Track of the Day: 'D.D.'

Abel Tesfaye, who records as The Weeknd has definitely shaken up the R&B scene over the past year. The Toronto-based 21-year-old (and personal friend of Drake's) has put out three records in the span of 12 months, and while the first, House of Balloons, was perhaps the best distillation of his sound, the newest of his free mixtapes is called Echoes of Silence, and it opens with a cover that few artists would have the audacity to place in pole position. Yes, the first cut is called "D.D.," which is short for "Dirty Diana"--a Michael Jackson track. While I don't count myself as a true Jacksophile, I will say the vocal resemblance is spooky. It will click for you within the first 35 seconds. Luckily, the sonics are utterly contemporary, with buzzy, blurry synths standing in for the quasi-metal guitar licks on MJ's original.

Download: The Weeknd / "D.D."