Music Review of Porter Robinson’s Album Nurture

Porter Robinson struggled to come up with an album worthy of his previous masterpiece, Worlds (2014), since his success had left him struggling for inspiration. Instead, he turned inward, isolating himself from life experiences that may provide additional source material.

He ultimately found his voice again on Nurture, released in 2021 to great critical and commercial acclaim.

Worlds

Porter Robinson had made strides toward creating his musical foundation with the release of Spitfire EP, but with Worlds, he took an entirely new direction. Gone was his bass mastery from previous releases in favor of an expansive yet emotionally moving record.

Robinson created an exquisite symphony of sound, careening from subtle orchestration to electronic saturation. From wind chimes and airy harmonies of “Sea of Voices” to the synth-drenched power ballad beat of “Lionhearted”, his risk-taking musical vision shines through on every track.

He makes no secret of his influence from artists like Jon Hopkins, Daft Punk, Kanye West, CHVRCHES and M83; in fact his Spotify playlist boasts them all! Worlds manages a successful balance between hearing-related songs and visual-centric tracks like “Sea of Voices”. Overall it’s an impressive first effort.

Nurture

Nurture, Porter Robinson’s second album since Worlds, marks a change in tone for him. It explores human life with compassion while confronting personal darkness head on and coming out the other side feeling almost whole again.

This show is an extremely honest work and an inspirational testament to human emotion, something our world desperately needs right now. Comprised of fourteen productions that explore themes such as love, loss, depression and hopefulness; each one expertly produced.

His live show was unlike anything I had ever experienced from him before: He spent most of the time playing piano while singing and dancing around, engaging with the crowd, using stage as visual canvas and floating lyrics upstage while projected visuals covered screen above him – creating a thrilling and dynamic performance! A must see!

Smile! 😀

Porter Robinson has made waves in the EDM scene with his meteoric rise, yet has spent much of his time fluctuating between extremes – sold-out shows and radio silence, fantasy and reality. To address the latter aspect of life he released 2021’s sophomore album Nurture as an expression of depression and writer’s block which chronicled seven years of struggle through optimistic hindsight.

SMILE, Georgia native Robert Robinson’s third full-length, marks an abrupt shift in creative direction. Instead of exploring vulnerability like Nurture, his latest record is colorfully nostalgic and unabashedly joyful; its synth leads glisten like Blingee gifs while his vocal melodies ring out with youthful abandon similar to songs heard overheard at suburban skate shops; but hidden underneath this sugary coating lie complex bittersweet emotions.

His live show also reflected this complexity, with him directing and engaging the crowd during performances like “Easier to Love You,” where the crowd enthusiastically applauded and sang along while being bathed in a vibrant blue hue reminiscent of an early 1990s disco ball.

Tour

Grammy-nominated producer Porter Robinson brings his latest world tour in support of his latest LP SMILE! :D, set for release via Mom+Pop on July 26th. You can expect the top-tier hits from this album to be played live alongside some euphoric anthems that will have audiences wanting more! Along for this trek will be Ericdoa on the North American leg.

Robinson made his mark as a producer with Worlds, debuting at number one on Billboard Dance/Electronic charts and receiving critical acclaim, with many songs becoming part of pop music culture. His second album Nurture followed suit and also earned praise, featuring collaborations with The Chainsmokers and Skrillex as well as an acoustic version of “Shelter” featuring vocals by Drake. Additionally, Robinson is highly sought-after performer due to his unique ability to fuse genres and explore new sonic landscapes during live shows.