hopeless fountain kingdom (Deluxe Plus)

After appearing on The Chainsmokers’ fluorescent smash “Closer”, Halsey retreats into darkness. Opening with dialogue from Romeo and Juliet and full of intriguing narratives inspired by Halsey’s own heartbreak, hopeless fountain kingdom is a haunting concept album about doomed love. The Weeknd brings small-hours desperation to “Eyes Closed”, “Now or Never” is gorgeously fragile trap-soul and Halsey’s voice wobbles with self-flagellation on “Sorry”, a piano ballad that would fit snugly on an Adele album. It’s not all so elegantly muted though: “Walls Could Talk” successfully fuses punchy R&B with chamber music.