Outer Peace

Last updated
Outer Peace
Toro y Moi - Outer Peace.png
Studio album by
ReleasedJanuary 18, 2019 (2019-01-18)
Genre Synth-pop
Length30:30
Label Carpark
Producer Chaz Bear
Toro y Moi chronology
Boo Boo
(2017)
Outer Peace
(2019)
Soul Trash
(2019)

Outer Peace is the sixth studio album by American musician Toro y Moi, released on January 18, 2019, through Carpark Records. The tracks "Freelance" and "Ordinary Pleasure" were released prior to the album. [1] On January 10, the album became available to stream in full via NPR's website. [2]

Contents

Background

Chaz Bear stated that the album came about after he decided not to tour for his previous record, 2017's Boo Boo . [3] He instead played DJ sets, later explaining that "The [club] nightlife energy is way different than the concert type of nightlife energy. This next album for Toro is a lot more inspired by bigger club sounds." [3] Along with the "accessible dance music" of Daft Punk, Bear was inspired by Wally Badarou's "innovative synths" and trips to Mexico City and Northern California while making the album. Bear also stated about the album title that "usually the peace is within, so to have peace on the outside is the challenge. I kind of just wanted to call that out." [2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? 7.0/10 [4]
Metacritic 72/100 [5]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [6]
Drowned in Sound 8/10 [7]
The Line of Best Fit 7/10 [8]
NME Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [9]
Pitchfork 7.4/10 [10]

Stereogum writer Tom Breihan said that "With Outer Peace, Bundick has given us a half-hour of playfully sleek synthpop, pulling in influences from house and R&B and straight-up future-pop. He sings many of his songs through Auto-Tune, which never muffles the bemused silliness in his voice." [1] Jordan Lawrence of the Free Times opined that "It's the first Toro LP that isn't preoccupied with Bear's romantic insecurities and personal doubts", calling the album "yet another bold move, pushing decisively into Daft Punk-indebted modern disco and bleary-eyed Drake-ishness." [3] NPR judged that "The variety of transformative production on Outer Peace speaks to Bundick's efforts to challenge himself, as well as listeners." [2]

Track listing

Outer Peace track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Fading"3:17
2."Ordinary Pleasure"3:03
3."Laws of the Universe"2:49
4."Miss Me" (featuring Abra)3:00
5."New House"2:30
6."Baby Drive It Down"3:07
7."Freelance"3:45
8."Who I Am"3:28
9."Monte Carlo" (featuring Wet)2:05
10."50-50" (featuring Instupendo)3:26
Total length:30:30

Charts

Chart performance for Outer Peace
Chart (2019)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [11] 114
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard) [12] 13

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References

  1. 1 2 Breihan, Tom (January 10, 2019). "Stream Toro y Moi's New Album Outer Peace". Stereogum . Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Madden, Sidney (January 10, 2019). "First Listen: Toro y Moi, 'Outer Peace'". NPR . Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Lawrence, Jordan (November 14, 2018). "With Forthcoming Album, Toro Y Moi's Chaz Bear Reflects on His Place in Modern Music". Free Times . Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  4. "Outer Peace by Toro Y Moi reviews" . Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  5. "Outer Peace by Toro y Moi". Metacritic . Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  6. Sendra, Tim. "Outer Peace – Toro y Moi". AllMusic . Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  7. Miller, Kellan (January 21, 2019). "Toro Y Moi – Outer Peace". Drowned in Sound . Archived from the original on February 3, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  8. Bray, Jack (January 20, 2019). "Toro Y Moi's Outer Peace is an exercise in playful exploration". The Line of Best Fit . Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  9. Hunt, El (January 16, 2019). "Toro Y Moi – 'Outer Peace'". NME . Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  10. Sherburne, Philip (January 23, 2019). "Toro Y Moi: Outer Peace Album Review". Pitchfork . Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  11. "Toro y Moi Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  12. "Toro y Moi Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved February 26, 2019.