Aa (album)

Last updated
Aa
Baauer - Aa cover.jpg
Studio album by
Baauer
ReleasedMarch 18, 2016
Recorded2014–2016
Genre
Length33:27
Label LuckyMe
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.

Contents

Background and recording

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

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

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

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.4/10 [15]
Metacritic 76/100 [16]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [17]
Clash 5/10 [18]
Consequence of Sound B [11]
Exclaim! 9/10 [19]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [20]
Pitchfork 7.3/10 [9]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [16]
Resident Advisor 3.3/5 [21]
Rolling Stone Australia Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [22]
The Skinny Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [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

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

Track listing

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

Credits for Aa. [14] [26]

Charts

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

  1. 1 2 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. 1 2 "Hear Baauer, M.I.A., G-Dragon Team for Booming 'Temple'". Rolling Stone . March 16, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  3. 1 2 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. 1 2 Fintoni, Laurent. "Baauer's World-Sampling Sounds Are Bigger Than The Internet". The Fader . Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  7. 1 2 "Baauer's Post-"Harlem Shake" Renaissance". Complex . March 15, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  8. 1 2 3 Bulut, Selim (15 March 2016). "Baauer's journey from college beatmaker to hip-hop boss". Dazed . Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  9. 1 2 Bromwich, Jonah (March 22, 2016). "Baauer: Aa Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  10. 1 2 Rivitz, Will (March 30, 2016). "Baauer: Aa". PopMatters . Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  11. 1 2 Staples, Derek (March 17, 2016). "Baauer – Aa". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  12. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 "Aa - Baauer | Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Aa by Baauer reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  16. 1 2 3 "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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