Nurture (album)
| Nurture | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | April 23, 2021[1] | |||
| Recorded | 2015–2020 | |||
| Studio | ||||
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| Length | 59:01 | |||
| Label | Mom + Pop | |||
| Producer | Porter Robinson | |||
| Porter Robinson chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Nurture | ||||
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Nurture is the second studio album by American electronic music producer Porter Robinson, released on April 23, 2021, on Mom + Pop Music.[1] Like his debut album Worlds, Nurture marks a shift in Robinson's musical style.[8]
Background[]
From 2015 to 2017, the years following his debut album, Robinson stated that he struggled to create music that he was proud of due to suffering from bouts of depression.[9]
In 2016, Robinson released "Shelter", a collaboration with friend and fellow electronic producer Madeon.[10] Robinson would later cite Madeon's work with writing and performing his album Good Faith (2019) as a factor in making Nurture's existence possible.[11]
In 2017, Robinson unveiled his Virtual Self project, a eurodance and trance inspired production alias in tandem with a five-track EP. He made it clear that he would not mix music between his name and his alias, and would not play his alias's music while performing under his name (and vice versa).[12]
In January 2020, he announced the album and the first single, "Get Your Wish", from the album to be released the next day.[13] The announcement was made along with a 52-second video that featured cryptic messages and hints, including an obscured Google Maps link, dates, and geographic coordinates.[14] These messages and hints are a signature of Robinson, who frequently hides puzzles and clues in his promotional material, art, and music for his fans to decrypt.[15]
Nurture was originally intended to be released in September 2020. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the release was pushed back, and Robinson replaced some songs and extended the length of the album from 11 to 14 songs.[16] On December 18, 2020, the album was submitted, with Robinson announcing that the album's release would be in "a few months".[17] The release date was later announced to be April 23, 2021.[1]
On April 12, 2021, Porter Robinson revealed the titles of all of the tracks on the Nurture album.[18]
Cover art and album title[]
Along with the name Nurture, Robinson had also considered the name Only Hope for the album, though Nurture was more appealing to him. The name Nurture was chosen for its similarity with the word "nature," as Robinson hoped to "give people the feeling of nature," as well as the "nature versus nurture" problem, "to make [people] feel like they can change the way they think of themselves and improve themselves."[19]
The album's cover art shows Robinson lying face-down in a meadow of flowers. Working with Samuel Burgess-Johnson, Robinson did a photoshoot for the cover art in March 2020. During the photoshoot, a large number of options were considered, but Robinson on an impulse dropped face-first into the ground for the last picture, which ultimately became the album's cover art, though Robinson and Burgess-Johnson were initially imagining "a white sky and a perfect Windows XP-style hill with [Robinson] standing there or maybe not [Robinson] standing there." Robinson sees the cover art as reflective of the personal tone in Nurture.[20]
Singles[]
The album's lead single, "Get Your Wish", was released on January 29, 2020, for streaming and digital download. A 7" vinyl press of the song was also put on sale on Robinson's website. The song features vocals by Robinson, which are pitched up and effected to sound more feminine.[21]
The album's second single, "Something Comforting", was released on March 10, 2020. The official music video was released on March 25, 2020. A 7" vinyl press of the song was again put on his website. The song featured both Robinson's pitched-up vocals and his chest vocal range.
The album's third single, "Mirror", was released on August 26, 2020.[22] The official music video was released on September 9, 2020, featuring character designs of Porter Robinson with other effects. A 7" vinyl press of the song was again put on his website along with a limited run of "Mirror Capsule" merchandise.
The album's fourth single "Look at the Sky" was released on January 27, 2021. A 7" vinyl press of the song was again put on his website. Robinson played a sample of the song at the end of his set at his online festival event Secret Sky on May 9, 2020.[23] The music video of the song was released on February 10, 2021.
The album's fifth single, "Musician", was released on March 3, 2021. The song was announced on Robinson's Twitter account on February 26, 2021, with an animated teaser video.[24] The music video was released on March 17, 2021.[25] A 7" vinyl press of the song was again put on his website.
The album's sixth and final single, "Unfold", was released on April 22, 2021, one day before the release of the album. The song is a collaboration between Robinson and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs.[26]
"I realized I shouldn't write music with the expectation that the productivity or achievement will fix my problems, but instead with the hope that my honest expression will move people the way music moves me. So when I was really struggling to write and it seemed impossible, instead of thinking, 'You're struggling because you're a fraud, you're clearly not cut out for this,' I began to tell myself, 'Yeah, this is what you sacrifice.'"
— Robinson in a letter to his fans.[12]
Live performances[]
On April 14, 2021, Robinson announced that Secret Sky 2021, the digital version of his yearly festival Second Sky, would take place on April 24, the day after the release of Nurture.[27]
Later that week, Robinson announced the artist lineup for that year's festival, featuring himself, Baauer, Boys Noize, End of the World, Imanu B2B Buunshin, James Ivy, Kero Kero Bonito, Laxcity, Masakatsu Takagi, No Rome, Rezz, Salute, Serph, Swardy, Wave Racer, and Yvette Young.[28]
At Secret Sky, Robinson premiered the live show of Nurture.[29] The first in-person performance is set to be at his Second Sky Festival.[30]
On May 10, 2021, Robinson announced the Nurture Live Tour, with support from Jai Wolf.[31] He later announced the addition of more dates and additional support from James Ivy on June 21, 2021.[32]
Critical reception[]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 7.5/10[33] |
| Metacritic | 78/100[34] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| The Line of Best Fit |   [2] |
| Clash | 8/10[35] |
| musicOMH |   [3] |
| NME | [36] |
| Slant | [4] |
| Pitchfork | 7.6/10[5] |
| Spectrum Culture | 75%[6] |
| AllMusic |  [37] |
| PopMatters | [7] |
At Metacritic, Nurture has an aggregate score of 78, indicating "generally favorable reviews."[34]
Sophie Walker from The Line of Best Fit wrote, "While Nurture may feel disordered, it's a kind of chaos that can only come with passion – and that is a sound Porter Robinson has more than earned the right to explore", scoring it a 9/10.[2]
Josh Crowe of Clash magazine, in his 8/10 review, wrote, "The lyrical frenzies, when coupled with competing instrumentation, at times feels perhaps too frantic, but you can't fault the producer's efforts to craft a body of work that carries more substance than clubby touchstones."[35]
Ben Devlin of musicOMH gave the album 4 out of 5 stars, writing that "Nurture is not a perfect record – it's a bit too samey for an hour-long release" but also that Robinson "has developed a niche that is fun, vivid and enthralling."[3]
In his review for Spectrum Culture, Aaron Pasking wrote that "Nurture is honest, consistent and focused, an improvement on Worlds in almost every way. Like any great sophomore album, Nurture sees its creator develop a unique musical personality while holding onto the qualities that made them successful in the first place."[6]
In a review for PopMatters, Chris Conaton wrote "Nurture is maybe a little too long of an album for 2021-level attention spans, but after seven years and a notable case of writer's block, it's understandable that Robinson would want to go big. Not every song here is top-notch, but Robinson's relentless insistence on catchy melodies makes it all quite listenable."[7]
Commercial performance[]
According to MRC Data, Nurture earned 14,000 equivalent album units in its first week. It was Robinson's second number one debut on the Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart after his previous studio album, Worlds.[38]
Track listing[]
All tracks were revealed by Robinson via social media on April 12, 2021.[18] The Japanese edition of the album features an additional 15th track featuring Wednesday Campanella.[39]
All tracks are written by Porter Robinson, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lifelike" | 1:35 | |
| 2. | "Look at the Sky" | 5:10 | |
| 3. | "Get Your Wish" | 3:39 | |
| 4. | "Wind Tempos" |
| 6:04 |
| 5. | "Musician" |
| 3:59 |
| 6. | "Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do" | 3:35 | |
| 7. | "Mother" | 3:46 | |
| 8. | "Dullscythe" | 4:00 | |
| 9. | "Sweet Time" | 4:12 | |
| 10. | "Mirror" | 5:07 | |
| 11. | "Something Comforting" | 4:42 | |
| 12. | "Blossom" | 3:46 | |
| 13. | "Unfold" (with Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs) |
| 4:46 |
| 14. | "Trying to Feel Alive" | 4:40 | |
| Total length: | 59:01 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15. | "Fullmoon Lullaby" (with Wednesday Campanella) |
| 4:03 |
| Total length: | 63:04 | ||
Notes
- "Look at the Sky" features guitar from Yvette Young.[40]
- "Wind Tempos" has additional recordings from Masakatsu Takagi.[41]
- "Musician" contains a sample of "Think (About It)", as performed by Lyn Collins, written by James Brown;[3] and "It Takes Two", as performed by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, written by James Brown and Robert Ginyard,[42] as well as a currently unreleased collaborative track between Kero Kero Bonito and Robinson.[43]
- "Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do", "Dullscythe", and "Fullmoon Lullaby" are stylized in all lowercase.
- All tracks recorded at In-Da-Mix Studios in Montreal, Canada.
- "Look At The Sky", "Get Your Wish" and "Something Comforting" were mastered by Zino Mikorey. "Lifelike", " Wind Tempos", "Musician", " do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do", "Mother", "dullscythe", " Sweet Time", "Mirror", " Blossom", "Unfold" and "Trying To Feel Alive" were mastered by Randy Merrill.
Charts[]
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[44] | 27 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard)[45] | 57 |
| Japan Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[46] | 50 |
| Japanese Albums (Oricon)[47] | 74 |
| UK Dance Albums (OCC)[48] | 5 |
| US Billboard 200[49] | 52 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[50] | 6 |
| US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[51] | 1 |
| US Vinyl Albums (Billboard)[52] | 7 |
| US Rolling Stone Top 200[53] | 11 |
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Deville, Chris (January 27, 2021). "Porter Robinson – "Look At The Sky"". Stereogum. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Walker, Sophie. "Collecting the fragments of an identity shattered, Nurture sees Porter Robinson rebuilding himself". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Devlin, Ben. "Porter Robinson – Nurture". musicOMH. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Lyons-Burt, Charles. "Porter Robinson's Nurture Revels in a Constant State of Change". Slant. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Joyce, Colin. "Porter Robinson: Nurture". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Paskin, Aaron. "Porter Robinson: Nurture". Spectrum Culture. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Conaton, Chris. "Porter Robinson's 'Nurture' Combines Piano, Electronics, And Big Pop Hooks". PopMatters. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
- ^ Venzin, Megan (June 7, 2021). "Porter Robinson Finds Peace With Passionate New Album, 'Nurture'". The Recording Academy. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
- ^ Cameron, John. "Porter Robinson Drops "Get Your Wish" from Upcoming Album Alongside Heartfelt Letter". EDM.com – The Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
- ^ Z, George (November 28, 2016). "Porter Robinson and Madeon Confirm They Have No Other Plans To Collab After 'Shelter'". GDE. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
- ^ Bain, Katie (May 3, 2021). "Porter Robinson Talks Madeon, Jon Hopkins and Other Artists He Picked to Play His 2021 Second Sky Festival". Billboard. Retrieved May 28, 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Porter Robinson Talks Writing a 'Really Sincere Love Letter' to the Early 2000s With Virtual Self Project". Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
- ^ "Porter Robinson Announces 'Nurture' LP, New Song On the Way". Billboard. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
- ^ Meadow, Matthew (January 28, 2020). "Everything We Know About Porter Robinson's New Album, Starting with A Possible ODESZA Collab". Your EDM. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
- ^ "Virtual Self fans uncover hidden info in website's source code". Dancing Astronaut. November 20, 2017. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
- ^ Bein, Katie (April 21, 2021). "How Porter Robinson Found 'The Confidence I Used To Have' To Finish His Long-Awaited Second Album". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ^ Heffler, Jason (December 18, 2020). "Porter Robinson has completed "Nurture": "It's my favorite music I've ever made"". edm.com. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Robinson, Porter [@porterrobinson] (April 12, 2021). "april 23" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Shirahama, Alan (April 25, 2021). "Porter Robinson Talks to Alan Shirahama About His New Album Nurture". block.fm. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
- ^ Bucksbaum, Sydney (April 20, 2021). "Nurture vs. nature: How Porter Robinson's new album cover art blossomed". Entertainment Weekly. Meredith Corporation. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
- ^ Cartel·News·January 29, Groove; Read, 2020·4 Min (January 29, 2020). "Porter Robinson explains the meaning of 'Get Your Wish'". The Groove Cartel. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
- ^ "Porter Robinson – Mirror (Official Audio)". YouTube. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
- ^ Heffler, Jason (January 13, 2020). "Porter Robinson Shares Preview, Announces Release Date of "Look At The Sky"". EDM.com. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
- ^ Meadow, Matthew (February 26, 2021). "Porter Robinson Reveals Final 'Nurture' Single Release & Possible New Anime MV". Your EDM. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
- ^ Robinson, Porter [@porterrobinson] (March 3, 2021). "日本の皆さんへ：「Musician」は、少し遅れて3月１７日にMVの全世界公開と共に日本でリリースとなりますが、大好きな日本のアーティストとのコラボ楽曲を収録した、僕の2ndアルバム『Nurture』日本限定特別盤を近日リリースします。お待たせしてごめんなさい、そして、本当にありがとう！" (Tweet) (in Japanese) – via Twitter.
- ^ Darville, Jordan (April 22, 2021). "Porter Robinson shares "Unfold" featuring Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs". The FADER. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ Robinson, Porter [@porterrobinson] (April 14, 2021). "announcing secret sky 2021!! an all-day digital music festival, happening the day after Nurture releases. you can register here: secretskyfest.com i'm so exciteddd ahahhaha" (Tweet). Retrieved April 20, 2021 – via Twitter.
- ^ @secondskyfest (April 15, 2021). "#SECRETSKY 2021 LINEUP