“I heard “Climax,” that Usher song, and was like ‘that’s a Weeknd song.’ “Climax” dropped in 2012 and served as the lead single for Usher’s seventh album, Looking 4 Myself. The music is built around a haunting riff, complemented by sparse drum machine and some musical accompaniment. The Weeknd ’s debut mixtape, House of Balloons , made a massive impact upon arrival in 2011.

Diplo called the style "Radiohead quietstorm", and both Spin and Rolling Stone agreed that the song was a mix of quiet storm style and electronic music.It is written in the key of C minor, and Usher's voice ranges from B ♭ 3 to G 5. He cited Usher’s 2012 hit “Climax” as the first time he realized his own influence. the production on Climax lends itself to House of Balloons era @theweeknd. “House of Balloons literally changed the sound of pop music before my eyes,” he told Variety’s Jem Aswad.

The album is a part of a trilogy which includes Thursday and Echoes of … when I heard those early records they blew my mind - … The Weeknd claimed that Usher's 2012 record "Climax" was inspired by the sound he made popular after his album, "House of Balloons," dropped. “House of Balloons literally changed the sound of pop music before my eyes,” The Weeknd told Variety.

Diplo tweeted: the production on Climax lends itself to House of Balloons era @theweeknd. The Weeknd released a nine-song album, House of Balloons, on 21 March 2011. "Climax" is set in common time.