House of Balloons is the debut mixtape by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released on March 21, 2011, by the artist's own record label XO. The mixtape was released for free on the Weeknd's website and was the subject of increased media discussion upon the use of its songs on television, as well as the then-anonymous identity of the individual behind the Weeknd. House of Balloons was entirely recorded in Toronto, with production handled primarily by the Weeknd, Doc McKinney, and Illangelo, alongside additional contributions from Cirkut, Jeremy Rose and Rainer. Its title is derived from the nickname the singer gave to his former home in Parkdale, Toronto.
The mixtape received widespread acclaim, with critics praising its dark aesthetic, production, and lyrical content. It is widely regarded as a major influence on contemporary R&B music, being credited for pioneering alternative R&B. Musically, House of Balloons mixes R&B with elements of rock, electro, and hip-hop. Lyrically, the mixtape explores the Weeknd's drug use and experiences with love, heartbreak, and promiscuity.
House of Balloons was commercially released as part of the compilation album Trilogy (2012) and included the singles "Wicked Games" and "Twenty Eight", the latter of which is a bonus track. On its tenth anniversary, the original mixtape was released in digital formats, and included samples which failed to gain copyright clearance on Trilogy. The reissue was accompanied by a limited edition line of merchandise designed by architect Daniel Arsham.
Background and production
Before work on House of Balloons began, the Weeknd first released music through YouTube in 2009,[2] working as part of a hip-hop duo called 'Bulleez n Nerdz', under the stage name Kin Kane.[3] During this time, he was also a part of a songwriting and production team called 'the Noise', who wrote demos intended for artists such as Drake,[4]Justin Timberlake, and Chris Brown.[3]
In 2010, the Weeknd met the producer Jeremy Rose through mutual friends in Toronto. Rose began playing multiple songs he made in Ableton, including the instrumental for "What You Need". After the Weeknd freestyled over it, Rose asked him if he wanted to work together as a "dark R&B project".[5] Their sessions together led to the creation of three other tracks from House of Balloons, the first part of "The Party & the After Party", "Loft Music", and an early version of "The Morning".[5] Rose discontinued working on the project due to creative differences, but he allowed the Weeknd to use the songs they produced together,[6] under the condition that he would receive production credits.[7]
In December 2010, the Weeknd met the producer Illangelo through multiple studio sessions together, which led to the creation of an early version of "Glass Table Girls" and songs that later appeared on the Weeknd's second mixtape, Thursday.[8] For the mixtape's opener, "High for This", the Weeknd met the producer Cirkut through a mutual friend, which led to its creation after a session at Cirkut's home studio.[9] Cirkut later introduced him to Doc McKinney in January 2011. McKinney played the Weeknd multiple instrumentals, including the mixtape's title track, made sometime in 2009.[9] While working on the title track, the Weeknd's desire to rap led to McKinney improvising another beat, a reworked version of "Glass Table Girls".[10] McKinney and the Weeknd began further work that same month, Illangelo returning to the studio with them. As weeks progressed, they realized that the songs connected together, leading to their decision to release the mixtape free of charge.[8]
Promotion
Title and artwork
The mixtape's title originates from a house the Weeknd and his friends used to live at in Parkdale, Toronto. He explained that he and his friends would throw parties, and they would add balloons to make it more celebratory.[3] Its cover art depicts a woman with her face obscured by balloons, and her left breast exposed.[11] The Weeknd asked his friend La Mar Taylor for a cover photo, since the mixtape was ready for release. Taylor shot the cover at his house with his ex-girlfriend.[12]
Release and marketing
House of Balloons was initially released free of charge via a zip folder on March 21, 2011.[9] After signing with Republic Records in September 2012, the Weeknd worked to clear samples present in the mixtape, in order to re-release it as part of his compilation album, Trilogy (2012). The sample present in "What You Need", Aaliyah's "Rock the Boat", was excluded.[13] Alongside the release of Trilogy, a new song, "Twenty Eight", was included as a bonus track for the House of Balloons disc.[14] The mixtape's remastered version was later released as an LP record on August 14, 2015, which included "Twenty Eight".[15]
House of Balloons was preceded by three promotional singles, released via YouTube in December 2010, being "What You Need", "The Morning", and "Loft Music".[16] In May 2011, "High for This" was used in promotional material for the HBO original series Entourage.[17] After multiple unofficial music videos, the Weeknd released his first official music video on November 24, for "The Knowing", directed by Mikael Columbu.[18] The mixtape's first single, "Wicked Games", was serviced to rhythmic contemporary radio on September 25, 2012.[19] It became the Weeknd's first single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 53.[20] Its self-directed music video was released on October 18, 2012.[21] "Twenty Eight" was released as the second single for both House of Balloons and Trilogy on November 13.[22]
To commemorate its ten-year anniversary, the Weeknd released House of Balloons to streaming services with all of its original samples present on March 21, 2021.[23] Alongside the release, the artist Daniel Arsham created special artwork for a limited-edition LP record, alongside merchandise for the mixtape.[24]
Music
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House of Balloons is categorized as an alternative R&B record,[1] further incorporating elements of dream pop,[25]electro,[26] and rock.[26] In a 2013 interview with Complex, the Weeknd stated that House of Balloons, alongside the two mixtapes that followed its release, were not mixed or mastered because he "didn't feel like they were [his] albums", instead treating them like mixtapes. He stated that the mixtape symbolizes his experiences in Toronto.[27]
House of Balloons explores the loneliness of partying late in the night, but it does not "glamorize" this lifestyle.[28]
Songs
The mixtape's opening track, "High for This", is described as a "darkwave and bedroom R&B" song.[29]
House of Balloons received widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, House of Balloons received a weighted average score of 87 based on 16 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[31] Sean Fennessey of The Village Voice was impressed by the mixtape, calling it "patient, often gorgeous, and consistently louche... with the sort of blown-out underbelly and echo-laden crooning that has already made Drake's less-than-a-year-old Thank Me Later such an influential guidepost."[41] Maegan McGregor of Exclaim! stated that House of Balloons "easily stands as one of the year's best debuts so far, hipster, top 40 or otherwise."[42] Sputnikmusic's Tyler Fisher said that "despite being a free album, House of Balloons feels like a true album, a true labor of love."[43] Tom Ewing of The Guardian felt that while the Weeknd's vocals and lyrics on House of Balloons "aren't especially strong by R&B standards," much of the album's attention was attracted by its strong command of mood.[44]
In December 2011, Metacritic determined that House of Balloons was the third best-reviewed project of the year.[45]AnyDecentMusic? ranked it at number 10 on its list of compilation of the rankings of the best 2011 albums from 30 magazines, newspapers and websites.[46] Additionally, the mixtape was featured on several music critics' and publications' end-of-year albums lists. Complex called it the "best album of 2011;"[47]Stereogum ranked it number 5;[48]The Guardian ranked it number 8;[49]The A.V. Club ranked it number 6;[50]SPIN ranked it (as well as Thursday) number 13;[51] while Pitchfork ranked it number 10.[52] As a whole, House of Balloons was the seventh most frequently mentioned album in music publications' year-end top ten lists.[53] The mixtape was named as one of the longlisted of nominees for the 2011's Polaris Music Prize.[54] The mixtape's title track was placed on Pitchfork's list of top 100 songs of 2011 at number 57, while "The Morning" was number 15.[55] In 2021, it was listed at No. 488 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time".[56]
Track listing
House of Balloons was originally set to come out with 14 tracks. The Weeknd told Complex in 2013 that "Crew Love", "Shot for Me" and "The Ride" from Drake's second studio album were supposed to be on the mixtape.[27]
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