I was recently tasked with ranking my top 10 records of this decade so far, and after a bit of thought, I realised that Porter Robinson's 2021 record Nurture takes my top spot by quite a margin. Realising this, and also because I am finally going to see Porter live soon, I wanted to say a few things about this record.
When this record came out I was already familiar with Porter's previous record Worlds, as I had been introduced to it by my best friend and I really liked that record and still do. So naturally I was curious about Nurture, but I didn't expect it to impact me as much as it did. Since this record came out it's become one of my all time go to's, whenever I feel stressed or down this is the record that I go to. After a long day, this record really feels like it's cover, a soft field of flowers that you can lie in and feel the stress leave your body. It feels like a place of rest where nothing is expected of you but to listen and let the atmosphere was over you.
Porter sets this mood perfectly with a mix of honest and relatable lyrics, something he would continue on his third record SMILE! :D on tracks like Russian Roulette, and instrumentals that influenced by both his EDM past and current pop and folktronica. The intro track Lifelike sets the mood with a short folky instrumental before the record takes off with the second track Look at the Sky, a song about Porters struggle with his own creativity and depression, the reason for the long wait between Worlds and this record, singing: "Look at the sky, I'm still here / I'll believe next year / I can make something good, oh / Something good".
On Get Your Wish he discusses his struggle with fame and whether it has really made him as happy as he used ounce thought it would: "So tell me how it felt / When you walked on water / Did you get your wish? / Floating to the surface / Quicker than you sank / Idol, idol", with the answer given in the second verse: "Don't say you lose just yet / Get up and move ahead / And not only for yourself / 'Cause that's your role / The work that stirred your soul / You can make it for someone else". Wind Tempos is a mostly instrumental cut that feels even more intimate than the rest of the record, like meditating in the wild while the wind is touching your skin. After that we come to Musician an upbeat dance pop banger on which Porter reaffirms his love for music and his dedication to it, even when others around him tell him to do something else: "Then they say, "Fine / Well, do what you need to / But I don't wanna see you wasting your life / Now isn't it time to get a job?" / Oh it's calling / I just can't stop, I'm sorry /... / Can't you feel what I'm feeling / I can see my life so clear".
do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do is another playful, mostly, instrumental cut in the vein of wind tempos. Mother describes Porter's relationship with his mum after he moved out. The song's lyrics alternate between his and his mother's perspectives, with her assuring him that even though he has moved, she will always be by his side : "I'm on your side for the rest of your life / You'll never be alone, don't you worry, my child / And now there's an empty room you outgrew / But I'm here for you, ohh ohh". dullscythe takes the record in a slightly different direction with a sort of experimental EDM banger without any lyrics, before the record goes into the first of it's two love songs Sweet Time. On Mirror Porter talks to his inner self and reflects on how criticizing ourselves can be both encouraging and discouraging, depending on how you choose to deal with it: "Sometimes, the inner voice is encouraging / Calling for you to run those final few yards / You're nearly there, keep going, keep going, keep going, keep going / It will all be okay in the end". Something Comforting is a song about reaching out for help and seeking reassurance. Porter is struggling to keep going thinking that there might be something inherently wrong with him: "Cause getting made you want more / And hoping made you hurt more / Oh, there must be / Something wrong with me / ... / Someone tell me / Something comforting". It encapsulates many of the lyrical themes found throughout the whole record and also represents the feeling of the record, being something comforting.
Blossom is an acoustic ballad and a love letter to his wife, the song is instrumentally simple compared to the rest of the record, but this works in its favour as it amplifies the intimacy expressed with just Porter's voice and a guitar. Blossom is followed by Unfold, my personal favourite from the record. It's a life affirming song whose chorus describes a euphoric state of overcoming a depressive state and entering into a new era in your life: "And I watched the water unfold / It's a feeling I want you to know / 'Cause I'm not the same as I was / As I shoulder the weight of the world". After all the struggle and self doubt, Porter has finally managed to overcome it all and is now ready to take on the world. Trying to Feel Alive ends the record on an introspective note, again, reflecting on Porter's post Worlds struggles with the ultimate conclusion being that maybe it wasn't all so bad, maybe he needed the struggle or in his words: "Maybe it's a gift that I couldn't recognize / Trying to feel alive".
Nurture is a record about growth, about relationships and overcoming struggles. It takes you on a journey through the headspace Porter was in at the time and it takes you into its arms, makes you feel understood and tells you that everything is going to be be fine, whether you are feeling stressed out or down at the moment, one day the water will unfold and you will come out on the other side.
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