For All We Know (Nao album)

Last updated

For All We Know
Nao - For All We Know album cover.jpeg
Studio album by
Nao
Released29 July 2016 (2016-07-29)
Recorded2014–16
Genre
Length53:39
Label
  • RCA
  • Little Tokyo Recordings
Producer
Nao chronology
February 15
(2015)
For All We Know
(2016)
Saturn
(2018)
Singles from For All We Know
  1. "Bad Blood"
    Released: 22 October 2015
  2. "Fool to Love"
    Released: 24 February 2016
  3. "Girlfriend"
    Released: 23 May 2016
  4. "In the Morning"
    Released: 17 February 2017

For All We Know is the debut studio album by British electronic singer-songwriter Nao. It was released on 29 July 2016 by RCA and Little Tokyo Recordings. It has guest features by Abhi//Dijon and A. K. Paul, and received critical acclaim upon release.

Contents

Recording and production

The concept for the album came about when Nao began to feature vocals with other artists, such as Disclosure and Mura Masa. After the collaboration that she did with Disclosure on their song "Superego", it inspired Nao to work further and deeper into that genre of music. She wanted to make an album which was to bring her to fame and, after the collaborations, wanted her fans to have something to look forward to.

The album title, For All We Know was named so after the 1934 jazz song of the same name, as a reference to the artist's background in the genre. [5] She also opened up about the album title in a YouTube trilogy she created to tell her fans about the background of creating the album. She said, "So, for me, that kind of just sums up everything for me. It's just such a lovely message So love me, love me tonight/tomorrow was made for some/tomorrow may never come/for all we know. I just thought that was so beautiful because it just says that tomorrow is not guaranteed so anything that we want to do, we have to make it happen today and I think that just kind of sums up this journey for me". [6] In an interview with Billboard , Nao advanced that the album was "a definite nod" to 1990s music and an attempt at transposing it to actuality. [7]

Part of the production from the album was worked on with British DJ and electronic and R&B musician GRADES. Two of the other albums' producers such as Loxe and Jungle added a funk touch. Nao's music and voice were compared to musicians FKA twigs [8] [9] and Kelela. [4] [9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? 7.8/10 [10]
Metacritic 82/100 [11]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Consequence of Sound B [13]
Exclaim! 9/10 [14]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [15]
The Irish Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [16]
NME 4/5 [2]
The Observer Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Pitchfork 7.9/10 [4]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [17]
Spin 8/10 [1]

Upon release, the album received critical acclaim. Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, For All We Know received an average score of 82 out of 100, based on 14 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". [11]

Writing for Exclaim! , Michael J. Warren hailed the album as "a dynamic listen from start to finish". [14] It was also reported in a number of articles that the record and the style of music that was presented on the record could have been highly influenced on the early work of American musician Prince.

Accolades

PublicationAccoladeYearRankRef.
Ground Decibels2016 Best Albums2016
N/A
The Guardian The Best Albums of 20162016
39
NME NME's Albums of the Year 20162016
30
Rough Trade Albums of the Year2016
70
The Skinny Top 50 Albums of 20162016
18

Track listing

For All We Know
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro (Like Velvet)"
0:36
2."Get to Know Ya"
2:56
3."Inhale Exhale"
3:03
4."Voice Memo 161"
  • Joshua
  • Christian Gregory
  • Miles James
  • Nao
0:23
5."Happy"
  • Joshua
  • Gregory
  • James
  • Nao
  • Gregory
  • James
  • GRADES
2:52
6."Voice Memo 162"
  • Joshua
  • Gregory
  • James
  • Nao
0:13
7."Adore You" (featuring Abhi//Dijon)
  • Joshua
  • Abhi Raju
  • Dijon Duenas
  • Leonardo Vianna Bozza
  • Nao
  • LOXE
  • GRADES [a]
3:31
8."In the Morning"
  • Joshua
  • Sam Stubbings
  • John Calvert
  • Nao
  • Calvert
4:06
9."Trophy" (featuring A. K. Paul)3:48
10."Bad Blood"
  • Joshua
  • Traynor
  • Nao
  • GRADES
4:00
11."DYWM"
  • Joshua
  • James Luke Wood
  • Nao
  • GRADES
4:55
12."We Don't Give A"
  • Joshua
  • Traynor
  • Calvert
  • Calvert
  • GRADES
3:20
13."Give Me a Little"
  • Joshua
  • Rowan Perkins
  • Nao
  • LOXE
  • GRADES
3:47
14."Fool to Love"
  • Joshua
  • Traynor
  • Nao
  • GRADES
3:27
15."Voice Memo 4 (Say Yes)"
  • Nao
0:33
16."Blue Wine"
  • Joshua
  • Wood
  • Nao
  • Calvert
3:38
17."Girlfriend"
3:45
18."Feels Like (Perfume)"
  • Joshua
  • Wood
  • Royce Wood Junior
4:46
For All We Know – The Remixes
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."In the Morning" (Mura Masa Remix)
3:36
2."(Feels Like) Perfume" (featuring Stormzy) (LOXE Remix)
  • Royce Wood Junior
  • LOXE [b]
3:34
3."Get to Know Ya" (KAYTRANADA Flip)5:07
4."DYWM" (Sam Gellaitry Remix)
  • Joshua
  • Wood
4:37
5."Bad Blood" (SBTRKT Remix)
  • Nao
  • GRADES
  • SBTRKT [b]
4:50

Notes

Charts

Chart (2016)Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [23] 53
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [24] 76
Irish Albums (IRMA) [25] 91
New Zealand Heatseekers Albums (RMNZ) [26] 3
Scottish Albums (OCC) [27] 63
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [28] 68
UK Albums (OCC) [29] 17
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard) [30] 3

Related Research Articles

<i>Pornography</i> (album) 1982 studio album by the Cure

Pornography is the fourth studio album by English rock band the Cure, released on 4 May 1982 by Fiction Records. Preceded by the non-album single "Charlotte Sometimes", it was the band's first album with new producer Phil Thornalley, and was recorded at RAK Studios from January to April 1982. The sessions saw the band on the brink of collapse, with heavy drug use, band in-fighting, and frontman Robert Smith's depression fueling the album's musical and lyrical content. Pornography represents the conclusion of the Cure's early dark, gloomy musical phase, which began with their second album Seventeen Seconds (1980).

<i>The Singles</i> (Basement Jaxx album)

The Singles is the first greatest hits album by English electronic music duo Basement Jaxx, released on 21 March 2005 via XL. The album contains two new songs, "Oh My Gosh" and "U Don't Know Me", which were both released as singles. "Do Your Thing" was previously included on the 2001 Rooty album, but with the release of this compilation album, the single was re-released in the UK after the two aforementioned singles.

<i>Rooty</i> 2001 studio album by Basement Jaxx

Rooty is the second studio album by English electronic music duo Basement Jaxx, released on 25 June 2001.

<i>Dig Out Your Soul</i> 2008 studio album by Oasis

Dig Out Your Soul is the seventh studio album by English rock band Oasis, and the last before their 15-year breakup from August 2009 to August 2024. It was released on 6 October 2008 by Big Brother Recordings. The album was recorded between August and December 2007 at Abbey Road Studios in London, and mixed in January and March 2008 at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles. Production was handled by Dave Sardy who had previously produced much of the group's sixth studio album, Don't Believe the Truth (2005). Lead guitarist Noel Gallagher wrote a majority of the songs, while three were written by Liam Gallagher as well as one contribution each from Gem Archer and Andy Bell.

<i>James Blake</i> (album) 2011 studio album by James Blake

James Blake is the debut studio album by English musician James Blake. It was released in both the United Kingdom and the United States on his own label, ATLAS, supported by A&M Records, on 4 February 2011. The release was supported with the release of its first single, "Limit to Your Love", on 28 November 2010.

<i>Trilogy</i> (The Weeknd album) 2012 compilation album by the Weeknd

Trilogy is the first compilation album and major label debut by Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released on November 13, 2012, through XO and Republic Records. It is composed of remixed and remastered versions of the songs contained in his 2011 mixtapes House of Balloons, Thursday and Echoes of Silence, and three previously unreleased songs, "Twenty Eight", "Valerie", and "Till Dawn " were included as bonus tracks.

<i>Sing to the Moon</i> 2013 studio album by Laura Mvula

Sing to the Moon is the debut studio album by English singer Laura Mvula. It was released on 1 March 2013 by RCA Victor. The album includes the singles "She" and "Green Garden". The album debuted at number nine on the UK Albums Chart. It was nominated for the 2013 Mercury Prize.

<i>...Like Clockwork</i> 2013 studio album by Queens of the Stone Age

...Like Clockwork is the sixth studio album by American rock band Queens of the Stone Age, released on June 3, 2013, on Matador Records in the UK, and on June 4 in the United States. Self-produced by the band, it is the first Queens of the Stone Age album to feature full contributions from bassist Michael Shuman and keyboardist and guitarist Dean Fertita, who both joined the band in 2007 to tour in support of the band's fifth studio album, Era Vulgaris, and record its bonus tracks.

<i>Settle</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Disclosure

Settle is the debut studio album by English electronic music duo Disclosure, released on June 3, 2013, by PMR Records and Island Records. Accompanied by the success of its lead single, "Latch", featuring Sam Smith, the album features collaborations with AlunaGeorge, Ed Macfarlane of Friendly Fires, Sasha Keable, Eliza Doolittle, Jamie Woon, Jessie Ware, and London Grammar. A deluxe edition of the album contains four bonus tracks, including Disclosure's remix of Ware's song "Running".

<i>Love in the Future</i> 2013 studio album by John Legend

Love in the Future is the fifth studio album by American singer John Legend. The album was released on August 30, 2013, by GOOD Music and Columbia Records. The album, executive produced by Legend, Kanye West and Dave Tozer, features guest appearances from Kimbra, Rick Ross, Stacy Barthe and Seal. The album was supported by four singles, "Who Do We Think We Are", "Made to Love", "All of Me" and "You & I ". Love in the Future received generally positive reviews from music critics. The album debuted at number 4 on the US Billboard 200 chart, selling 68,000 copies in its first week.

<i>The Magic Whip</i> 2015 studio album by Blur

The Magic Whip is the eighth studio album by English rock band Blur. It was recorded in Hong Kong and London, and released by Parlophone on 27 April 2015 and Warner Bros. Records on 28 April 2015. It was the band's first studio album in 12 years since Think Tank (2003), marking the longest gap between studio albums in Blur's career, and the first in 16 years since 13 (1999) to have featured the original line-up. The album also marks the return of the band's longtime producer Stephen Street following Blur (1997).

<i>Thats the Spirit</i> 2015 studio album by Bring Me the Horizon

That's the Spirit is the fifth studio album by British rock band Bring Me the Horizon. The album was released on 11 September 2015, and marks a departure from the group's metalcore roots, in favour of a less aggressive alternative rock and metal style.

<i>Caracal</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Disclosure

Caracal is the second studio album by English electronic music duo Disclosure. It was released on 25 September 2015 by PMR Records and Island Records. Its serves as a follow-up to their debut album: Settle (2013). Five official singles have been released from the album: "Holding On", "Omen", "Jaded", "Magnets" and "Nocturnal", with three promotional singles also being released: "Bang That", "Willing and Able" and "Hourglass".

<i>Hopelessness</i> (album) 2016 studio album by Anohni

Hopelessness is the debut solo album by British-American artist Anohni, frontwoman of Anohni and the Johnsons, released on 6 May 2016 on Secretly Canadian, Rough Trade, and Hostess. Featuring co-production by Hudson Mohawke and Oneohtrix Point Never, the album departs from the chamber pop style of her previous work, instead exploring an electronic sound and engaging directly with political and environmental themes in the form of protest songs.

<i>Konnichiwa</i> (Skepta album) 2016 studio album by Skepta

Konnichiwa is the fourth studio album by British rapper Skepta. The title is the greeting "hello" in the Japanese language. After numerous delays, it was released on 6 May 2016 by Boy Better Know. Konnichiwa features guest appearances from Jme, Boy Better Know, D Double E, Novelist, Wiley, Chip, Pharrell Williams, ASAP Nast and Young Lord. Konnichiwa was executively produced by Skepta himself, who produced all but three songs on the album. Pharrell also worked on production with Skepta on the album.

<i>Here</i> (Alicia Keys album) 2016 studio album by Alicia Keys

Here is the sixth studio album by American singer and songwriter Alicia Keys. It was released on November 4, 2016, by RCA Records. Keys recorded the album in 2014 at the New York–based Jungle City Studios and Oven Studios with producers Mark Batson, Swizz Beatz, Illangelo, Jimmy Napes, and Pharrell Williams. The singer had finished writing and recording material for the album before she found out she was pregnant, which put the record's release on hold.

<i>Scream</i> (Michael Jackson album) 2017 compilation album by Michael Jackson

Scream is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter Michael Jackson, released on September 29, 2017. The album compiles songs around a Halloween theme. It is the eleventh release by Sony and/or Motown since Jackson's death on June 25, 2009.

<i>Dirty Computer</i> 2018 studio album by Janelle Monáe

Dirty Computer is the third studio album by American singer and songwriter Janelle Monáe, released on April 27, 2018, by Wondaland Arts Society, Bad Boy Records and Atlantic Records. It is the follow-up to her studio albums The ArchAndroid (2010) and The Electric Lady (2013) and her first album not to continue the Cindi Mayweather Metropolis narrative.

<i>Imploding the Mirage</i> 2020 studio album by the Killers

Imploding the Mirage is the sixth studio album by American rock band the Killers, released on August 21, 2020, by Island Records in the United States and internationally by EMI. To date, it is the band's only album without lead guitarist Dave Keuning, who took an indefinite hiatus from the band in 2017. Guitar parts are covered by Killers bassist Mark Stoermer, producer Jonathan Rado, and a variety of guest musicians including Lindsey Buckingham and Adam Granduciel.

<i>Energy</i> (Disclosure album) 2020 studio album by Disclosure

Energy is the third studio album by British electronic music duo Disclosure. It was released on 28 August 2020 through Island Records.

References

  1. 1 2 Reeves, Mosi (29 July 2016). "Review: Nao Fumbles Toward Ecstasy on 'For All We Know'". Spin . Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  2. 1 2 Cooper, Leonie (3 August 2016). "NAO – 'For All We Know' Review". NME . Archived from the original on 6 August 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 Empire, Kitty (31 July 2016). "Nao: For All We Know review – retro soul debut with funk to spare". The Observer . Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 Monroe, Jazz (2 August 2016). "Nao: For All We Know". Pitchfork . Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  5. "Nao's Debut Album Is a Statement of Intent From a Rising Star". Pigeons & Planes . 18 July 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  6. Nao (4 August 2016). "For All We Know - Episode 3" via YouTube.
  7. Martin, Paley (13 November 2015). "Nao Talks Upcoming Album, Working With Disclosure & Undying Love for '90s Music". Billboard . Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  8. Beta, Andy (28 July 2016). "Meet Nao, Avant-R&B Star Moving From Back-Up Singer Shadows". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  9. 1 2 Kellman, Andy. "Nao - Biography". AllMusic .
  10. "For All We Know by Nao reviews". AnyDecentMusic? . Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  11. 1 2 "Reviews for For All We Know by nao". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  12. Kellman, Andy. "For All We Know – Nao". AllMusic . Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  13. Henry, Dusty (25 July 2016). "NAO – For All We Know". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  14. 1 2 Warren, Michael J. (27 July 2016). "NAO: For All We Know". Exclaim! . Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  15. Gibsone, Harriet (21 July 2016). "Nao: For All We Know review – enchanting modern pop odyssey". The Guardian . Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  16. Murphy, Lauren (29 July 2016). "Album of the Week – Nao's For All We Know: bursting with heartache, soul and groove". The Irish Times . Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  17. Yates, Steve (October 2016). "Nao: For All We Know". Q . No. 364. p. 109.
  18. "GdB 2016 Best Albums". Ground Decibels. 18 December 2016. Retrieved 18 December 2016.
  19. "The Best Albums of 2016: 40-31". The Guardian . 30 November 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  20. "NME's Albums of the Year 2016". NME . 24 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  21. "Albums of the Year". Rough Trade . 14 November 2016. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2016.
  22. "Top 50 Albums of 2016". The Skinny . 1 December 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  23. "Ultratop.be – Nao – For All We Know" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  24. "Dutchcharts.nl – Nao – For All We Know" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  25. "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 31, 2016". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  26. "NZ Heatseekers Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 8 August 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2016.
  27. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  28. "Swisscharts.com – Nao – For All We Know". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  29. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 August 2016.
  30. "Nao Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 August 2016.