Porter Robinson's expertise in electronic music was clear from his debut release Worlds, and after a six-year wait, we finally get to see how his craft has evolved in his new album Nurture. Something Comforting came off as the second single for Nurture, releasing a whole year before the album itself, and has been my favourite track from him since then.
A lot of his signature sounds are featured in this track, including synths, artificially pitched up vocals, cheerful ambience and lovely piano melodies. We hear a lot more of his vocals in this track than usual, even with the altered voice excluded, and it's interesting how he can create such a unique dynamic between both vocals. The electronic elements and overall sound of this song is very euphoric, and I love the hopeful tone and message of the song.
It definitely fits the bill to be cathartic to some people, especially those dealing with perfectionism or depression. Knowing this song was written when he was dealing with it himself, makes this song feel so much more genuine and heartfelt, but there's no doubt you can feel the emotions he's injected into this track. His dual vocal dynamic with the higher-pitched version adds a lot to the song's essence as well, almost painting a picture of his internal dialogue, one voice being more cynical and one voice being more hopeful. When the voices match up singing the same line in the last few moments of the song, I always like to think that it's about getting through the depression and making it out, with both voices on the same page. The stripped piano segment at the end resolves the story in a positive tone, and it's just such an overall uplifting song to listen to.
Whether or not you relate to the message, this song definitely has that same monumental vibe that songs like Goodbye To A World have. I marvel at his ability to sculpt soundscapes so full of life and paint a picturesque visual specific to the story he's telling. Something Comforting, like a few other songs on Nurture, sound like lying down on a grassy hill staring up at the sky (which is a lot like the album cover, if he was facing up instead of down). The attention to detail in this song is unmatched and you can tell he's worked a lot on this song.
His iconic electronic sound is still very much alive and kicking, especially in this song, and this song is just a blessing to my ears. It's birthdate in 2020 definitely helped a lot of people through those tough times, me included, and it has a special place in my heart for what it meant to me then. A lovely tune overall, and I never hesitate to spin it when it comes up.
Rating: 5/5
