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A Different Kind of Human (Step 2)

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A Different Kind of Human (Step 2)
Aurora is against a reddish background with her eyes closed and thumbs under her chin while her palms are open. She has red marks on her skin and a black scarf around her neck.
Studio album by
Aurora
Released7 June 2019 (2019-06-07)
RecordedNovember 2018
Genre
Length40:04
Label
Producer
Aurora chronology
Infections of a Different Kind (Step 1)
(2018) 		A Different Kind of Human (Step 2)
(2019) 		The Gods We Can Touch
(2022)
Singles from A Different Kind of Human (Step 2)
  1. "Animal"
    Released: 24 January 2019
  2. "The Seed"
    Released: 5 April 2019
  3. "The River"
    Released: 10 May 2019
  4. "Apple Tree"
    Released: 26 September 2019
  5. "Daydreamer"
    Released: 1 November 2019

A Different Kind of Human (Step 2) is the third studio album by Norwegian singer-songwriter and record producer Aurora. It was released on 7 June 2019 by Decca and Glassnote Records.[1][2][3] It succeeds the album's first and previous chapter Infections of a Different Kind (Step 1), which was released in September 2018. Aurora collaborated with producers including Magnus Skylstad, MyRiot, Askjell Solstrand, Odd Martin, Mark Ralph, Toby Gad, and Kill Dave during its recording. It has been categorised to be a pop, art pop, and electropop concept album.

Background and production

[edit]

"My first album was a lot about looking inwards and working with your own demons, becoming a warrior for yourself. All in all, it's about becoming a warrior for the people that can't be a warrior for themselves yet, so that's why it's important that this album felt like it was sent to a different kind of human. It has this mix of the ancient and futuristic because we are in a very interesting time now, as humans; we are trying to learn how to live with the world, the technology, with us, and trying to balance it all in harmony."

—Aurora describing the concepts for A Different Kind of Human and the inspirations it took from her debut album.[4]

On the same day of the release of Infections of a Different Kind (Step 1), Aurora confirmed in an interview with NME that Step 2 would be released either in 2019 or 2020.[5] Months later, Aurora posted a photo which seems to be an alien invasion with a text that said "Something is coming in 2019" in Morse code, which hinted that Step 2 would be set to be released in 2019.[6]

On 24 December 2018, Aurora announced in an interview for Bergens Tidende that Step 2 is coming faster than expected, most likely because she and Magnus Skylstad had been in the studio for a very long time.[7] A Different Kind of Human (Step 2) was recorded in November 2018 in a "tiny room", in which Aurora and Skylstad did not sleep until the album completion.[8][9]

Music and lyrics

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Musically, A Different Kind of Human (Step 2) combines pop,[10] art pop,[11] and electropop,[12] while drawing influences from Native American, African, Norwegian and Japanese folk music.[4] The record has been described to be a concept album that tackles themes of ecological crisis that "aim at society's self-centred capitalistic apathy."[13]

Release and promotion

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On 18 February 2019, Aurora announced that the title would not be under the assumed title of Infections of a Different Kind (Step 2), and it would have a different name. "It's kind of what I would hope for the music to do to us", Aurora said about Step 2's title.[14] In a 2021 interview, she said that a third album in the series "is coming", but that "it's just not its time yet".[15]

Singles

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The album's first single, "Animal", was released on 24 January 2019 alongside a music video released the same day. At the end of March, "The Seed" was confirmed to be the second single from the project.[16] Following the announcement, the album title and tracklist were revealed on 4 April 2019. On 10 May 2019, the song "The River" was released as the album's third single. It was followed by the promotional single "A Different Kind of Human", released on 31 May 2019. The singles "Apple Tree" and "Daydreamer" were released on 26 September 2019 and 1 November 2019, respectively.

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.3/10[17]
Metacritic77/100[18]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[19]
Clash7/10[10]
Dork[20]
Gigwise[21]
The Guardian[12]
The Independent[13]
The Line of Best Fit9/10[22]
musicOMH[23]
NME[24]
The Young Folks9/10[25]

At Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews and ratings from mainstream publications, A Different Kind of Human (Step 2) received an average score of 77, based on 7 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[18]

AllMusic editor Marcy Donelson wrote that "while uneven, it's an album that sticks, both for its theatrical melodies and uncommon benevolence."[19] Michael Cragg of The Guardian suggested that the album "would have benefited from its predecessor's [Infections of a Different Kind (Step 1)] brevity" and added that it "deserves wider attention."[12] NME reviewer Andrew Trendell lauded the album's production, and message but commented that "Aurora's idiosyncrasies — which mostly set this album apart — sometimes also weigh it down."[24] Clash's Malvika Padin highlighted that "Aurora consistently plays to her lyrical strength, as meaningful words [...] make a home within the listeners psyche."[10]

Commercial performance

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A Different Kind of Human (Step 2) debuted at number four on the Norwegian VG-lista Topp 40 Album with first-week sales of 2,100 units, thus becoming Aurora's second top 5 record in the chart.[26] In the United Kingdom, the record peaked at number #32 on the UK Albums Chart.[27]

Track listing

[edit]
A Different Kind of Human (Step II) track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."The River"
3:37
2."Animal"
3:35
3."Dance on the Moon"
3:36
4."Daydreamer"
3:39
5."Hunger"
  • Aurora
  • Skylstad
2:46
6."Soulless Creatures"
  • Aksnes
  • Timothy Bran
  • Roy Kerr
  • Aurora
  • MyRiot[a]
5:02
7."In Bottles"
  • Aksnes
  • Skylstad
3:58
8."A Different Kind of Human"Aksnes
  • Aurora
  • Solstrand
  • Skylstad[b]
4:01
9."Apple Tree"
  • Aksnes
  • Skalnes
  • Skylstad
  • Aurora
  • Skylstad
  • Odd Martin[a]
3:08
10."The Seed"
4:26
11."Mothership"
  • Aurora
  • Solstrand
2:16
Total length:40:04

Notes

  • ^[a] signifies a co-producer
  • ^[b] signifies an additional producer.

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for A Different Kind of Human (Step 2)
Chart (2019) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[28] 52
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[29] 66
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[30] 172
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[31] 98
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[32] 58
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[33] 4
Norwegian Vinyl Albums (IFPI Norge)[34] 4
Scottish Albums (OCC)[35] 34
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[36] 54
UK Albums (OCC)[37] 32
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[38] 5
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[39] 21
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[40] 96

Certifications

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Certifications for A Different Kind of Human (Step 2)
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Norway (IFPI Norway)[41] Platinum 20,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

Release history

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Release dates and formats for A Different Kind of Human (Step 2)
Region Date Version Format Label Ref.
Various June 7, 2019 Standard
[42][43]
Japan September 16, 2020 Bonus Track CD Universal [44]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "AURORA announces new album 'A Different Kind Of Human'". Mystic Sons. Chris Bound. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  2. ^ "Aurora announces new album 'A Different Kind of Human'". DIY. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  3. ^ "Aurora releases new single 'The Seed' and announces new album". Gigwise. Elli Chappelhow. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  4. ^ a b Parkes, Jennifer (28 May 2019). "Aurora". Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  5. ^ Andrew Trendell (28 September 2018). "AURORA tells us about her surprise 'empowering' new album 'Infections Of A Different Kind - Step 1' - watch". NME.
  6. ^ "🐺AURORA🐺 on Instagram: '••• ~~~ ~~ • ~ •••• •• ~• ~~• •• ••• ~•~• ~~~ ~~ •• ~• ~~• •• ~• ••~~~ ~~~~~ •~~~~ ~~~~•'" – via Instagram.
  7. ^ "🐺AURORA🐺 on Instagram: 'This is an Aurora in her natural habitat. When you've been in the studio producing for too long. (Together with @producedbymagnus ) we've…'" – via Instagram.
  8. ^ "Aurora really is A Different Kind of Human". House of Solo. No. 10. Summer 2019.
  9. ^ bsidestv (12 March 2019). "B-Sides On-Air: Interview - Aurora Talks 'Infections of A Different Kind', New Music" – via YouTube.
  10. ^ a b c Padin, Malvika (14 June 2019). "Aurora - A Different Kind Of Human". Clash. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  11. ^ Brimstin, Chelsea (7 June 2019). "Stream: AURORA Drops New Conceptual Art-Pop Record 'A Different Kind of Human (Step II)'". Indie88. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  12. ^ a b c Cragg, Michael (7 June 2019). "Aurora: A Different Kind of Human: Step II review – idiosyncratic singer's dark electro-pop". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  13. ^ a b Bray, Elisa (6 June 2019). "Album reviews: Aurora – A Different Kind of Human, and Perry Farrell – Kind Heaven". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 June 2019. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  14. ^ RIML_TV (18 February 2019). "Aurora - Records In My Life (2019 Interview)" – via YouTube.
  15. ^ Atkinson, Meg (25 September 2021). "Aurora". HATC. Archived from the original on 4 October 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Musikknyheter.no - – Dette blir min første store norgesturne". www.musikknyheter.no (in Norwegian).
  17. ^ "A Different Kind Of Human - Step 2 by Aurora reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  18. ^ a b "Reviews for A Different Kind of Human (Step 2) by AURORA". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. 7 June 2016. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  19. ^ a b Donelson, Marcy (7 June 2019). "Step 2: A Different Kind of Human – Aurora". AllMusic. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  20. ^ Harrison, Dan (6 June 2019). "Aurora – A Different Kind of Human (Step 2)". Retrieved 26 February 2023. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  21. ^ Hope, Julia (26 June 2019). "Album Review: Aurora – A Different Kind Of Human - Step 2". Gigwise. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  22. ^ Bray, Jack (7 June 2019). "A Different Kind of Human is a thrilling step forward for Aurora". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  23. ^ Hogwood, Ben (10 June 2019). "Aurora – A Different Kind Of Human". MusicOMH. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
  24. ^ a b Trendell, Andrew (13 June 2019). "Aurora – 'A Different Kind Of Human (Step 2)' review". NME. Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  25. ^ Anger, Georgia (15 June 2019). "Album Review: AURORA – "A Different Kind of Human (Step 2)"". The Young Folks. Archived from the original on 17 June 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  26. ^ "A Different Kind Of Human – Step 2". VG-lista. Verdens Gang. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  27. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. June 21, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  28. ^ "ARIA Chart Watch #529". auspOp. 15 June 2019. Archived from the original on 18 June 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  29. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Aurora %5BNO%5D – A Different Kind of Human - Step 2" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  30. ^ "Ultratop.be – Aurora %5BNO%5D – A Different Kind of Human - Step 2" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  31. ^ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 24.Týden 2019 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  32. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Aurora %5BNO%5D – A Different Kind of Human - Step 2" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 14 June 2019.
  33. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Aurora %5BNO%5D – A Different Kind of Human - Step 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  34. ^ "Vinyl 2019 uke 24". Topplista. 20 June 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  35. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  36. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Aurora %5BNO%5D – A Different Kind of Human - Step 2". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  37. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  38. ^ "Aurora Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  39. ^ "Aurora Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  40. ^ "Aurora Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  41. ^ "Norwegian album certifications – AURORA – A Different Kind of Human - Step II" (in Norwegian). IFPI Norway. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  42. ^ "A Different Kind of Human". Universal Music Online Shop. Archived from the original on 2021-04-26. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  43. ^ AURORA (7 June 2019). "A Different Kind of Human (Step II)". Apple Music (US). Archived from the original on 2019-06-08. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  44. ^ AURORA. "Infections Of A Different Kind Of Human [Japan Bonus Track] | CD Album". CDJapan. Archived from the original on 2020-09-26.
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