Nurture (album)

Nurture
Studio album by Porter Robinson
Released	April 23, 2021 (2021-04-23)
Recorded	2015–2020
Genre	Electronica ambient synth-pop electropop
Length	59:01
Label	Mom + Pop
Producer	Porter Robinson
Porter Robinson chronology
Worlds Remixed (2015) Nurture (2021)
Singles from Nurture
"Get Your Wish" Released: January 29, 2020 "Something Comforting" Released: March 10, 2020 "Mirror" Released: August 26, 2020 "Look at the Sky" Released: January 27, 2021 "Musician" Released: March 3, 2021 "Unfold" Released: April 22, 2021

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, releasing little music. As a result, the album represents a significant stylistic shift in his work; critics have noted that the album features a greater emphasis on acoustic instruments and personal lyrics, while retaining many elements of the "breakthrough" 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.

Several promotional singles were released for the album, beginning with "Get Your Wish" in January 2020. Originally planned for release in September 2020, it was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, leading Robinson to alter the tracklist and release additional singles. Nurture released to general critical acclaim, entering popular charts in several regions, including at number 1 on the Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums in the United States. The album was also featured on the year-end lists of several publications. Between September 2021 and November 2023, Robinson performed the album in multiple regions as part of the Nurture Live tour.

Background

Further information: Porter Robinson § Career

Robinson experienced an initial surge of popularity at age 18, after the release of several festival-oriented electronic dance music works such as "Say My Name" (2010) and Spitfire (2011). Robinson grew increasingly dissatisfied with his performances, and said that he experienced "four or five fully-blown anxiety attacks onstage" while touring for his song "Language" (2012). His desire to change his musical style led him to write his debut album Worlds (2014), a work that has retrospectively been described as a "breakthrough" that precipitated a wider shift in the electronic music industry.

As a result of the album's positive reception, Robinson had set high expectations for himself in the studio. However, in the years following the album's release, this caused him to suffer from an extended period of depression and writer's block, releasing very little music. In 2016, Robinson released "Shelter", a collaboration with friend and fellow electronic producer Madeon. In 2017, Robinson released Virtual Self, a eurodance- and trance-inspired production released under an alias of the same name. "Ghost Voices", a single from the EP, was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording in 2018.

In January 2020, Robinson announced the album and its lead single, "Get Your Wish". The announcement was made through a video that featured cryptic messages and hints, including obscured links, dates, and geographic coordinates. Robinson had also previously hidden details in the promotional material for Virtual Self. Nurture was originally intended to be released in September 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, Robinson altered the tracklist, extending the length of the album from 11 to 14 songs, and released additional promotional singles. On December 18, 2020, Robinson announced that the album was complete, and would release in "a few months". The release date was later announced to be April 23, 2021.

Composition and style

On the composition of Nurture, Robinson said that it "came after a period of real creative struggle and just a very difficult time emotionally", which resulted in lyrical content that focused on the topics of depression and writer's block, according to AllMusic's Paul Simpson. Our Culture's Konstantinos Pappis writes that the album as a whole places more emphasis on lyrics. For the album's title, Robinson considered "Only Hope" before Nurture was ultimately chosen due to its similarity with the word "nature". The choice of Nurture as the album's title also serves as a reference to the nature versus nurture debate, which Robinson hopes can "make [people] feel like they can change the way they think of themselves and improve themselves." The Line of Best Fit's Sophie Walker noted that this is the first time that Robinson has prominently featured his singing voice in his work. However, PopMatters's Chris Conaton writes that songs such as "Look at the Sky" often harmonize his voice with a heavily processed version, which is autotuned and increased in pitch to sound more feminine. According to Robinson, the processed version of his voice served to add a "corruption and artificiality" to the sound.

Several critics felt that there were significant stylistic differences between the album and Robinson's previous works. Robinson stated that he followed an approach of "no supersaws, no 808 subs, [and] no classic breakbeats" for most of the songs on the album, which Pappis ascribes to his resolve to avoid the "strictures of dance music". With this pursuit of what Robinson refers to as a "less dance-y sound", he moved away from "drop-driven" songwriting and employed different styles. Walker highlights the experimentation displayed in "Dullscythe" and "Wind Tempos" in particular, calling it "Nurture's foundation". MusicOMH's Ben Devlin feels that the album is more similar to pop and indie styles, while still retaining some heavier electronic elements. Critics also discuss the album's diverse instrumentation, with NME's Ben Jolley highlighting Robinson's use of the piano, which he feels was "pivotal in his recovery [from depression]".

Critics note multiple influences on Robinson's stylistic choices on the album. Spectrum Culture's Aaron Paskin finds the reflective lyrics and piano riff of "Get Your Wish" to be reminiscent of Bon Iver's "33 'God' " (2016). Both Conaton and Slant's Charles Lyons-Burt identify a reference to the piano riff of LCD Soundsystem's "All My Friends" (2007), with Conaton also noting a reference to the Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" (2003) in "Dullscythe". Paskin compares the sampling technique used in "Musician" to the approaches of Daft Punk. Walker notes that Robinson's work is heavily influenced by J-pop and Japanese culture, and "Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do", according to Simpson, contains elements from the Shibuya-kei genre. Reviewers also attributed the more atmospheric tone in some songs to the influence of Joe Hisaishi and the soundtracks of Studio Ghibli's films, with Conaton finding similarities in "Wind Tempos", and Walker citing the opening song "Lifelike". Additionally, Robinson cited Madeon's work on Good Faith (2019) as a key inspiration for Nurture.

In March 2020, Robinson and Samuel Burgess-Johnson conducted a photoshoot for the album cover, experimenting with several ideas before deciding to use a picture in which Robinson dropped into a bed of flowers on an impulse. Robinson sees the cover as indicative of the album's personal tone, saying "I struggle to be bold and it's a bold album cover."

Themes

Several songs on Nurture explore Robinson's struggles with depression and writer's block. Simpson writes that "Mirror" and "Something Comforting" both address Robinson's self-critical inner voice, while "Musician" focuses on overcoming the burnout that was preventing him from writing music. Lyons-Burt writes that "Look at the Sky" has a "sense of disillusionment", but Pitchfork's Colin Joyce notes that it also looks ahead to a brighter future, calling it a "ballad of hard-won optimism". Jolley feels that the closing song "Trying to Be Alive" also reflects Robinson's struggles with his mental health. However, Joyce feels that the song shows Robinson has realized that "struggle gives life its color in the first place". According to Simpson, Robinson expresses the futility of striving for a "finish line", and instead learning to find fulfillment in simply living and creating music.

Nurture has a focus on being "finding the beauty in everyday and reality as it is", which is reflected in the album's tagline of "everything we need is already here". Robinson contrasts this with Worlds, which he feels is more about "escaping to faraway dreamlands". Jolley feels that Robinson's rediscovery of "the beauty of everyday life" led to a renewed appreciation for the natural world. As a result, the album incorporates more organic sounds, as well as more acoustic instruments like the piano and orchestra. Paskin notes this theme in the opening song "Lifelike", which makes use of piano, strings, and ambient bird sounds; Robinson himself describes the song as "a window into the worldview of Nurture". However, multiple critics note the juxtaposition of artificial and natural elements in the album, such as the clean and processed versions of Robinson's voice, and the usage of synthesizers along with the acoustic instruments.

Robinson explores a new theme of family on Nurture, dedicating a song to his mother, and two to his partner Rika; Jolley writes that here Robinson renders himself "more vulnerable than ever before". According to Pappis, "Sweet Time" describes the feeling of falling so deeply in love that one faces "the fear of dying for the first time". Simpson notes the contrast between the introspection of the album and the "fantasy, escapism, and technology" of Robinson's previous works. Joyce especially highlights the thematic differences with the music video of "Shelter", which features a simulation that is created to escape a dystopic reality. Jolley concludes that the closing quote of "Mirror" is a reflection of "[Robinson]'s journey as an artist" and the message of the album as a whole. Reflecting on the overall tone of the album, Robinson says that it is "very melancholic; there's a lot of pain, there's a lot of sadness, but there's also a lot of hope".

Release and touring

Nurture released by Mom + Pop on April 23, 2021. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart, the second of Robinson's albums to do so. According to MRC Data, the album earned an equivalent of 14,000 album sales in its first week.

Robinson premiered the album's live set on April 24, 2021 at Secret Sky, his own virtual festival. The performance was streamed online, and featured "live edits" of several songs from Nurture and Worlds. Robinson played the live set in person for the first time at his music festival Second Sky in September 2021. This was followed by the Nurture Live tour, which played in North America from September–November 2021. Dates for a European tour were announced later that year, which he played in April 2022. Robinson played on the Asian Nurture Live tour in March 2023, and performed his last set for an extended North American tour at the Coachella festival on April 23, 2023. In November 2023, Robinson played several concerts as part of an Australian tour.

Singles

Nurture was preceded by six singles to promote its release. The leading single "Get Your Wish" was released on January 29, 2020 and "Something Comforting" released on March 10, 2020. Following the album's delay and tracklist alterations, "Mirror" released on August 26, 2020, "Look at the Sky" released on January 27, 2021, "Musician" released on March 3, 2021, and "Unfold", a collaboration between Robinson and Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, released on April 22, 2021, one day before the album.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.5/10
Metacritic	78/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Clash	8/10
The Line of Best Fit	9/10
musicOMH
NME
Our Culture
Pitchfork	7.6/10
PopMatters	7/10
Slant Magazine
Spectrum Culture	75%

According to review aggregator Metacritic, Nurture received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 from 8 critic reviews. Review aggregator AnyDecentMusic? reports an overall score of 7.5 out of 10 based on 7 critic reviews.

Reviewers highlight Robinson's "knack for melody", according to Conaton, with Devlin noting that the songwriting is "cutesy but massively endearing". Clash's Josh Crowe feels that Robinson's vocals have a "wonderful rawness" that complement the euphoric messages of songs such as "Look at the Sky". Jolley also notes a "jubilant energy" on "Something Comforting" and "Musician". Pappis considers "Blossom" to be the album's "most heartfelt moment", effectively condensing Robinson's love and the "simple transcendence" of his realization to appreciate everyday life. Joyce feels that Nurture "mirror[s] the twists and turns of his headspace". Paskin writes that Robinson was able to write Nurture by "freeing himself of the pressure to recapture the success of Worlds", and feels that the album is a worthy sophomore album due to its distinct identity as a work.

Multiple reviewers express their appreciation for the album's sonic palette, with Simpson noting the "rippling pianos [and] lush acoustic guitars... along with propulsive beats [and] neon synths", and Devlin writing about engaging sound design, such as the "crispy downsampled guitar" on "Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do". While Paskin shows a regard for Robinson's experimentation on "Dullscythe", citing his "[virtuosic] production skills", Pappis feels that songs like "Mother" and "Sweet Time" are among the "weakest cuts" from the album, and are sonically unable to match the emotional intensity of the lyrics. Lyons-Burt also finds "Mother" to be "cacophonous" due to its drum production. Additionally, Devlin feels that the album is slightly repetitive, with Paskin commenting that the "pop tunes do tend to run together". Walker writes that the length of the album obscured some of the highlights, adding that even "Unfold" feels "somewhat anticlimactic thirteen tracks deep".

Year-end lists

Publication	List	Recipient	Rank	Ref.
Billboard	Best Albums of 2021	Nurture	30
	100 Best Songs of 2021	"Look at the Sky"	71
The Fader	50 Best Albums of 2021	Nurture	1
	100 Best Songs of 2021	"Look at the Sky"	17
NPR	Best Electronic Music of 2021	"Musician"	—
	Best Music of 2021		74
Our Culture	50 Best Albums of 2021	Nurture	1
	25 Best Songs of 2021	"Look at the Sky"	5
Paste	50 Best Albums of 2021	Nurture	41
Slant	50 Best Albums of 2021	Nurture	30

Charts

Chart (2021)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)	27
Canadian Albums (Billboard)	57
Japan Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)	50
Japanese Albums (Oricon)	74
UK Dance Albums (OCC)	5
US Billboard 200	52
US Independent Albums (Billboard)	6
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)	1

Track listing

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"	Robinson Amy Allen Elliot Jacobson Christopher Leon	6:04
5.	"Musician"	Robinson Sarah Midori Perry Gus Lobban	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)	Robinson Orlando Higginbottom	4:46
14.	"Trying to Feel Alive"		4:40
Total length:			59:01

Japanese edition bonus track

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
15.	"Fullmoon Lullaby" (with Wednesday Campanella)	Robinson Misaki Koshi Hidefumi Kenmochi	4:03
Total length:			63:04

Notes

• 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.
• "Look at the Sky" features guitar from Yvette Young.
• "Wind Tempos" has additional recordings from Masakatsu Takagi.
• "Musician" contains samples of "Think (About It)", performed by Lyn Collins, written by James Brown; and "It Takes Two", performed by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, written by James Brown and Robert Ginyard; as well as a currently unreleased collaborative track between Kero Kero Bonito and Robinson.