Worlds

With rising drug-related arrests (and recent deaths) at EDM festivals, it's only natural that Porter Robinson is a little burned out (hehe) by the scene. Tired of the big bass/EDM tracks that got him on stage, Robinson is more than willing to step away from fast-paced, ecstasy-laden tracks meant to entertain hordes of pogoers, but that doesn't stop him from throwing them in.

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My picks: 10, 8, 2, 5
1. "Divinity" (featuring Amy Millan) (6:08) Static-y swells interlaced around chiptunes and female vocals. Dubstep -> Dreamy
2. *"Sad Machine" (5:50) Sparkly duet with vocoded female. Massive soundscape, but not afraid to take a step back and quiet down. Reminds me of material Passion Pit's self-titled 2008 album.
3. "Years of War" (featuring Breanne Düren and Sean Caskey) (3:56) EDM/trance synths, but with a deep, marching beat that gives it a new spin. Gritty sawtooths float behind everything.
4. "Flicker" (4:39) Synthpop vibe, Japanese vocals. Howeveer, it's a little too brosteppy to be unique.
5. *"Fresh Static Snow" (5:58) Mmm, crunchy. Daft Punk-(RAM-era)esque.
6. "Polygon Dust" (featuring Lemaitre) (3:29) I can definitely hear Lemaitre's input on this one (similar synths to "Iron Pyrite"). Chiptune chunks give it a retro feel, but the bass reminds me more of 2009-step)
7. "Hear the Bells" (featuring Imaginary Cities) (4:46) Chorus on top bright (but loud) bass. I'm confused by this odd combo, and it's a little too similar to 6 and 3.
8. *"Natural Light" (2:21) THIS IS WHAT I HOPED FOR FROM PR. Laid-back elements emblematic of artists like M83 and Tycho, but with a sweeping bass and more chimes!
9. "Lionhearted" (featuring Urban Cone) (4:26) Grinding EDM sections separated by Passion Pit-esque choral synthpop interludes.
10. ****"Sea of Voices" (4:58) Slow buildup (no drums until 3:15), but it adds to the magic. Kaleidoscopic synths leave no gap unfilled.
11. "Fellow Feeling" (5:50) String ensemble plays emotiona- JK PREPARE YOUR EARS. Dark, grating, overall "WHAT IS THIS???"
12. "Goodbye To a World" (5:28) Female vocoder on top of driving quiet piano meets standard EDM beat. Backing reminds me of Mega Man: Battle Network 3 (PR definitely has some classic vgm roots).