Nurture - Porter Robinson

Porter Robinson's sophomore album is vastly different from what he's done before, and what he went on to do after, and it might just be the strongest of the lot.

Well, technically speaking, the themes of "Nurture" are intrinsically not very strong, in the sense that they don't need to present any sense of power or grandeur to flourish. "Nurture" aims to be more vulnerable, to be more open, to be more *real*, and it succeeds. After the electronic, hard-hitting nature of his previous LP "Worlds", Porter takes a step back and produces something he feels. Something, truthfully speaking, I feel too. Porter hits the nail on the head with evocativeness in "Nurture", a project infused with innocence, yearning, and the pains of growing up, delivered with the genuineness of a child and the maturity of an adult. Of course, the lyricism is a big part of this—Porter takes a rawer songwriting stance, and many of the vocal hooks are simultaneously attention-grabbing and emotive—but the delivery is angled in so many more ways than just lyricism. Perhaps the biggest contributor is Porter's decision to include a digitally filtered vocal, filtered so it sounds more feminine and in a higher register. It's a simple addition, but something about it feels pure and almost wistful, adding that unique spark to alight the gentle fire that "Nurture" slowly burns through. The production isn't lacking either; where the lyricism is grounded and human, the production Porter employs is melodic, distorted and almost ethereal, not prominent enough to take away from the feeling of the project, but well-done enough that you notice it. And though it's not the most polished production ever, it's enough—more than enough—to bolster and reinforce the vocals, and, in turn, the powerful sentimental messaging that Porter attempts to convey. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this is one of the most sentimental albums, if not the most, in the electronic scene, period.

Whilst "Worlds" was a product of the mind, "Nurture" is very clearly more of a product of the heart. Yes, there are plenty of albums out there that are 'a product of the heart', but something about what Porter has done with "Nurture" just feels more... genuine. It's not as creative as it could be, nor is it as stunning as it could be, but if you're in the right mood, it doesn't really matter anyway. "Nurture" is like looking into a mental mirror and seeing your mind for what it is, and that's what makes it so beautiful.