceding years with enough stories and ruminations to fill the longer form of the album.
On the flipside, Fairburn says there are successful artists, such as Chris Brown and Lil Nas X, who don’t view the album as the “creative zenith” when it comes to connecting with their fans.
The trick is knowing which format best suites a particular expression.
“And this is really how we begin the conversations with our artists. For us, it's never been about streaming numbers as a starting point. It's about serving our artists in the best possible way we can and that means helping them tell their story in creative and manageable ways.”
Fairburn points to the growing buzz surrounding Iraqi artist Baws as an example of Sony Music Middle East’s tailor-made approach.
"His fourth record came out in December and it is called Ommi. It’s about his relationship with his mum, a subject you don't often hear hip-hop guys talking about,” Fairburn says.
“Baws is an emotional artist and we found the best way to work together is give each song time and space for people to connect with that story before releasing the next single, which tells a totally different story. He and we believe that this is the best strategy.”
Music with purpose
Mark Abou Jaoude, Deezer’s head of content for Mena and Turkey, says the album will always have a place in the music streaming landscape.
But with more people gravitating towards streaming singles and playlists, albums need to make a bold artistic statement to resonate with the public.
“What we found at Deezer is that even with the established artists, there are many fans who prefer to listen to playlists dedicated to their songs rather than their new albums,” he says.
“The albums that did really well on our platforms are ones where the artist really gave listeners a story or when they would promote it heavily by telling people how important it was for them.”
For an example, Abou Jaoude points to the success of Elissa’s 2018 album, Ila Kol Elli Bihebbouni, where she announced her breast cancer diagnosis and recovery through the music video of the self-titled track.
“Elissa tells us what each album means to her and how they are inspired by her life,” he says.
“So while she has many older and popular hits, people would go and stream the new album because they feel emotionally invested. Each new album is a new chapter that people want to experience.”
From that perspective one can begin to predict which albums will do well in 2022.
Lizzo’s vivacious personality and openness should propel her coming, as-yet-untitled release up the charts, while Rihanna’s much documented relationship failures and business successes will have fans eagerly awaiting her next album.
As for The Weeknd, Dawn FM is only the beginning. On January 10 he tweeted that the album is to be part of a “new trilogy”.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS
AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas
DevisionX – manufacturing
Event Gates – security and manufacturing
Farmdar – agriculture
Farmin – smart cities
Greener Crop – agriculture
Ipera.ai – space digitisation
Lune Technologies – fibre-optics
Monak – delivery
NutzenTech – environment
Nybl – machine learning
Occicor – shelf management
Olymon Solutions – smart automation
Pivony – user-generated data
PowerDev – energy big data
Sav – finance
Searover – renewables
Swftbox – delivery
Trade Capital Partners – FinTech
Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment
Workfam – employee engagement
The%C2%A0specs%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-cylinder%202-litre%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E9-speed%20automatic%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E252%20brake%20horsepower%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E352Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh146%2C700%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Madrid Open schedule
Men's semi-finals
Novak Djokovic (1) v Dominic Thiem (5) from 6pm
Stefanos Tsitsipas (8) v Rafael Nadal (2) from 11pm
Women's final
Simona Halep (3) v Kiki Bertens (7) from 8.30pm
HWJN
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Yasir%20Alyasiri%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Baraa%20Alem%2C%20Nour%20Alkhadra%2C%20Alanoud%20Saud%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Pathaan
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Simon Nadim has completed 7,000 dives.
The hardest dive in the UAE is the German U-boat 110m down off the Fujairah coast.
As a child, he loved the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau
He also led a team that discovered the long-lost portion of the Ines oil tanker.
If you are interested in diving, he runs the XR Hub Dive Centre in Fujairah
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
Gifts exchanged
- King Charles - replica of President Eisenhower Sword
- Queen Camilla - Tiffany & Co vintage 18-carat gold, diamond and ruby flower brooch
- Donald Trump - hand-bound leather book with Declaration of Independence
- Melania Trump - personalised Anya Hindmarch handbag
6 UNDERGROUND
Director: Michael Bay
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco
2.5 / 5 stars
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
Results:
CSIL 2-star 145cm One Round with Jump-Off
1. Alice Debany Clero (USA) on Amareusa S 38.83 seconds
2. Anikka Sande (NOR) For Cash 2 39.09
3. Georgia Tame (GBR) Cash Up 39.42
4. Nadia Taryam (UAE) Askaria 3 39.63
5. Miriam Schneider (GER) Fidelius G 47.74
UAE%20v%20West%20Indies
%3Cp%3EFirst%20ODI%20-%20Sunday%2C%20June%204%20%0D%3Cbr%3ESecond%20ODI%20-%20Tuesday%2C%20June%206%20%0D%3Cbr%3EThird%20ODI%20-%20Friday%2C%20June%209%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMatches%20at%20Sharjah%20Cricket%20Stadium.%20All%20games%20start%20at%204.30pm%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20squad%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EMuhammad%20Waseem%20(captain)%2C%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20Adithya%20Shetty%2C%20Ali%20Naseer%2C%20Ansh%20Tandon%2C%20Aryansh%20Sharma%2C%20Asif%20Khan%2C%20Basil%20Hameed%2C%20Ethan%20D%E2%80%99Souza%2C%20Fahad%20Nawaz%2C%20Jonathan%20Figy%2C%20Junaid%20Siddique%2C%20Karthik%20Meiyappan%2C%20Lovepreet%20Singh%2C%20Matiullah%2C%20Mohammed%20Faraazuddin%2C%20Muhammad%20Jawadullah%2C%20Rameez%20Shahzad%2C%20Rohan%20Mustafa%2C%20Sanchit%20Sharma%2C%20Vriitya%20Aravind%2C%20Zahoor%20Khan%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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