Exactly 10 years after releasing his debut mixtape House of Balloons, The Weeknd is reissuing the project in its "original incarnation." The artist announced the release on social media this week, confirming the reissue would include original mixes and samples that didn’t make the final cut.
The original House of Balloons sampled music from Aaliyah, Beach House, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Cocteau Twins. However, clearance issues prevented those cuts from being included in the Weeknd’s 2012 compilation project Trilogy, which was made up of the Thursday, Echoes of Silence, and House of Balloons tapes.
The Weeknd spoke about the influence of House of Balloons during a 2020 interview with Variety, claiming he was both flattered and upset by artists whom he believed were biting his sound. He specifically pointed to Usher and his 2012 song "Climax."
"House of Balloons literally changed the sound of pop music before my eyes," he said. "I heard 'Climax,' that Usher song, and was like, 'Holy fuck, that’s a Weeknd song.' It was very flattering, and I knew I was doing something right, but I also got angry. But the older I got, I realized it’s a good thing."
The reissue is now available on both Spotify and Apple Music. Listen below and let us know what you think of the newly available songs.