‘Knock Yourself Out XD’ - Porter Robinson REVIEW: Porter’s “Most Heartbreaking Work Yet” Sounds Anything But

Artist: Porter Robinson EP: Knock Yourself Out XD Genre: Dance/Electronic, Synth Pop, Indie Pop Release Date: April 24th, 2024

If you saw Porter Robinson in the airport, would you ask for a picture?

“Crying at the airport

"I'm sorry, can I get a pic?"

Telling me a sad story

Another reason not to quit”

If you did, and told him about how about how you’ve rewatched the live edit of Sad Machine more times than you can count because that second drop is one of the best moments in all of music, then you’re (I’m) part of the problem.

Cosplaying as an irreverent, hyper-successful celebrity figure, ‘Knock Yourself Out XD’ has the braggadocio of a rap song: “got a hundred million on my wrist,” “I drive a new bugatti, not a mercedez benz.” Success and riches come with so many problems... This character, living in a world where he “wouldn’t know how to brush [his] teeth without asking [his] team” is a brilliant mirror of today’s influencer-as-musician culture. Tongue in cheek as it is, he’s still saying, “how did I end up here, in this world of massive material wealth?”

Porter has some of the most intense fans in the music world - a side effect of making some of the best music in the music world. Ask a Porter Robinson fan their favorite Porter song, and they’ll likely tell you that their favorite song saved their life. His impact is undeniable, and expectations for him are is as high as can be. I can’t imagine this narrative is as satirical as intended.

It's brimming with earworms and effortlessly enjoyable. This fresh style, leaning more towards hyperpop and chiptune influences compared to his earlier work, might deter certain fans. It's commendable, as always, how Robinson reinvents his style with each new album release - we’ll see how the album turns out to be “his saddest yet.”

‘Knock Yourself Out XD’ Lyrics:

I threw my phone into the sea
Simple human being
Wouldn't know how to brush my teeth
Without asking my team
Living in the afterglow of everything you feel
But, baby, I'm a short-lived joke
As soulless as I seem

And I'm everything you talk about
Why should you keep letting yourself be let down?
If I'm everything you talk about
I'm in the mirror, baby, let it all out
Knock yourself out
Knock yourself out

Don't know my schedule on the fifth
Bitch, I'm Taylor Swift
Got a hundred million on my wrist
Physically sick
Crying at the airport
"I'm sorry, can I get a pic?"
Telling me a sad story
Another reason not to quit

And I'm everything you talk about
Why should you keep letting yourself be let down?
If I'm еverything you talk about
I'm in the mirror, baby, let it all out
Knock yoursеlf out

(Four, three, two, one)

I wear a big smile, got a drink in my hand
I got a face tattoo, I'm not a regular man
You gotta hold on, I'll tell you 'bout it again
I got a brand new feeling in the back of my head
I wear a big smile, got a drink in my hand
I drive a new Bugatti, not a Mercedes Benz
You gotta hold on, I'll tell you 'bout it again
I got a brand new feeling in the back of my head
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)

Also, check out one of our favorite live music moments of all time - from Porter’s ‘Worlds’ Tour

Porter Robinson’s upcoming album, ‘SMILE! :D” is set to release on July 26th

https://store.porterrobinson.com/products/porter-robinson-smile-d-standard-2lp

Check him out on socials:

https://store.porterrobinson.com/

https://www.instagram.com/porterrobinson?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

https://open.spotify.com/artist/3dz0NnIZhtKKeXZxLOxCam?si=PBcjJil8RvKWnSFCDFqIqA

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