Though competition for the title is certainly fierce, Porter Robinson was/is a defining face of EDM in the 2010s. His debut album, Worlds, charted multiple songs, and was a frequent face in best-of lists, even best-of-decade fare. All this is only made more impressive by the fact he was 19 at the time of its release. The promise showcased in that piece came extremely close to never panning out. Robinson took an extended hiatus from music as family troubles & personal tribulations made exploring his newfound fame an impossibility. He just returned for his third studio album, offering up poignant reflections on that period in the process. Here’s a breakdown of SMILE 😀, the latest Porter Robinson album through the lens of its three best songs.
“KNOCK YOURSELF OUT” Kicks Off SMILE 😀 For Porter Robinson
As far as tone setters go, you’ll struggle to find many as effective as “KNOCK YOURSELF OUT.” Heavily hyper-pop-inspired and led by Robinson’s vocals, the song is the furthest cry from “Goodbye to a World” fare, but is addictive all the same. With newfound boisterousness and charm, he sets up how he once viewed his own fame: “Hundred thousand on my wrist/Physically sick/Don’t know my schedule on the fifth/B**** I’m Taylor Swift.” It’s just how out of place those lines over what sounds like a Kero Kero Bonito composition make them so memorable, and this opener so gripping from the moment it kicks off.
“Cheerleader” Builds An Unsettling Ballad In Its Hyper-pop World
From there, “Cheerleader” continues the manic atmosphere, this time examining parasocial relationships through the lens of a typical lovesong. Wrestling with the weighty expectations that his fanbase placed on him during his “prime,” Robinson reaches a conclusion by the end of the song that, during his time away from the spotlight, having a reliable “cheerleader” was worth any other negatives that came with it. Once again, the reflections here are severe and cutting, but it’s almost easy to look over them with the sheer amount of stimulation coming at you. A smattering of synths that sound like an F1 race and Robinson’s vocal talents truly shine as he channels mid-2000s emo.
“Russian Roulette” Sees Porter Robinson Create SMILE 😀‘s Climax
While the storytelling and songwriting ability Porter Robinson displays on SMILE 😀 runs constant through the whole project, “Russian Roulette” closes out the opening stretch that goes furthest in showcasing it. The lyrics on this song are something you should truly experience for yourself. But, for the sake of brevity, Robinson struggles with suicidal thoughts in the opening half. He’s worn down, constantly under a microscope as part and parcel of his occupation. Eventually, he becomes disillusioned with the thought of continuing on.
However, in a quieted bridge, he declares, “I wanna see my mom one more time… play my songs one more time… play in the snow one more time… thank my dad one more time.” He builds up affirmations one by one as he drags himself to the triumphant line, “I wanna live.” It’s a subject not many would embrace so willingly. If there’s one song you can’t miss here, it’s “Russian Roulette.”
To be sure, SMILE 😀 is a spectacular album, and its highlights don’t end with just those three tracks. But, Porter Robinson does an excellent job telegraphing his reinvention with its opening. Tracks like “Mona Lisa,” “Kitsune Maison Freestyle” & “Perfect Pinterest Garden” cement this as (at least in this writer’s opinion) his greatest work yet. No matter what transpires in his next chapter, he’s earned a ton of goodwill for what he chooses to do.
You can stream SMILE 😀 and all of the Porter Robinson backlog on streaming platforms everywhere.
