Unfold (Porter Robinson Song)
Background and composition
I remember a moment with [Higginbottom] where I was just like, "Dude, I don't know about this. It's cool, I think we can come up with something a little more special." It was like if you're a little bit drunk and somebody hits you with ice water in the face. They're like, "Dude, sober up." He was like, "This is really great. Just sit down on the chair and keep producing for another hour and see what happens." And I've carried that voice with me to the studio so much for the ensuing couple of years.
Following the release of his previous album Worlds (2014), Robinson had set high expectations for himself, saying in 2018 that he felt he was "under a lot of pressure to do something akin to a follow-up". However, in the years following the album's release, this led to an extended period of depression and writer's block during which he released very little music. According to Robinson, Nurture (2021) was a way of "finding the beauty in everyday and reality as it is". Dancing Astronaut's David Klemow felt that "Unfold" also reflects Robinson's struggles with depression and his fear of being unable to live up to the standard of Worlds.
Being a longtime admirer of Higginbottom's music, Robinson decided to collaborate with him for a song on Nurture. During the writing process, Higginbottom expressed his appreciation for "Sea of Voices" (2014), a song from Worlds. This led Robinson to write the instrumentation in a similar style to his older music, while still retaining some distinctive elements of his newer works. Robinson's own singing voice – which can be heard on the other singles from the album – appears on this song, increased in pitch to sound more feminine. As a result of "Unfold" now talking on a more maximalist tone, Robinson made the decision to place it towards the conclusion of the record rather than earlier, as he felt it to be "an end-of-album moment".
Release and critical reception
"Unfold" was released by Mom + Pop Music on April 22, 2021. The song was mostly acclaimed by critics, who noted its highly emotional writing. Magnetic Magazine's Ryan Middleton felt that the song was Nurture's "crown jewel", commending the collaboration between Robinson and Higginbottom, and comparing it favorably with Robinson's previous collaborative works "Easy" (2013) and "Shelter" (2016). Klemow also praised Higginbottom's involvement, saying that his "stylistic sensibilities [elevate] the best of [Robinson]'s sonic qualities".
Reviewers noted that while the song contains strong electronic elements – The Fader's Jordan Darville calling the song Nurture's "most rave-minded track" – it also combines them with shoegaze stylistic influences. PopMatters's Chris Conaton felt that the song places more emphasis on vocal melodies, using the instruments in a more secondary role. While Triple J's Sose Fuamoli felt that the drums were "punching" and "emphatic", Slant's Charles Lyons-Burt found them to be "diffuse" and "evocative of clanging sheet metal". In the context of Nurture's other songs, The Line of Best Fit's Sophie Walker felt that the song was "somewhat anticlimactic thirteen tracks deep".
A lyric video for the song was released on YouTube on May 19, 2021. The video was made by Eric Ko with creative direction by Robinson and Samuel Burgess-Johnson, who has collaborated with Robinson on other music videos.
Charts
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard) | 19 |
Notes
- ^ Though they are not listed as collaborators on the songs, Robinson has stated that "Musician" features samples taken from an unreleased song he made in collaboration with Kero Kero Bonito, some instruments on "Wind Tempos" were performed by Masakatsu Takagi, and that the guitar part on "Look at the Sky" was performed by Yvette Young. Additionally, the Japan-only release of Nurture features a bonus track titled "Fullmoon Lullaby", a collaboration with Wednesday Campanella.
- ^ Attributed to multiple sources:
References
- ^ Simpson, Paul. "Porter Robinson – Nurture". AllMusic. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ "Nurture by Porter Robinson on Apple Music". Apple Music. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
- ^ Robinson, Porter [@porterrobinson] (April 23, 2021). "the guitar in this part is played by one of my musical heroes yvette young !! @youyve #nurture" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Robinson, Porter (2021). Nurture (CD). Japan: Sony Records International. SICX-154.
- ^ Darville, Jordan (April 22, 2021). "Porter Robinson shares 'Unfold' featuring Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs". The Fader. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
- ^ Ochefu, Christine; Simpson, Dave; Snapes, Laura (April 27, 2021). "'If not hope, then what?': the musicians finding optimism in dark times". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 27, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
- ^ "Porter Robinson: 'Calvin Harris was really inspirational for Virtual Self'". DJ Mag. April 10, 2018. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
- ^ Pappis, Konstantinos (April 29, 2021). "Album Review: Porter Robinson, Nurture". Our Culture Mag. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
- ^ Walker, Sophie (August 27, 2020). "Ego death". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
- ^ Jolley, Ben (April 22, 2021). "Porter Robinson: 'I felt convinced that I wouldn't be able to ever make music again'". NME. Archived from the original on October 10, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
- ^ Klemow, David (April 22, 2021). "Ahead of Nurture release, Porter Robinson shares 'Unfold' with Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs". Dancing Astronaut. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
- ^ Meadow, Matthew (April 22, 2021). "Porter Robinson releases one last single, with TEED, before album release tomorrow". YourEDM. Archived from the original on July 31, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
- ^ Joyce, Colin. "Porter Robinson: Nurture". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
- ^ Moen, Matt (August 24, 2021). "Let Porter Robinson 'Nurture' you". Paper. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
- ^ Conaton, Chris (June 7, 2021). "Porter Robinson's Nurture combines piano, electronics, and big pop hooks". PopMatters. Archived from the original on November 8, 2021. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
- ^ Fuamoli, Sose (April 29, 2021). "Porter Robinson's Nurture is an album that found light in the dark". Triple J. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ Lyons-Burt, Charles (April 22, 2021). "Porter Robinson's Nurture revels in a constant state of change". Slant. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ Middleton, Ryan (April 23, 2021). "Album Review: Porter Robinson – Nurture". Magnetic Magazine. Archived from the original on May 23, 2021. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ Walker, Sophie. "Collecting the fragments of an identity shattered, Nurture sees Porter Robinson rebuilding himself". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
- ^ "Unfold (Official Lyric Video)". Porter Robinson. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Porter Robinson Chart History (Hot Dance/Electronic Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 15, 2021.