| 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 Americanelectronic music producerPorter Robinson, released on August 12, 2014, byAstralwerks. Initially known for his heavier bass-centric production, Robinson became increasingly dissatisfied with theelectronic 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 fromanime, films, and sounds from 1990s video games.
Robinson's primary inspirations forWorlds wereDaft Punk'sDiscovery (2001) andKanye West'sGraduation (2007). Critics described the work aselectropop, noting similarities to the styles ofM83 andPassion Pit. In late 2013, a bidding war broke out among record labels over which of them would 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 most critics, who praised it as innovative and forecasted 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. FollowingWorlds's positive reception, Robinson felt pressured to write an appropriate follow-up work. As a result, he experienced a period ofwriter'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 was initially known for hiselectro andcomplextro music, such as the 2010 single "Say My Name" and the 2011extended playSpitfire;[2][3] Robinson described his initial sound as "very heavy" and "bass-aggressive".[4] "Say My Name" toppedBeatport'selectro house chart, whileSpitfire caused the website to crash after being promoted bySkrillex andTiësto.[4][5]
Across 2012, Robinson performed at majorelectronic dance music (EDM) festivals,[5] but gradually became dissatisfied with the genre. He mentioned having four or five intense anxiety attacks that year while performing, 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] in an interview withNME, he said "[EDM] is entertainment, it's not really art".[4][7][a] Robinson felt that by attempting to add DJ-friendly and dance-oriented features to his music, he frequently compromised and diminished the quality of his songs.[4][9]
Robinson conceived the idea forWorlds 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 forWorlds.[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" withMat Zo, which Andy Kellman ofAllMusic characterized as one of the standout commercial dance singles of the year.[17]
Robinson moved to his parents' home inChapel Hill, North Carolina, and spent a year revisiting soundtracks ofNintendo 64 video games from the 1990s and 2000s.[5] Robinson produced the album inFL Studio, and wrote around 50 tracks for the album, which were later narrowed to 12 on the final tracklist.[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 had not been chosen.[20] When Robinson signed withAstralwerks in November 2013, the album was nearly complete.[1] Robinson collaborated with 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 thatWorlds is not associated with, nor has a place in, reality.[5][22] Robinson incorporated elements from video games, anime, and movies.[23] His experiences withmassively multiplayer online role-playing games and associated nostalgia were an influence. He admired the worlds these games –Star Wars Galaxies (2003) in particular[4][24] – provided and was affected by how dwindling player bases and bankruptcies eventually brought them offline.[22][23][25] These themes influenced Robinson to title the albumWorlds.[26]
Robinson usedGeneral MIDI sounds that resembled the music ofNintendo 64 andPlayStation video games,[25][27] including those he played while growing up in the 1990s, such asThe 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'sDiscovery (2001), an album Robinson considers the best of all time, was his biggest influence for the record, withKanye West'sGraduation (2007) in second.[23] Multiple critics wrote that the album's sound resembledM83[b] andPassion Pit.[10][30]
Larry Fitzmaurice ofPitchfork said thatWorlds is clearlyelectropop,[10] and Megan Buerger ofBillboard wrote that the album combinesambient,disco and electropop.[33]Vice's Elissa Stolman felt that several tracks on the album were inspired bynew 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 ofUncut said that Robinson mixed EDM tropes andnu-rave with M83-likesynth-pop and "bangers" by Daft Punk andJustice.[35] Conversely, Buerger wrote thatbass drops and dance-like rhythms were substituted by "delicate chord progressions and deep, forceful synths".[33] Barry Walters ofWondering Sound wrote that, in contrast to the typically highertempos of EDM, much ofWorlds is at a lower,ballad-like speed.[36]
Worlds opens with "Divinity", which contains vocals by Canadian singerAmy Millan, from the bandsStars andBroken 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 ofWorlds.[37] Tatiana Cirisano ofBillboard wrote that there is a large contrast between the intro and chorus; while the former contains "underwater-sounding", smooth vocals, the latter contains a "cacophony" of cymbals and glitch-like sounds reminiscent of video games.[38] Barry Walters ofWondering 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 ofVice described the track as an indie-electronic "festival rave anthem", with synths that resembled M83's "Midnight City" (2011).[34] Alternatively, Rupert Howe ofQ found similarities toelectronica and M83-likespace 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 employedAvanna, aVocaloid voice, as the song's lead singer.[5] Larry Fitzmaurice ofPitchfork considered it one among other tracks onWorlds which resembled the "high-wiresynth-pop fantasias" ofPassion Pit, as it contained a mid-tempo instrumental and "starry-eyed melodic structure".[10]Las Vegas Weekly's Mike Prevatt identified inspirations from M83 andSigur Rós.[41] Lucas Villa ofAXS described the track as "heroic and awe-inspiring" and felt that it evoked the "dreamier" elements of electronic music.[42] The third song, "Years of War", featuresBreanne Düren ofOwl City and Sean Caskey ofLast 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 atrance synth, which Stolman felt contrasted with the song's retro elements, such as 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.[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 said that the song uses a classichip hop breakbeat before the chorus, which he described as an "emotional payoff".[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 ofSpin identified melodic similarities withBoards of Canada.[32] "Fresh Static Snow", the fifth track on the album, also uses Avanna.[5][37] Robinson said that the song focuses on 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 ofThe Glitch Mob andThe 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 withLemaitre, a band Robinson was fond of.[37] Its main element is a trance synth. 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 featuresImaginary 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 containsGivers-like layeredindie 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 itsintelligent dance music passages inspired by artists such asAphex Twin andVenetian 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 featuresUrban Cone. It was one of the first tracks Robinson wrote for the album, describing it as "anthemic".[37] Critics wrote that this was the album's first display of a faster tempo.[34][36][42] Kamps described the sound as "exuberant pop"[32] and Prevatt felt there were similarities to the styles ofHoly 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 atmosphericbig 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" isWorlds's penultimate track. In a criticism of EDM composition, Robinson starkly juxtaposed what he felt was "beautiful and serene" with aggressive and violent elements.[37] Sharon O'Connell ofUncut felt that the opening section was reminiscent ofchamber music,[35] that was described by Villa as "cinematic"[42] and Walters as "symphonic".[36] Further into the song, a voice says, "Now, please, hear what I hear",[36] and a strong bass enters.[10][32][35] Walters claimed the track is interrupted by aggressivedubstep elements[36] which O'Connell described aselectro funk that had beenchopped and screwed.[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] contrasted with sections that Staples found similar tobreakcore[30] and Stolman characterized as "fist-pumping brutality".[34]
Following a bidding war over the record, it was announced on November 14, 2013, that Robinson had signed a deal withAstralwerks;Worlds would be released through theirCapitol Records imprint in the US and theirVirgin 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 repeatingworlds for ten hours. When the video was released, Robinson stated that he disliked marketing campaigns that were "wishy-washy", and attempted to create all of his work with a clear intent.[45]
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Astralwerks wanted to release "Shepherdess"[c] as the album's first single, which Robinson described as the "most EDM thing" he had made 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 the86th Academy Awards. "Sea of Voices" became a trending topic onTwitter 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 upon its completion.[19] "Sad Machine" was premiered byThe 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 premieredWorlds's third single, "Lionhearted", which features Swedish bandUrban Cone.[51] It also debuted atBBC Radio 1.[52][53] The single was officially released on June 17, accompanied by a music video in whichMixmag'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 byVogue,[55] being officially released the next day asWorlds'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 ofWorlds containing bonus remixes and tracks.[46][58] On August 4, the album was premiered byNPR as part of their "First Listen" series.[59] It was fully released on August 12, 2014.[60] From August 28 to October 18, Robinson performed on a North American tour forWorlds,[61] which later extended to Europe.[62] He once again took inspiration from fictional universes for its visuals, which featured video game-like, pixelated worlds on largeLED displays.[63] The visuals were managed by Imaginary Light Network.[21]
On October 2, 2015, Robinson releasedWorlds Remixed, aremix album involving artists and producers such asMat Zo,Odesza,Sleepy Tom,Galimatias, andSan Holo.[64] As withWorlds, David Aguado illustrated several pieces for the remix album.[21]
A tenth anniversary edition of the album was released onvinyl in 2024.[65] The pressing featured a previously unreleased song, "Hollowheart", which Robinson had intended to appear onWorlds but did not submit in time to be included.[66] Alive album featuring recordings of Robinson's performance at the 2019Second Sky festival was released concurrently.[67]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AnyDecentMusic? | 6.4/10[68] |
| Metacritic | 63/100[69] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [17] |
| Alternative Press |  [70] |
| 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 aggregatorMetacritic,Worlds received "generally favorable reviews" based on aweighted average score of 63 out of 100 from 8 critics scores,[69] while, on AnyDecentMusic?, the album received a rating of 6.4 out of 10 from 7 critic scores.[68]
Some reviewers praisedWorlds as innovative.[32][33][42] Lucas Villa ofAXS felt that Robinson exceeded expectations by crafting a complete experience, venturing boldly into uncharted territory for DJs,[42] while Garrett Kamps ofSpin said that "it's pretty hard to deny this kid has done something amazing, no matter what you call it".[32] Writing forBillboard, Megan Buerger thoughtWorlds was "the next frontier" for Robinson, praising its focus on the individual instead of the collective. She described the album as "ideal headphone music",[33] whileRolling Stone's Elissa Stolman wrote 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 the album was "a necessary crosscurrent to the swells of EDM" even if it did not catalyze a new musical trend.[41]
Although some reviewers were critical of the album, they acknowledged it was evident Robinson had a promising career ahead of him.[10][17][35] Andy Kellman ofAllMusic felt that it was clear Robinson was yet to become accustomed to creating music outside the context of raves due to the album's "several clumsier moments".[17] Kellman, when considering Robinson's ambitions and accomplishments with the work, forecasted a "fascinating" career in his future.[17] WhilePitchfork's Larry Fitzmaurice did not findWorlds's style to be inventive, he admired the transition Robinson was making and wrote that his career seemed "extremely promising".[10] Sharon O'Connell ofUncut felt that many characterized Robinson as a stylistic pioneer, a view she disagreed with, but also wrote that "youth is on Robinson's side."[35]Q's Rupert Howe said that Robinson had fulfilled his reputation as an accomplished producer, but that, while having different aspirations than his peers, he "hasn't completely freed himself of their influence".[39]
Some reviewers thought that the record lacked coherence;[30][70]Consequence of Sound's Derek Staples felt that while reinventing EDM was a noble idea, Robinson's execution was weak, andWorlds more resembled a "remix compilation" than a proper album.[30] Others found the album unexciting.[31][36] Samuel Tolzmann ofSpectrum Culture wrote thatWorlds 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 ofWondering Sound said that little ofWorlds was memorable, suggesting that Robinson's personal universe felt notably derivative.[36]
Worlds was considered the second best album of the year byThump[71] and appeared in a list of best albums of the year byComplex.[72]
In the United States,Worlds debuted at number one onBillboard'sTop Dance/Electronic Albums, holding that position for a week. The album spent a total of 23 weeks on the chart.[73] OnBillboard 200, the magazine's main album chart, it peaked at number 18 and spent a total of seven weeks on the list.[74] In the United Kingdom, the album debuted and peaked at number 13 on theOfficial Charts Company'sUK Dance Albums[75] and at 86 on the company's main chart,UK Albums Chart.[76] The album also charted at number 13 in Australia[77] and 96 in the Netherlands.[78]
Worlds had a notable impact on the EDM scene. John Ochoa ofDJ 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] According to Ochoa, "Worlds was Robinson's attempt to change the course of an entire genre and scene. He succeeded."[3] Similarly, Kat Bein ofBillboard said that the album influenced "a generation of producers to make pretty, emotional dance music", as well as attempt live performances.[79] According toPaper's Matt Moen, a wave of artists would citeWorlds as a major influence,[80] and Krystal Rodriguez and Bein ofBillboard said thatWorlds and its tour became a model for a generation of young producers to emulate.[81] In November 2019,Billboard staff rankedWorlds as the fifteenth greatest dance album of the 2010s and as the ninety-seventh greatest album of the decade more broadly.[81][82]
As a result of the album's positive reception, Robinson had set high expectations for himself,[83] 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 ofwriter's block and depression, during which he released very little music.[84][85] Robinson's second studio album,Nurture, was released on April 23, 2021, seven years afterWorlds.[86] His experiences with his mental health during this time were reflected inNurture's lyrics.[87][88]
All tracks are written byPorter Robinson, with additional writers noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Divinity" (featuringAmy Millan) | 6:08 | |
| 2. | "Sad Machine" | 5:50 | |
| 3. | "Years of War" (featuringBreanne Düren andSean Caskey) |
| 3:56 |
| 4. | "Flicker" | 4:39 | |
| 5. | "Fresh Static Snow" | 5:58 | |
| 6. | "Polygon Dust" (featuringLemaitre) |
| 3:29 |
| 7. | "Hear the Bells" (featuringImaginary Cities) |
| 4:46 |
| 8. | "Natural Light" | 2:21 | |
| 9. | "Lionhearted" (featuringUrban 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Hollowheart" (featuring Amy Millan) | 3:50 |
| Total length: | 61:39 | |
| 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)[77] | 13 |
| Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[78] | 96 |
| UK Albums (OCC)[76] | 86 |
| UK Dance Albums (OCC)[75] | 13 |
| USBillboard 200[74] | 18 |
| USTop Dance Albums (Billboard)[73] | 1 |
