Ethiopian/Canadian singer The Weeknd — born Abel Tesfaye — released his third mixtape of the year last night, Echoes of Silence. All three albums are available for free at his Website, the-weeknd.com.

The Weeknd is Consequence of Sound's rookie artist of the year for his R&B work and efforts to redefine what it means to be a star in the Internet Age. In addition to his mixtapes, he also received a bunch of writing credit for his work with Drake.

Tesfaye's voice sounds close to Michael Jackson's on the album opener, a cover of the King of Pop's "Dirty Diana." There's some solid original work here though the lyrics get a little too "woe is me" at times. Tesfaye's vocals are the focus of his music, though surrounded by lush electronic soundscapes and rhythms.

It's free — might as well check it out...