Porter Robinson Embraces Emo Pop and Tells You to ‘SMILE! :D’

In Porter Robinson**’s third album, SMILE! :D, he revisits the Myspace era by coding ten tracks that challenge the authenticity of social media and real life.**

Teenagers during the mid-to-late 2000s became the first young generation to experience the start of the social media landscape. After a full day of school, many teens would start their computers when they arrived home and open AOL Instant Messenger or Myspace to continue chatting about the latest gossip. These online conversations felt as if you were hosting an exclusive after-party in your bedroom. Early social media also unlocked another new capability: you could express yourself in ways not bound by the typical in-person teenage judgment.

In SMILE! :D, Porter Robinson, a teenager throughout the Myspace era, revisits the music of adolescent years by coding ten tracks that challenge the authenticity of social media and real life. But instead of reclaiming his early “complextro” sound, a subgenre of electro house that he helped pioneer during his teens, Porter is diving into the emo-pop genre popular among his peers. It’s a fitting move for the Grammy-nominated producer, given that he has progressively embraced the frontman role since singing on his debut album, Worlds.

Three of the four project’s lead singles—“Knock Yourself Out XD,” “Cheerleader,” and “Russian Roulette”—kick off the album with punk guitar riffs, glitched synths, and big hooks, generating a sugary high that masks the songs’ melodies of unfulfillment, unhealthy relationship boundaries, and suicide. But after the rush wears off, the 32-year-old producer leads the listener to a track with a surprising sample.

“Year of the Cup,” which features Lil Wayne talking about what was in his famous “sizzurp cup,” Porter Robinson describes his early struggle with alcohol and rising fame and the shame of his old “irresponsible mantra: ‘I’m sorry I’m like this.’” In this record, you can hear the influence of Jack’s Mannequin, a mid-2000s solo project of Andrew McMahon, as Porter’s soulful ballads accompany the piano’s upbeat tune. But if you listen closely and listen to the whole Lil Wayne interview, the song is about appreciating your individuality and commenting on how you compare yourself to others online when you should spend your time and energy on self-improvement instead.

Other emo stars of the Myspace era—like Hellogoodbye, Never Shout Never, and nickasaur!—can also be heard throughout the album, especially on the screamo yet catchy anthem “Mona Lisa (featuring Frost Children).” The distorted electric guitars are juxtaposed against shifting vocals, allowing the auto-tune to warble Porter’s and Frost Children’s voices to create an experimental pop havoc that overloads your senses.

In the penultimate track, “Is There Really No Happiness?,” he shows us he’s ready to be seen as a mainstream pop star. His soaring lyrics of nostalgia, paired with the backing of a fluttering chorus and an unstrained pop-rock beat, create a cinematic exuberance that Top 40 songs are designed to do.

Porter’s third album is another massive shift for Porter Robinson, a pattern evident throughout his career. During the recent Nurture era, after dealing with years of self-doubt and high expectations, he pivoted away from the euphoric faraway soundscapes he created in Worlds. However, this latest project pushes him further from the world of dance music, but he’s human, and we, as human beings, are naturally driven to seek growth and change.

In the 2014 infamous “EDM is entertainment, not art” interview, which he has since walked back on, Porter Robinson said that the inspiration behind shifting his sound is “more of a personal thing,” which has been true after each album release. But if you’re asking why he’s embracing emo-pop music now, then I suggest listening to the album more than once because if you listen to a pop record long enough, the daily harsh realities start to blur away, happiness starts to feel possible, and, authentically, a smile appears.

Give SMILE! :D a listen on Spotify or your preferred platform, and follow Porter Robinson for the latest updates on his releases, tour dates, and more.