March 3, 2018. I remember that day just like it was yesterday. That was the day I discovered Shelter by Porter Robinson & Madeon. Why and how? I'm not telling you because the reason why is embarrassing as hell but the point is, this was the day that changed my life and music taste. While listening for the first time, I had no idea music could even sound like that. The drop was on another level, the vocal processing I loved for a weird reason, and I knew it was a turning page in my life. Through Porter and Hugo, I had been introduced to all these new artists I had no idea existed, like Aquilo and Vancouver Sleep Clinic. It was an insane few months. I listened to Worlds and thought it was such a breathtaking album. Anime inspired music while also seeming cinematic? Non-radio friendly EDM, lyrics about whatever Robinson felt like that day, and I still thought Adventure was better. My point still stands, but this isn't The Wonky Angle. This is Super Cool Music Show, the blog I keep forgetting exists. While I do think Worlds was the inferior album, Nurture blows Good Faith out of the water and then apologizes for it, it's that type of album. It's an amazing listen, and I really, really didn't want it to end, but here we are.
So I was highly anticipating this record, since it has been almost seven years since his last record and I wanted to know how he grew and matured, especially with his Virtual Self project, and his growth and character development in those 6 1/2 years of radio silence. So now with over a year of hype and buildup and pandemic and three more songs added to the tracklist, what the gosh darn h*ck do we have? Such a great album. So many listens later and it still hasn't gotten old, oh my god, so let's go through with it.
Lifelike kicks the entire thing off, and it's such a nice and peaceful opener. I absolutely adore the melody, makes me feel like I'm in some retro SNES RPG, and the same goes for Look at the Sky. Despite this being a single, I have not listened to this prior to the release, simply because I did not want to spoil the album for myself. I had only listened to the first 3 singles, since I felt like that was enough. Look at the Sky is such a great moment to start on and I'm glad I didn't listen to this before, since the moment the lil toy piano melody came on, I knew I was in for a treat. It's dynamic, it's beautiful and I just think it drags on for a little bit too long while also needing to have another few lines in the chorus. I think the hook is catchy, I just need to hear more since it got repetitive after a bit. Get your Wish is on next, and it can't be in a more perfect position in the tracklist, it's exactly what I wanted to hear immediately after Loof at the Sky. Wind Tempos is such a weird cut, and I think it would've been better if the six minutes of it was trimmed a bit, and I needed more warning on the vocals that just drop in, though. I just can't get past them and in a way, the song could've ended right there and I wouldn't have a problem with it. However, the album immediately picks right back up with Musician, which is such a nice pop song and I really really wanted to love it and that's what ended up happening. It's so adventurous and fun and I really love the lyrics, which couldn't be anymore true. do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do I was very hesitant on, since I thought with a name like that, it would be cheesy as hell and it would be pure filler, but it doesn't seem like that. I really love the instrumental intro, the soft vocals really compliment the entire thing really really well and I can't think of a better song on the album, besides from Get your Wish to just throw on, and I love it for that. Mother is one of the many tracks on here I really was about to cry to, simply because I know it came from a place of love and compassion, and the entire sound of it is so impactful. The lyrics are very soft and nice and sweet and it's such a nice song. Now what the hell is dullscythe. It's one of those Wind Tempos type songs where it's just a bunch of gibberish in music form, except I don't see anything so special about it. I do know that it is not filler, though. I know that because it is a really nice knife to split in the tracklist separating the first and last half of the record with.
So let's talk about the second half. Sweet Time is another nice song I really have a soft spot for. I love how it is comforting you saying to take your sweet time, and that the people close to you will wait, and I just want more songs to comfort you like that in a sweet genuine way. Mirror is a weird transition, but a welcome one. It's great, I love everything about this, same with Something Comforting. The drop is amazing, the outro is something to ride home about, I really love this as a single and where it is placed on the album. Like. That's the thing with the album, the singles are so smartly placed in with the deep cuts, how did he do it. How did he make an album that flows so well that is jampacked with so many songs that could and could not be singles at the exact same time? I have no idea. It's crazy to me. Then we get Blossom, which actually did make me cry. Knowing the song was about his girlfriend gave the song that much more meaning to it and it's just downright beautiful. Unfold I think was going to be the closing moment on here, since it just sounds like it. Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, as cool of a name that is, feels really natural in this song, and I love how this is supposed to be the Fellow Feeling and Goodbye to a World of this record, and I don't know which one of those three are better than the other, but all I know is that it is such a great song. Now trying to Feel Alive is such a needed closer and fulfills its job and succeeds in the process. It gives the album the much needed closure and even though it ends quite abruptly, it is still a nice way to end the project, I love all the tiny details in it and I'm really glad this made it into the album.
So yeah, that's Nurture. A beautiful, somewhat long and tedious project, but a beautiful project in general. I think the album cover really helped this album and kind of improved it in a way. Like it's literally perfect. I was kind of wondering what it could be, simply because all of the single art stuck to a consistent style, and I'm kind of glad that it was just a straight up picture with nothing adding to it. Just him, faceplanted into an endless flower field. It's perfect, I love every bit of it. However, for the music, this is strong, not perfect but a huge step up from Worlds, and I really really can't wait to see what he cooks up next.
9/10
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