Porter Robinson releases long awaited album ‘Nurture’

Electronic music fans, rejoice.

A project seven years in the making, Porter Robinson’s sophomore album “Nurture” is finally, FINALLY here. The incredibly long-awaited album dropped on April 23, sending fans into an absolute frenzy on social media.

A little backstory for people who aren’t big into the dance music scene – in 2015, Porter released his debut album, Worlds, and immediately cemented his place in EDM history. The album changed the landscape of dance music, earning praise from tons of the most accomplished producers in the world.

Since then, all we have gotten from Porter is two singles, and work under his side project “Virtual Self.”

As an artist, Porter has always been very open about his emotions, inspirations, and creative processes with his fans, usually via social media. Having been generally quiet for a long time, Porter took to Twitter to share his own excitement for having finally released a project that he’s put so much of himself into.

As a huge fan myself, the most apparent thing I noticed upon the album’s release is the maturity of Porter’s sound compared to his first album. Worlds, although spectacular, feels as if Porter is in the process of discovering himself. Which by no means is a knock. There is beauty in the process of finding yourself.

Nurture exhibits the sound of somebody who truly knows who they are as an artist. It feels raw, authentic, vulnerable and organic.

Here’s a rundown of the track list:

Lifelike

The introduction. A brief but impactful instrumental tune that seems to open the door into Nurture. Porter said on Twitter “there's this idea of a "window” or a "portal" that appears a lot in the nurture art... I think of lifelike as kind of serving that purpose on the album. a little portal into the worldview.”

Look at the Sky

This track is hopeful. It encourages you to take a second to look around, admire what’s around you and count your blessings. “Look at the sky, I’m still here, I’ll be alive next year, I can make something good…” Porter initially revealed this song during his streaming event “Secret Sky” in May 2020.

Get Your Wish

The first Nurture single that Porter released way back on January 29 of last year. This track was our first taste of what the Nurture era had in store for us. It gave us a glimpse of Porter’s state of mind. This track seems to emphasize Porters feelings of overcoming difficulty. Porter was transparent about a period of creative block he faced after releasing Worlds. Ultimately, he would find inspiration and begin the process of creating the Nurture project, and this track provides a little bit of detail.

Wind Tempos

This is the first track on the album that I thought of as really different that it’s predecessors. It's the longest track at just over 6 minutes. Porter explained how the inspiration for this track came from Japanese artist Masakatsu Takagi, who gave him a USB drive of ambient Japanese piano. Porter would end up using a sample of Takagi playing a toy piano on this track. “Wind Tempos” invites you to take a second to relax, collect yourself and take a deep breath.

Musician

This song is a celebration. A toast to a new era for Porter. “"No, I don’t miss the feeling anymore, Yeah, I want something new to love, I was so nostalgic, but I’m fine without it.”

In this line Porter seems to express his feelings of moving on from the Worlds project. He expresses his gratitude and acknowledges the significance of it in his life while realizing that he has moved on and is ready to enter next era.

do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do

Similar to “Wind Tempos,” this track jumps out as different from the rest in my eyes. This track exhibits short, choppy, folksy synths to make for an uptempo song that is reminiscent of childhood innocence. Porter describes how he feels most comfortable expressing himself through music. “There’s so much I want to say, so do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do.”

Mother

The theme of this song is apparent right off the bat. In the lyrics of “Mother,” Porter expresses his appreciation for not only his mother, but his father as well. He describes the guidance they provided him throughout his childhood and even into adulthood. Porter said "I wanted a song that expressed the love that I feel for my parents — as well as the grief of growing up. I felt like the minute I moved out, my youth would be over and I’d hardly ever see my family or dog again. In reality it wasn’t like that at all, I still see them all the time. But I wanted to capture the sad side of growing up — of realizing your parents aren’t infallible.”

Dullscythe

If you didn’t know better, this song might make you think that your speakers or headphones are acting up. It sounds a little bit like a stereo system glitching. This track is unusual in that, for the first half of it, it hardly even sounds like a traditional “song.” It seems to develop a key, a tempo, a time signature, and all the elements a song should have, throughout the track - almost in a “putting yourself together” sense.

Sweet Time

This one is a tribute to Porter’s girlfriend, Rika Mikuriya. “But since I met you, I don’t wanna die no more… I need a next life, ‘cause I’m not satisfied to know you just once.”

Porter said in an interview “This song is about being so in love with someone that, for the first time in your life, you’re scared of dying. You realise you aren’t guaranteed an eternity together.” It’s a somber tune, but one that is relatable if you have somebody in your life who makes you feel the way Porter does.

Mirror

This track is Porter reflecting on the importance of positive self-talk. The track goes back and forth between Porter himself and the narrator. Porter responds to the self-doubt he inflicts upon himself. “An inch from my ears again, ‘you should be sorry,’ a solemn man, ‘a better song could fix my problems,’ I’m tired of your questioning.” As an extremely meticulous producer, Porter often gets in his own way.

Something Comforting

The second promotional single from the album, and probably the most “dance-y” tune on the project. The melody for this song was the first piece of Nurture that Porter ever wrote – in the back of a taxi in New York City in 2016. In a video he Tweeted, Porter described how this song came at the peak (or the valley, rather) of a creative low point he was facing in 2016. After he wrote the hook for “Something Comforting,” he felt fueled to continue developing the project.

Blossom

Ironically, following the danciest track, comes the most raw and vulnerable track on the album – a ballad featuring only vocals and an acoustic guitar. This is another track Porter wrote for his girlfriend. I can’t help but wonder if “Something Comforting” and “Blossom” were placed on the album sequentially for this reason. The juxtaposition of these two tracks is jarring, but important in understanding the overall concept.

Unfold

The only track on the album with a feature, Porter taps Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (TEED) for vocals. This was the final single before the album, coming just a day prior to the release.

Trying to Feel Alive

The outro. This uplifting song is Porter making sense of his creative journey. He reflects on the time and emotion he put into working on this album. The song gives similar vibes to the ending credits of an emotionally taxing movie you just watched. This ends the project on a high note. When I first listened to this track, it felt Porter himself was extending a hand to offer me help up.

The last year or so has probably been the worst of most of our lives; however, we are beginning to turn a corner. The pandemic is getting under control, we have finally gotten past the cold winter, spring is here and flowers are blooming. This album is a soundtrack for this specific period in time. The themes expressed in the project feel very on par with how life has been going, but also what direction it’s headed.

I hope everyone enjoys listening to this album the way I did.