Worlds | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 12, 2014 | |||
Genre | Electropop | |||
Length | 57:49 | |||
Label | Astralwerks | |||
Producer | Porter Robinson | |||
Porter Robinson chronology | ||||
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Singles from Worlds | ||||
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Worlds is the debut studio album by the American electronic music producer Porter Robinson, released on August 12, 2014, by Astralwerks. Initially known for his heavier bass-centric production, Robinson became increasingly dissatisfied with the electronic dance music (EDM) genre, believing it limited his artistic expression. In 2012, Robinson released his first song with a greater emphasis on melody, "Language", and decided thereafter to prioritize aesthetic and emotional qualities in his work. He was inspired by media that evoked nostalgia for his childhood, and wrote music integrating elements taken from anime, films, and sounds from 1990s video games.
Robinson's primary inspirations for Worlds were Daft Punk's Discovery (2001) and Kanye West's Graduation (2007). Critics described the work as electropop, noting similarities to the styles of M83 and Passion Pit. In late 2013, a bidding war ensued to determine which label was to release the record. The album was preceded by four singles: "Sea of Voices", "Sad Machine", "Lionhearted", and "Flicker", and promoted with a tour in North America and Europe.
Worlds was well-received by critics, who praised its innovation and recognized a promising career for Robinson, though others felt the record lacked coherence or was unexciting. Retrospectively, the album was noted for its impact on the EDM scene. It charted in the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Netherlands. Following Worlds's positive reception, Robinson felt pressured to write an appropriate follow-up work. As a result, he experienced a period of writer's block and depression, leading to the seven-year gap until his next studio album, Nurture (2021).
I feel more strongly about this music that I've written for this album than anything I've ever done in my life. I think it would be doing myself a disservice not to say that overtly. If I didn't totally believe in this, then no one would ever hear it.
—Porter Robinson, 2013 [1]
Porter Robinson was initially known for his electro and complextro music, such as the 2010 single "Say My Name" and the 2011 extended play Spitfire ; [2] [3] Robinson described his initial sound as "very heavy" and "bass-aggressive". [4] "Say My Name" topped Beatport's electro house chart, while Spitfire caused the website to crash after being promoted by Skrillex and Tiësto. [4] [5]
Across 2012, Robinson performed at major electronic dance music (EDM) festivals, [5] but gradually became dissatisfied with the genre. He mentioned having four or five intense anxiety attacks while performing onstage that year, at one point shouting that "dance music is terrible" during a show. [4] Robinson came to believe that the genre limited his expression; [5] [6] he said to NME that the style became unappealing, citing the state of the scene: "EDM is entertainment, it's not art". [4] [7] [lower-alpha 1] In an interview with Inthemix , Robinson said that, by attempting to add DJ-friendly and dance-oriented features to his music, he frequently ended up compromising and diminishing the quality of his songs. [4] [9]
Robinson conceived the idea for Worlds in 2012 following the release of "Language", [4] his first song to have a greater emphasis on melody. [3] [10] Although it was a departure from his earlier sound, "Language" was accepted by audiences, surprising Robinson. [4] As a result, he decided to prioritize "beauty" and "emotion" in his music, [11] which became his first principles for Worlds. [12] [13] He also considered it necessary to be "sincere" and "honest". [14] [15] Rather than creating club-oriented music, he chose to produce the music he wanted to hear and believed should exist. [16] In 2013, he released "Easy" with Mat Zo, which Andy Kellman of AllMusic characterized as one of the standout commercial dance singles of the year. [17]
Robinson moved to his parent's home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and spent a year revisiting soundtracks of Nintendo 64 video games from the 1990s and 2000s. [5] Robinson produced the album in FL Studio, and notes that he wrote around 50 tracks for the album, which were later narrowed to 12. [18] [19] In a May 2013 interview, Robinson said he had set July as the deadline to finish the album, and that the title still hadn't been chosen. [20] When Robinson signed with Astralwerks in November 2013, the album was in a near-complete state. [1] Robinson collaborated long-distance with the Spanish illustrator David Aguado to create the album's artwork and design. [21]
Robinson was inspired by themes of fantasy, escapism, fiction, and nostalgia; [15] [5] he said that Worlds is not associated with, nor has a place in, reality. [5] [22] Robinson incorporated elements from video games, anime, and movies. [23] His experiences with massively multiplayer online role-playing games and associated nostalgia were an influence. He explained that he admired the worlds these games provided, Star Wars Galaxies (2003) in particular, [4] [24] and was affected by how dwindling player bases and bankruptcies eventually brought them offline. [22] [23] [25] This was how Robinson chose the title Worlds. [26]
Robinson used General MIDI sounds that resembled the music of Nintendo 64 and PlayStation video games, [25] [27] including those he played while growing up in the 1990s, such as The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (1998), [28] which evoked childhood nostalgia for Robinson. [29] By emulating the "slight[ly] sad vibe" of the stories that inspired him, Robinson wanted to give the album a retrospective and emotional atmosphere. [23] Daft Punk's Discovery (2001), an album Robinson considers the best of all time, was his biggest influence for the record, with Kanye West's Graduation (2007) in second. [23] Multiple critics noted that the album's sound resembled M83 [lower-alpha 2] and Passion Pit. [10] [30]
Larry Fitzmaurice of Pitchfork said that Worlds is clearly electropop, [10] while Megan Buerger of Billboard wrote that the album combines ambient, disco and electropop. [33] Vice 's Elissa Stolman found that several tracks on the album were inspired by new wave. [34] While Robinson intended to stray from EDM, the album still kept some of its elements; [31] some critics described the album's sound as "post-EDM". [32] [33] Sharon O'Connell of Uncut said that Robinson mixed EDM tropes and nu-rave with M83-like synth-pop and "bangers" by Daft Punk and Justice. [35] Conversely, Buerger wrote that bass drops and dance-like rhythms were substituted by "delicate chord progressions and deep, forceful synths". [33] Barry Walters of Wondering Sound noted that, in contrast to the typically higher tempos of EDM, much of Worlds is at a lower, ballad-like speed. [36]
Worlds opens with "Divinity", which contains vocals by Canadian singer Amy Millan, from the bands Stars and Broken Social Scene. Robinson chose the track as the opener because it was the first he wrote with a slower tempo and more emotional chords, a style he considered representative of Worlds. [37] Tatiana Cirisano of Billboard noted a large contrast between the intro and chorus; while the former contains "underwater-sounding", smooth vocals, the latter contains a dissonance of colliding cymbals, glitch-like melodies, and sounds reminiscent of video games. [38] Barry Walters of Wondering Sound said that it features common characteristics of EDM, such as a powerful beat, dense layers of synthesizers, and an airy female vocal, [36] while Elissa Stolman of Vice described the track as an indie-electronic "festival rave anthem", with synths that resembled M83's "Midnight City" (2011). [34] Alternatively, Rupert Howe of Q found similarities to electronica and M83-like space rock. [39]
The next track, "Sad Machine", was the first song for which Robinson had recorded his own vocals. [40] Describing it as a "duet between a lonely robot girl and the human boy", [40] Robinson employed Avanna, a Vocaloid voice, as the song's lead singer. [5] Larry Fitzmaurice of Pitchfork considered it among other tracks on Worlds which resembled the "high-wire synth-pop fantasias" of Passion Pit, as it contained a mid-tempo instrumental and "starry-eyed melodic structure". [10] Las Vegas Weekly 's Mike Prevatt identified inspirations from M83 and Sigur Rós. [41] Lucas Villa of AXS said that the track goes to the more ethereal side of electronic music, calling it "heroic and awe-inspiring". [42] The third song, "Years of War", features Breanne Düren of Owl City and Sean Caskey of Last Dinosaurs. Pursuing a "cutesy synth-pop thing", Robinson said it was the hardest he had ever worked on a song. [37] It leans into electropop, [33] synth-pop, [39] and new wave. [34] [43] The song's main instrument is a trance synth; Stolman felt that this contemporary element contrasted with the song's retro elements, listing among the latter a boom-clap rhythm and "sepia-toned synths". [34]
The song is followed by "Flicker", which Robinson considered one of his proudest moments on the album, citing its flow. [37] The song begins with a calm disco beat reminiscent of old video games and a faint bassline building in the background. A female voice enters, speaking chopped-up Japanese phrases. [33] [34] Prevatt notes the use of a classic hip hop breakbeat before the "emotional payoff" of the chorus. [41] Just after the two-minute mark, the song switches to a bass-heavy atmosphere, and Buerger comments that Robinson retains his "invitation to the party" in spite of the song's experimental elements. [33] She described the song as the most dynamic on the album. [33] Garrett Kamps of Spin identified melodic similarities with Boards of Canada. [32] "Fresh Static Snow", the fifth track on the album, was another song for which Robinson used Avanna. [5] [37] It is about his feelings of loneliness and the idea of soulmates. [37] Consequence of Sound 's Derek Staples found the song's "ethereal electro vibes" to be reminiscent of The Glitch Mob and The M Machine. [30] Stolman described it as a "coiled, metallic guitar squall" which goes to "midrange bass grit" culminating in a heavenly breakdown with melancholy robotic vocals. [34]
The album's sixth track, "Polygon Dust", is a collaboration with Lemaitre, a band Robinson was fond of. [37] A trance synth is its main element. Stolman described the track as one of the safest of the album, containing natural vocals as opposed to "Sad Machine" and "Fresh Static Snow", as well as calmer synths. [34] It is followed by "Hear the Bells", which features Imaginary Cities. It is based on one of the band's existing songs, "Bells of Cologne". [37] [44] Robinson felt that the song is where he sings with the greatest stage presence. [37] Kamps thought the vocal choir was "fantastical and defiantly cheery", [32] while Stolman wrote that the song contains Givers-like layered indie vocals and emotional lyrics. [34] Fitzmaurice said that "Hear the Bells" has a good amount of "rocket fuel" due to its dynamic electronics and anthemic synthesizers. [10]
"Natural Light", Worlds's eighth track, is an interlude. Robinson enjoyed the track due to its intelligent dance music passages inspired by artists such as Aphex Twin and Venetian Snares. [37] Stolman commented that, despite its driving bass, sharp drum hits, vocal fragments, and sparkling keys, the track could be called minimal in the context of the album. [34] The ninth track is "Lionhearted", which features Urban Cone. It was one of the first tracks Robinson wrote for the album, describing it as "anthemic". [37] Critics noted that this was the album's first display of a faster tempo, [34] [36] [42] being described as "exuberant pop" by Kamps. [32] Prevatt noted similarities to the sounds of Holy Ghost! and Passion Pit. [41] The next song, "Sea of Voices", went through multiple iterations before its release. [37] It is a five-minute orchestral track [33] that contain no drums in its first minutes, [33] [34] being only composed of synths reminiscent of atmospheric big room. [34] [42] [43] Noting the late introduction of beats, Buerger said the track has "the emotions of a tear-jerking blockbuster". [33] Kamps found the build-up similar to ones by Sigur Rós. [32]
"Fellow Feeling" is Worlds's penultimate track. It features moments of stark contrast; Robinson wanted to juxtapose what he felt was "beautiful and serene" with something "violent and loud". He felt it was a way to criticize the EDM formula. [37] Sharon O'Connell of Uncut compared the beginning of the song to a "pastoral chamber piece", [35] that was described by Villa as "cinematic" [42] and Walters as "symphonic". [36] Further into the song, after a voice says, "Now, please, hear what I hear", [36] a strong bass enters, [10] [32] [35] and Walters claimed the track is interrupted by "an angry onslaught of dubstep jackhammering" [36] which O'Connell descibed as "chopped and screwed electro funk". [35] Villa named it the album's most climactic moment. [42] The final track, "Goodbye to a World", is the third to use Avanna. [5] [37] Robinson wanted the feeling of a "beautiful apocalypse" for the song. [37] It has lullaby-like moments [31] [34] as well as others of what Stolman described as "fist-pumping brutality". [34] Howe described the song as "Sigur Rós for the post dubstep generation", [39] while Staples described it as "modern breakcore". [30]
Following a bidding war over the record, it was announced on November 14, 2013, that Robinson had signed a deal with Astralwerks; Worlds would be released through their Capitol Records imprint in the US and their Virgin EMI Records imprint internationally. Robinson chose Astralwerks because it was not an EDM label. [1] On February 10, 2014, Robinson revealed the album's title in a video that featured a robotic voice repeating worlds for ten hours. When the video was released, Robinson stated that he disliked marketing campaigns that were "wishy-washy", and attempted to make all his work "feel pretty intentional". [45]
Astralwerks wanted to release "Shepherdess" [lower-alpha 3] as the album's first single, which Robinson described as the "most EDM thing" he had done since 2011. However, he decided to lead with the song he felt was "the least accessible to fans of dance music", "Sea of Voices". [19] The single was released on March 2, [48] shortly before the 86th Academy Awards. "Sea of Voices" became a trending topic on Twitter during the event, and received positive reactions from audiences, contrary to Robinson's expectations. [5] [40] Though originally intending "Flicker" to be the album's second single, Robinson changed it to "Sad Machine" three days beforehand, which he claimed caused "mayhem" at the label. "Sad Machine" was the last song written for the album, and Robinson felt certain it should be the next release immediately after its completion. [19] "Sad Machine" was premiered by The Fader on May 12, 2014, and made available elsewhere a day later. [40] [49] A lyric video was released on May 21. [50]
On June 3, Stereogum premiered Worlds's third single, "Lionhearted", which features Swedish band Urban Cone. [51] It also debuted at BBC Radio 1. [52] [53] The single was officially released on June 17, accompanied by a music video in which Mixmag 's Carré Orenstein described Robinson and a group of women "wreak[ing] havoc around the city streets, resulting in an eruption of [color]". [54] "Flicker" was premiered on July 28 by Vogue , [55] being officially released the next day as Worlds's fourth and final single. [56] An official music video was released on August 14. The video is set on a train and views glitchy effects occurring on a passing Japanese landscape through the window. [57]
In July, Robinson announced a limited edition box set of Worlds containing bonus remixes and tracks. [46] [58] On August 4, the album was premiered by NPR as part of their "First Listen" series. [59] It was fully released on August 12, 2014. [60] From August 28 to October 18, Robinson did a North American tour for Worlds, [61] which later extended to Europe. [62] He once again took inspiration from fictional universes for its visuals, which featured large LED screens containing video game-like, pixelated worlds. [63] The visuals were managed by Imaginary Light Network. [21]
On October 2, 2015, Porter Robinson released Worlds Remixed, a remix album of Worlds involving artists and producers such as Mat Zo, Odesza, Sleepy Tom, Galimatias, and San Holo. [64] As with Worlds itself, all Worlds Remixed-related artwork was illustrated by David Aguado. [21] Robinson revealed in 2020 that another song, "Hollowheart", was to appear on the album, but was not submitted in time to be included. He intends to release it on August 12, 2024,Worlds's tenth anniversary. [65]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 6.4/10 [66] |
Metacritic | 63/100 [67] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [17] |
Alternative Press | [68] |
Consequence of Sound | C [30] |
Las Vegas Weekly | [41] |
Pitchfork | 6.9/10 [10] |
Q | [39] |
Rolling Stone | [43] |
Spin | 8/10 [32] |
Uncut | 6/10 [35] |
Wondering Sound | [36] |
According to review aggregator Metacritic, Worlds received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 63 out of 100 from 8 critics scores, [67] while, on AnyDecentMusic?, the album received a rating of 6.4 out of 10 from 7 critic scores. [66]
Some reviewers praised Worlds's innovation. [32] [33] [42] Lucas Villa of AXS felt that Robinson exceeded expectations by crafting a complete experience rather than just an album, venturing boldly into uncharted territory for DJs, [42] while Garrett Kamps of Spin said that "it's pretty hard to deny this kid has done something amazing, no matter what you call it". [32] Writing for Billboard , Megan Buerger thought Worlds was "the next frontier" for Robinson, citing its praising its innovative focus on the individual instead of the collective. She described the album as "ideal headphone music", [33] while Rolling Stone 's Elissa Stolman highlighted that it "manages to retain the thrilling rush of emotions that the best raves inspire", despite not fully sounding like EDM. [43] Las Vegas Weekly writer Mike Prevatt wrote that, though the album might not create a new musical trend, it was "a necessary crosscurrent to the swells of EDM". [41]
Although they were critical of the album, some reviewers acknowledged it was evidence that Robinson had a promising career ahead of him. [10] [17] [35] Andy Kellman of AllMusic felt that it was clear Robinson was still getting used to creating music outside the context of "clubs and festivals" due to the album's "several clumsier moments". [17] Kellman said that, considering what Robinson had accomplished with the album and his motivations for it, his development in the future "should be fascinating". [17] Pitchfork 's Larry Fitzmaurice wrote that, while Worlds wasn't innovative, given Robinson's strategic yet surprising sonic shift, his career transition was "admirable and extremely promising". [10] Sharon O'Connell of Uncut doubted Robinson's status as a "post-EDM messiah", but felt that "youth is on Robinson's side." [35] Q 's Rupert Howe said that Robinson lived up to his reputation as a "producer wizard", but that, while having different aspirations to his peers, he "hasn't completely freed himself of their influence". [39]
Some reviewers thought that the record lacked coherence; [30] [68] Consequence of Sound 's Derek Staples felt that while reinventing EDM was a noble idea, Robinson's execution was weak, and Worlds more resembled a "remix compilation" than a proper album. [30] Others found the album unexciting. [31] [36] Samuel Tolzmann of Spectrum Culture wrote that Worlds ultimately embraces generic conventions and that the expectation for the album to redefine the genre highlighted more about the stagnation of this style of EDM than Robinson's music's complexity or creativity. [31] Barry Walters of Wondering Sound said that little of Worlds was memorable, suggesting that Robinson's personal universe felt notably derivative. [36]
Worlds was considered the second best album of the year by Thump [69] and appeared in a list of best albums of the year by Complex . [70]
In the United States, Worlds debuted at number one on Billboard 's Top Dance/Electronic Albums, holding that position for a week. The album spent a total of 23 weeks on the chart. [71] On Billboard 200, the magazine's main album chart, it peaked at number 18 and spent a total of seven weeks on the list. [72] In the United Kingdom, the album debuted and peaked at number 13 on the Official Charts Company's UK Dance Albums [73] and at 86 on the company's main chart, UK Albums Chart. [74] The album also charted at number 13 in Australia [75] and 96 in the Netherlands. [76]
Worlds was Robinson's attempt to change the course of an entire genre and scene. He succeeded.
Worlds had a notable impact on the EDM scene. John Ochoa of DJ Mag described it as a "breakthrough" that precipitated a wider shift in the electronic music industry, [3] allowing for "softer" and "dreamier" music in the genre. [2] Similarly, Kat Bein of Billboard said that the album influenced "a generation of producers to make pretty, emotional dance music", as well as attempt live performances. [77] According to Paper 's Matt Moen, a wave of artists would cite Worlds as a major influence, [78] and Krystal Rodriguez and Bein of Billboard said that Worlds and its tour became a model for a generation of young producers to emulate. [79] In November 2019, Billboard staff ranked Worlds as the fifteenth greatest dance album of the 2010s and as the ninety-seventh greatest album of the decade more broadly. [79] [80]
As a result of the album's positive reception, Robinson had set high expectations for himself, [81] stating in 2018 that he felt significant pressure to create something similar to a follow-up. [2] This caused him to go through an extended period of writer's block and depression, during which he released very little music. [82] [83] Robinson's second studio album, Nurture , was released on April 23, 2021, seven years after Worlds. [84] His experiences with his mental health during this time were reflected in Nurture's lyrics. [85] [86]
All tracks are written by Porter Robinson, with additional writers noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Divinity" (featuring Amy Millan) | 6:08 | |
2. | "Sad Machine" | 5:50 | |
3. | "Years of War" (featuring Breanne Düren and Sean Caskey) |
| 3:56 |
4. | "Flicker" | 4:39 | |
5. | "Fresh Static Snow" | 5:58 | |
6. | "Polygon Dust" (featuring Lemaitre) |
| 3:29 |
7. | "Hear the Bells" (featuring Imaginary Cities) |
| 4:46 |
8. | "Natural Light" | 2:21 | |
9. | "Lionhearted" (featuring Urban Cone) |
| 4:26 |
10. | "Sea of Voices" | Düren | 4:58 |
11. | "Fellow Feeling" | 5:50 | |
12. | "Goodbye to a World" | 5:28 | |
Total length: | 57:49 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Sea of Voices (RAC Mix)" | 6:08 |
2. | "Sad Machine (Anamanaguchi Remix)" | 4:29 |
3. | "Lionhearted (Arty Remix)" (featuring Urban Cone) | 5:17 |
4. | "Lionhearted (The Alexanders Remix)" (featuring Urban Cone) | 5:56 |
5. | "Lionhearted (Giraffage Remix)" (featuring Urban Cone) | 3:59 |
6. | "Lionhearted (Urban Cone Remix)" (featuring Urban Cone) | 3:26 |
Total length: | 29:15 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Lionhearted" (featuring Urban Cone) | 4:26 |
2. | "Shepherdess" | 7:16 |
Total length: | 11:42 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Divinity (Odesza Remix)" (featuring Amy Millan) | 5:26 |
2. | "Sad Machine (Deon Custom Remix)" | 5:06 |
3. | "Years of War (Rob Mayth Remix)" (featuring Breanne Düren and Sean Caskey) | 3:55 |
4. | "Flicker (Mat Zo Remix)" | 4:55 |
5. | "Fresh Static Snow (Last Island Remix)" | 3:12 |
6. | "Polygon Dust (Sleepy Tom Remix)" (featuring Lemaitre) | 4:07 |
7. | "Hear the Bells (Electric Mantis Remix)" (featuring Imaginary Cities) | 4:45 |
8. | "Natural Light (San Holo Remix)" | 2:55 |
9. | "Lionhearted (Point Point Remix)" (featuring Urban Cone) | 3:25 |
10. | "Sea of Voices (Galimatias Remix)" | 3:01 |
11. | "Fellow Feeling (Slumberjack Remix)" | 4:51 |
12. | "Goodbye to a World (Chrome Sparks Remix)" | 6:13 |
Total length: | 51:51 |
Adapted from the CD liner notes. [44]
|
|
Chart (2014) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [75] | 13 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [76] | 96 |
UK Albums (OCC) [74] | 86 |
UK Dance Albums (OCC) [73] | 13 |
US Billboard 200 [72] | 18 |
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard) [71] | 1 |
Astralwerks is an American record label primarily focused on electronic music that is now owned by Universal Music Group. Its material is distributed via Capitol Music Group in the United States. The label was founded in 1993 and, in its early years, featured prominent British acts like The Future Sound of London, Fatboy Slim and The Chemical Brothers. In recent years, its roster has expanded to include acts like Halsey, Marshmello, Porter Robinson, Illenium, Zhu and numerous others. In 2018, Astralwerks' headquarters were moved from its original home of New York City to Los Angeles.
Electronic dance music (EDM) is a broad range of percussive electronic music genres originally made for nightclubs, raves, and festivals. It is generally produced for playback by DJs who create seamless selections of tracks, called a DJ mix, by segueing from one recording to another. EDM producers also perform their music live in a concert or festival setting in what is sometimes called a live PA. Since its inception EDM has expanded to include a wide range of subgenres.
"Shelter" is a song by American DJ and record producer Porter Robinson and French DJ and record producer Madeon, released as a single on August 11, 2016. In October 2016, a music video, produced in collaboration with A-1 Pictures, is released.
Brian Wayne Transeau, known by his initials as BT, is an American musician, DJ, singer, songwriter, record producer, composer, and audio engineer. An artist in the electronic music genre, he is credited as a pioneer of the trance and intelligent dance music styles that paved the way for EDM, and for "stretching electronic music to its technical breaking point." In 2010, he was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album for These Hopeful Machines. He creates music within myriad styles, such as classical, film composition, and bass music.
Porter Weston Robinson is an American DJ, record producer, and singer-songwriter. Born in Atlanta, Georgia and raised in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Robinson began producing electronic music during his adolescence. He signed to Skrillex's record label OWSLA at the age of 18, and released the extended play Spitfire in 2011. He appeared on Billboard's 21 Under 21 list in 2012.
"Language" is a song by American electronic music producer and DJ Porter Robinson. The song was uploaded on YouTube by Porter Robinson on April 1, 2012. The song was released in the United States on Big Beat Records as a digital download on April 10, 2012. The song was later released in the United Kingdom in an EP package from the Ministry of Sound on August 12, 2012. It debuted at number nine on the UK Singles Chart. The song features uncredited vocals from Heather Bright. The song received remixes from producers Kayzo together with Gammer, and from Jauz.
Clarity is the debut studio album by Russian-German electronic music producer Zedd, released on October 5, 2012 by Interscope Records. A deluxe edition of the album was released on September 24, 2013, preceded by the release of the single "Stay the Night", which features Hayley Williams of Paramore, on September 10, 2013. Upon its release, the album garnered mixed reviews from critics.
Spitfire is the debut extended play (EP) by American electronic music producer Porter Robinson, released on September 13, 2011, through Owsla. After releasing his 2010 single "Say My Name", Robinson expressed desire to explore different musical genres by producing an EP, diverging from his traditional eurodance style. Spanning a range of genres, Spitfire marked the inaugural release on Owsla and caused Beatport to crash following its promotion by musicians Skrillex and Tiësto. The EP charted at UK Dance Albums, Dance/Electronic Albums and Heatseekers Albums, with Robinson subsequently embarking on a tour to promote it. Songs "The State" and "Unison" received particular attention for their libertarian themes and use in DJ sets, respectively.
"Easy" is a song by British producer Mat Zo and American producer Porter Robinson. The song was released as a digital download in the United Kingdom by Ministry of Sound and Anjunabeats on 14 April 2013 and in the United States by Astralwerks on 7 May 2013. It debuted at number 28 on the UK Singles Chart. The track samples vocals from the song "Nothing Better" by Colourblind.
"Sea of Voices" is a song recorded by American electronic music producer Porter Robinson. It was released on March 2, 2014 as the first single from his debut studio album Worlds (2014), and features uncredited vocals from Breanne Düren. After becoming dissatisfied with the electronic dance music of his prior discography, Robinson decided to alter his style to prioritize aesthetic and emotional qualities in his work. Although Robinson released the song without any leading marketing in an effort to surprise his fans, it was well-received by audiences, becoming a trending topic on Twitter and charting on the Billboard US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs. The song was generally praised by critics for its atmospheric production and unusual compositional structure. Robinson would later cite "Sea of Voices" as an inspiration on his later single "Unfold" (2021).
"Sad Machine" is a song recorded by American electronic music producer Porter Robinson. It was released on May 13, 2014 as the second single from his debut studio album, Worlds (2014). Robinson had the concept of a duet between a robot and a human — these vocals are provided by a Vocaloid voice and Robinson himself, respectively. He wanted the song to contain elements of fiction and nostalgia. Critics noted inspirations from synth-pop, Passion Pit, and M83. "Sad Machine" charted on Billboard's Dance/Electronic Songs and received a gold certification in the United States.
"Lionhearted" is a song recorded by American electronic music producer Porter Robinson featuring Swedish indie pop band Urban Cone. It was released on June 17, 2014, as the third single from his debut studio album, Worlds (2014). The track was one of the first songs Robinson wrote for the album. He decided to work with Urban Cone after listening to their vocals and finding them adequate for the song. Multiple critics found it influenced by Passion Pit. After being premiered by Stereogum and at BBC Radio 1, a music video was released. "Lionhearted" charted in Belgium and the United States.
"Flicker" is a song recorded by American electronic music producer Porter Robinson. It was released on July 28, 2014 as the fourth single from his debut studio album Worlds (2014). Robinson wrote, produced, and performed the track. Musically, the song contains elements of disco and hip-hop, as well as sampling of soul music. Vocally, the song contains a text-to-speech voice incorrectly translating "never seen" Japanese song titles that have been chopped and screwed in a rap-like style.
Nicholas D. Miller, professionally known as Illenium, is an American musician, DJ, music producer, and songwriter. He has released five studio albums, his most recent being Illenium, released in April 2023. Illenium earned his first Grammy nomination following the release of his fourth studio album, Fallen Embers, released in July 2021. One of Illenium's more notable albums, Ascend, was released in August 2019 on Astralwerks. The album was Illenium's first to top the Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums chart and also reached his highest peak on the Billboard 200 at number 14.
The discography of American musician Porter Robinson consists of three studio albums, one remix album, two live albums, nine extended plays, thirty-one singles, and eighteen music videos. He first released music under Ekowraith in 2008, starting with "Booming Track".
"Ghost Voices" is a song by American electronic music producer Porter Robinson under the alias Virtual Self. It was released on November 8, 2017 as the second single from the alias' self-titled debut EP, which uses early 2000s sounds and aesthetics. Robinson said that "Ghost Voices" was the easiest song from the EP to compose, and he used a house-styled drum pattern and a trance-styled break. In 2018, the song received an official music video and was remixed by Raito and Robinson himself, the latter remix being called "Angel Voices". "Ghost Voices" received a nomination for Best Dance Recording at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards.
Virtual Self is the debut extended play (EP) by American electronic music producer Porter Robinson under the alias Virtual Self, released on November 29, 2017, through an eponymous record label. After releasing his debut studio album Worlds (2014), a deviation from his earlier sound, Robinson suffered with depression and struggled to create a similar-sounding follow-up. He then started planning the Virtual Self project, which used electronic music and Internet webpages from the early 2000s as main sources of inspiration, an idea Robinson became "obsessed" with.
Nurture is the second studio album by American electronic music producer Porter Robinson, released on April 23, 2021 by Mom + Pop Music. The album was written in the years following Robinson's debut album Worlds (2014), a period when Robinson struggled with mental illness and writer's block. As a result, the album represents a significant stylistic shift in his work; critics noted that the album features a greater emphasis on acoustic instruments and personal lyrics, while retaining many elements of the innovative electronic style of Worlds. The album also prominently features Robinson's voice, as well as a processed, higher-pitched version. The album features themes of depression, and of learning to find beauty in everyday life and the natural world. Several songs also explore themes of family and love for the first time in Robinson's discography.
"Get Your Wish" is a song recorded by American electronic music producer Porter Robinson. It was released on January 29, 2020, as the first single from his second studio album Nurture. Robinson wrote, produced, and provided vocals for the track. The song contains elements of 2000s era Japanese animation soundtracks.