After teasing it back in September, Swedish House Mafia and The Weeknd have finally dropped their new collaborative single ‘Moth To A Flame’.
Following an almost decade-long hiatus, ‘Moth To A Flame’ is Swedish House Mafia’s third single of the year. Two other songs were released in July, ‘It Gets Better’ and ‘Lifeline’, the latter of which featured Ty Dolla $ign and 070 Shake.
All three of the tracks will appear on the trio’s first album since 2012, ‘Paradise Forever’, which is due to be released at the beginning of next year.
The group also announced a 44-date world tour and a Coachella 2022 appearance, while The Weeknd has cancelled his ‘After Hours’ tour and announced his new ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ Stadium Tour.
The track was released on Friday, October 22 during the 20th episode of ‘Memento Mori’, Abel Tesfaye’s Apple Music show, which was co-hosted by Swedish House Mafia, and is very characteristic of The Weeknd’s melancholic yet upbeat style.
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Moth To A Flame is a toxic “letting go” song that deeply resembles the vibe of The Weeknd’s 2018 EP, ‘My Dear Melancholy’.
The lyrics and My Dear Melancholy resemblance made many fans believe that Tesfaye might be alluding to his ex-girlfriend Bella Hadid’s new relationship with Marc Kalman.
The music video that came with the track also reinforces the theory as Abel is pictured alone in a dark room singing: “But does he know you call me when he sleeps? / But does he know the pictures that you keep? / But does he know the reasons that you cry? / Or tell me, does he know where your heart lies? / Where it truly lies”.
These shots alternate with clips of piles of naked bodies making out, which could possibly mean that The Weeknd is still stuck on his on-and-off relationship with the model and not looking for any rebounds.
Overall, “Moth To A Flame” is a perfect blend between Swedish House Mafia’s pulsating rhythm and The Weeknd’s haunting vocals that has definitely piqued fan interest in both of the acts’ upcoming albums.
Rating: 10/10
Feature image credit: Republic Records