Echoes of Silence

Echoes of Silence is the third mixtape by the Canadian singer the Weeknd, released on December 21, 2011, by XO. Like his debut mixtape House of Balloons and his second mixtape Thursday, the Weeknd collaborated with musician Illangelo; who produced the majority of the project. The project also featured first-time collaborations with producers Clams Casino and DropXLife and a spoken-word interlude from rapper Juicy J. Lyrically, Echoes of Silence contains similar themes to the Weeknd's previous projects, exploring his drug use and experiences with love. The project was preceded by the release of the promotional single "Initiation" on October 10, 2011.

An alternative R&B and ambient pop project with elements of post-punk and trip hop, Echoes of Silence received widespread critical acclaim. It was named as a longlisted nominee for the 2012 Polaris Music Prize, marking the Weeknd's second consecutive nomination for the award. Echoes of Silence was later commercially released as part of the compilation album Trilogy (2012) and included the bonus track "Till Dawn (Here Comes the Sun)". On its tenth anniversary, the original mixes were released alongside a limited edition line of merchandise designed by illustrator Hajime Sorayama. A music video for the title track directed by the aforementioned illustrator was released on December 21, 2021.