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Aa (album)

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Aa
Studio album by
Baauer
ReleasedMarch 18, 2016
Recorded2014–2016
Genre
Length33:27
LabelLuckyMe
Producer
  • Baauer
  • Noah Beresin
  • Mason Klein (exec.)
Baauer chronology
ß
(2014) 		Aa
(2016) 		Planet's Mad
(2020)
Singles from Aa
  1. "GoGo!"
    Released: October 20, 2015
  2. "Day Ones"
    Released: January 28, 2016[1]
  3. "Temple"
    Released: March 16, 2016[2]

Aa (pronounced "double a"[1][2][3]) is the debut studio album by American record producer Harry Rodrigues, under his alias Baauer, released by LuckyMe on March 18, 2016. It has guest features by Future, G-Dragon, Leikeli47, M.I.A., Novelist, Pusha T, Rustie, Tirzah and TT the Artist.

Background and recording

[edit]

That song ["Harlem Shake"] gave me the opportunity to travel the world. The whole world. And in doing so learnt more about music than I could have ever imagined. But more so than anything I discovered, what makes a sound special to me is its imperfections, its peculiarities. I spent the last couple years trying to get all of those imperfections into one record, and I think finally it makes sense.

- Rodrigues, 2016[3]

After Rodrigues' debut single, "Harlem Shake", spawned numerous Internet memes, he stated that "it became corny and annoying as fuck".[4] He also stated: "I didn't want to be an EDM producer and I still don't want to be".[5]

The album is named after Rodrigues' stage name, Baauer.[6][7] He said: "I have two A's in my name, and also the first release I did on LuckyMe was ß, so this is gonna be Aa and in the future I'll do a U, and then ER".[7]

Rodrigues recorded the album in Glasgow, Japan and the United Arab Emirates[8] for "at least two years".[6]

Music

[edit]

Aa is an electronic,[9] trap,[10] bass[11] and hip hop[10][12] album. It is also influenced by M.I.A. and tribal music.[8][12]

Artwork

[edit]

The artwork was designed by Jonathan Zawada and Dominic Flannigan.[13][14] It depicts a tree rising from an upturned motorcycle helmet, which is a reference to the "Harlem Shake" music videos.[8]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.4/10[15]
Metacritic76/100[16]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[17]
Clash5/10[18]
Consequence of SoundB[11]
Exclaim!9/10[19]
The Guardian[20]
Pitchfork7.3/10[9]
Q[16]
Resident Advisor3.3/5[21]
Rolling Stone Australia[22]
The Skinny[12]

At review aggregate site Metacritic, Aa has an average score of 76 out of 100, based on 11 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[16]

Accolades

[edit]
Accolades for Aa
Publication Accolade Rank
Billboard 10 Best Dance/Electronic Albums of 2016[23] 9
Complex 50 Best Albums of the Year[24] 35

Track listing

[edit]
Aa[25]
No.TitleLength
1."Church"1:45
2."GoGo!"3:14
3."Body"3:31
4."Pinku"2:05
5."Sow"3:11
6."Day Ones" (featuring Novelist and Leikeli47)2:51
7."Good & Bad"1:09
8."Way from Me" (featuring Tirzah)3:17
9."Temple" (featuring M.I.A. and G-Dragon)3:05
10."Make It Bang" (featuring TT the Artist)3:20
11."Kung Fu" (featuring Pusha T and Future)2:34
12."Church Reprise" (featuring Rustie)1:32
13."Aa"1:15
Total length:33:27

Personnel

[edit]

Credits for Aa.[14][26]

  • Baauer – producer, writer, recording
  • Caleb Leven – vocal engineering
  • Dominic Flannigan – design
  • Future – vocals ("Kung Fu")
  • G-Dragon – vocals ("Temple")
  • Joe LaPorta – mastering
  • Johnatan Zawada – design
  • Leikeli47 – vocals ("Day Ones")
  • Mason Klein – executive producer
  • M.I.A. – vocals ("Temple")
  • Noah Beresin – production ("Church", "Way from Me", "Temple")
  • Novelist – vocals ("Day Ones")
  • Pusha T – vocals ("Kung Fu")
  • Rustie – guitar ("Church Reprise")
  • Ryan Schwabe – mixing, vocal engineering
  • Stewart Hawkes – mastering
  • S-Type – additional production
  • Tirzah – vocals ("Way from Me")
  • TT The Artist – vocals ("Make It Bang")

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Aa
Chart (2016) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[27] 52
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[28] 11
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[29] 3

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Minsker, Evan (January 28, 2016). "Baauer's Debut Album Aa Features M.I.A, Future, Pusha T, Rustie; Performs "Day Ones" on "Colbert"". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Hear Baauer, M.I.A., G-Dragon Team for Booming 'Temple'". Rolling Stone. March 16, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  3. ^ a b Hughes, Josiah (January 28, 2016). "Baauer Taps Pusha T, Future, M.I.A. for Debut Album". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  4. ^ Beta, Andy (February 17, 2016). "Baauer Is Shaking Off the Blessing and Curse of Meme Stardom". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  5. ^ McQuaid, Ian (March 16, 2016). "'It became me, that was all I was': can the man who made the Harlem Shake escape its shadow?". The Guardian. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  6. ^ a b Fintoni, Laurent. "Baauer's World-Sampling Sounds Are Bigger Than The Internet". The Fader. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Baauer's Post-"Harlem Shake" Renaissance". Complex. March 15, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  8. ^ a b c Bulut, Selim (15 March 2016). "Baauer's journey from college beatmaker to hip-hop boss". Dazed. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  9. ^ a b Bromwich, Jonah (March 22, 2016). "Baauer: Aa Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  10. ^ a b Rivitz, Will (March 30, 2016). "Baauer: Aa". PopMatters. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  11. ^ a b Staples, Derek (March 17, 2016). "Baauer – Aa". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  12. ^ a b c Sully, George (March 2, 2016). "Baauer: Aa – Debut album review". The Skinny. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  13. ^ "Baauer - Aa - LuckyMe". Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  14. ^ a b "Aa - Baauer | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  15. ^ "Aa by Baauer reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  16. ^ a b c "Critic Reviews for Aa". Metacritic. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  17. ^ Jeffries, David. "Aa – Baauer". AllMusic. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  18. ^ Kilpin, James (March 17, 2016). "Baauer – Aa". Clash. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  19. ^ Keating, Daryl (March 16, 2016). "Baauer Aa". Exclaim!. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  20. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (March 17, 2016). "Baauer: Aa review – Harlem Shake hitmaker delivers up-and-down album". The Guardian. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  21. ^ Ryce, Andrew (March 15, 2016). "Baauer – Aa". Resident Advisor. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  22. ^ Wallen, Doug (March 24, 2016). "Baauer – Aa". Rolling Stone Australia. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  23. ^ Medved, Matt; Bein, Kat; Leight, Elias (December 13, 2016). "Billboard's 10 Best Dance/Electronic Albums of 2016: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  24. ^ "50 Best Albums of 2016 | 35. Baauer, Aa". Complex. December 15, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  25. ^ "Aa by Baauer on Apple Music". iTunes. March 18, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  26. ^ "Baauer - Aa (CD, Album)". Discogs. 18 March 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  27. ^ Ryan, Gavin (March 26, 2016). "ARIA Albums: Violent Soho 'Waco' Is No 1". Noise11. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  28. ^ "Baauer Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
  29. ^ "Baauer Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
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