Platform (album)

Last updated
Platform
Platform by Holly Herndon - album artwork.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 19, 2015 (2015-05-19)
Genre
Length49:36
Label 4AD
Producer Holly Herndon, Amnesia Scanner, Mat Dryhurst
Holly Herndon chronology
Chorus EP
(2014)
Platform
(2015)
Proto
(2019)

Platform is the second studio album by American electronic producer Holly Herndon, released on May 19, 2015, via 4AD. The album received wide critical acclaim upon its release. [1] It is the first commercially released album to include a track intended to trigger autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR), "Lonely at the Top". [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic? 7.9/10 [7]
Metacritic 81/100 [1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [8]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [9]
The Irish Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
NME 8/10 [11]
Pitchfork 8.7/10 [12]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [13]
Resident Advisor 4.0/5 [14]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [15]
Spin 7/10 [16]
Uncut 9/10 [17]

Winston Cook-Wilson of Pitchfork wrote that "Platform may turn out to be the most thought-provoking experimental electronic music release of the year." [12] Laurie Tuffrey of The Quietus wrote that "in so solidly refuting musical clichés, it can genuinely lay claim to the oft-used description forward-facing." [18] The Guardian 's Tshepo Mokoena wrote that "[Herndon] turns cold, lifeless synthetic beats into disconcerting, disjointed rhythms that glitch and collapse on each other", describing the album as "gloriously avant garde and fiercely inventive." [9] Drowned in Sound wrote that "at once Herndon’s most accessible and most adventurous record, this is digital age avant-garde sound art put through a pop prism, and it’s all the more exciting as a result." [19] Heather Phares of AllMusic described the album as "nuanced in how it combines political, technological and structural and ideological concepts." [8] In naming Platform among 2015's best experimental albums, PopMatters wrote: "It’s fair to say if you're unfamiliar with [Herndon's] work, you've never heard anything like it: EDM-streaked sound collage, at once robotic and deeply personal." [20]

Accolades

PublicationAccoladeYearRank
The Guardian The Best Albums of 20152015
24 [21]
NME NME's Albums of the Year 20152015
26 [22]
Pitchfork The 50 Best Albums of 20152015
39 [23]
PopMatters The 10 Best Experimental Albums of 20152015
6 [20]
The Wire Top 50 Releases of 20152015
6 [24]

Track listing

All songs written and produced by Holly Herndon; except where noted

Platform [25]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Interference"  Holly Herndon, Mat Dryhurst4:41
2."Chorus" Herndon, Dryhurst5:55
3."Unequal"Herndon, Colin Self  5:11
4."Morning Sun" Herndon, Dryhurst5:21
5."Locker Leak"Herndon, Spencer Longo 4:15
6."An Exit"Herndon, Amnesia Scanner Herndon, Amnesia Scanner 4:58
7."Lonely at the Top"Herndon, Claire Tolan 4:31
8."DAO"  4:13
9."Home" Herndon, Dryhurst5:53
10."New Ways to Love" Herndon, Dryhurst4:38

Charts

Charts (2015)Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [26] 183
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [27] 20
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard) [28] 13

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celestica (song)</span> 2010 single by Crystal Castles

"Celestica" is a song recorded by the Canadian electronic band Crystal Castles for their second studio album, Crystal Castles (2010). After a BBC Radio 1 premiere, it was released on April 16, 2010, as the first single from the album, being later accompanied by a music video. According to member Ethan Kath, the track was inspired by a suicide at the Celestica factories in Canada. Critics cited the song as a shift from Crystal Castles' usual sound, presenting a pop sound and resembling shoegaze. Others highlighted its melody and member Alice Glass' vocals. It was considered one of the best songs of the year by NME, while Pitchfork named it as one of the best tracks between 2010 and 2014 and among the best Crystal Castles songs.

<i>W</i> (Planningtorock album) 2011 studio album by Planningtorock

W is the second solo studio album by English recording artist Planningtorock, released on 23 May 2011 by Rostron Records and DFA Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ASMR</span> Static-like or tingling sensation on the skin/body

An autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a tingling sensation that usually begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine. A pleasant form of paresthesia, it has been compared with auditory-tactile synesthesia and may overlap with frisson. ASMR is a subjective experience of "low-grade euphoria" characterized by "a combination of positive feelings and a distinct static-like tingling sensation on the skin". It is most commonly triggered by specific auditory stimuli, and less commonly by intentional attention control.

<i>Silence Yourself</i> 2013 studio album by Savages

Silence Yourself is the debut studio album by the English post-punk band Savages, released on 6 May 2013 on Matador Records and Pop Noire, a label owned by vocalist Jehnny Beth. It was nominated for the 2013 Mercury Prize.

<i>Terrestrials</i> (album) 2014 album by Sunn O))) and Ulver

Terrestrials is a collaborative studio album by American drone metal band Sunn O))) and Norwegian experimental music group Ulver. Produced by Stephen O'Malley and Kristoffer Rygg, it was released on February 3, 2014, via Southern Lord Records. It has been described as "three live improvisation pieces".

<i>All Loves Legal</i> 2014 studio album by Planningtorock

All Love's Legal is the third studio album by English musician Jam Rostron, known by their stage name Planningtorock; the album is their first since they came out as genderqueer, and it was released on 14 February 2014 by Human Level, a label Rostron formed to promote queer and female music producers. Featuring themes of feminism, gender, and queerness, All Love's Legal differs from Planningtorock's previous record W (2011) due to its less subtle lyrics and pop-orientated disco style. The album was promoted with several pre-album track releases, remixes by Rostron themself and other musicians such as TR/ST, Holly Herndon, and fellow Human Level artist rRoxymore, and music videos Rostron self-directed with an all-female team. Reviewers strongly praised the musical style and sound, but had mixed opinions on its use of sloganeering in delivering socially-charged statements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holly Herndon</span> American composer and musician

Holly Herndon is an American artist and composer based in Berlin, Germany. After studying composition at Stanford University and completing her Ph.D. at Stanford University's Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics, she pursued a music career internationally. Herndon's music often includes human singing voices, is primarily computer-based, and regularly uses the visual programming language Max/MSP to create custom instruments and vocal processes. She has released music on the labels RVNG Intl. and 4AD. Her third full-length album, Proto, was released on May 10, 2019.

<i>LP1</i> (FKA Twigs album) 2014 studio album by FKA Twigs

LP1 is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter FKA Twigs, released on 11 August 2014 by Young Turks. Production for the album is handled by FKA Twigs herself, alongside Emile Haynie, Arca, Cy An, Devonté Hynes, Clams Casino, Paul Epworth, Sampha and Tic.

<i>Green Language</i> (album) 2014 studio album by Rustie

Green Language is the second studio album by Glaswegian producer Russell Whyte under the alias Rustie. The album, released on Warp on August 25, 2014, was announced with the track "Raptor" - first played by Annie Mac on BBC Radio 1 in June 2014. It features guest appearances from D Double E, Danny Brown, Gorgeous Children, and Redinho. The title of the album derives from "the language of the birds".

<i>"What Is This Heart?"</i> 2014 studio album by How to Dress Well

"What Is This Heart?" is the third studio album by American musician How to Dress Well, released on June 23, 2014, on Weird World, an imprint of Domino. It is his highest-charting album, peaking at number 145 on the Billboard 200.

<i>Hairless Toys</i> 2015 studio album by Róisín Murphy

Hairless Toys is the third solo studio album by Irish singer Róisín Murphy. It was released on 8 May 2015 by Play It Again Sam. It is Murphy's first full-length release since 2007's Overpowered. The album was nominated for Best Irish Album of 2015 at the Choice Music Prize and the 2015 Mercury Music Prize. In 2016, it was awarded a silver certification from the Independent Music Companies Association, indicating sales of at least 20,000 copies throughout Europe.

"Wallace" is a song recorded by American rapper Azealia Banks for her debut studio album Broke with Expensive Taste (2014). The song was written by Banks, Kevin James, Filip Nikolić and Trevor McFedries, while production of the song was provided by the latter two. Lyrically, the track describes a man with a rottweiler head and depicts Banks killing him. Musically, the song is of both R&B and hardcore hip hop origins. In 2015, Banks released a music video for "Wallace" directed by Rob Soucy and Nick Ace. The video for "Wallace" was released via the Google Cloud Platform. Banks performed the song during the 2015 Coachella Festival and on her Broke with Expensive Taste Tour.

<i>Mutant</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Arca

Mutant is the second studio album by Venezuelan electronic music producer Arca. It was released on 20 November 2015 via Mute.

<i>Dark Energy</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Jlin

Dark Energy is the debut album by American electronic music producer Jlin, released in 2015 by Planet Mu. It received acclaim from critics and was named the best album of 2015 by The Quietus and The Wire.

<i>Mothers</i> (album) 2015 studio album by Swim Deep

Mothers is the second studio album by British indie rock band Swim Deep. It was released on 2 October 2015 on Chess Club Records, a subsidiary of RCA. Following the success of their debut album, Where the Heaven Are We, Swim Deep began to record Mothers in London and Brussels in late 2014. Mothers was originally scheduled for release on 19 September 2015 but was pushed back until 2 October.

<i>Dust</i> (Laurel Halo album) 2017 studio album by Laurel Halo

Dust is the third album by Berlin-based American electronic music artist Laurel Halo. It was released on June 23, 2017 by Hyperdub. The album features contributions from Eli Keszler, Julia Holter, Michael Salu, and Max D among others, and was preceded by the single "Jelly", featuring Klein and Lafawndah.

<i>Proto</i> (Holly Herndon album) 2019 studio album by Holly Herndon

Proto is the third studio album by American electronic musician Holly Herndon. It was released on May 10, 2019, via 4AD. It includes the singles "Godmother" and "Eternal", with the video of the latter accompanying the album announcement. The album was called a collaboration with an AI named "Spawn" co-created by Herndon and Mat Dryhurst.

<i>For the First Time</i> (Black Country, New Road album) 2021 studio album by Black Country, New Road

For the First Time is the debut studio album by British rock band Black Country, New Road, released on 5 February 2021 through Ninja Tune. The album was preceded by the release of two singles, "Science Fair" and "Track X", and also includes re-recorded versions of their 2019 debut singles "Athens, France" and "Sunglasses". Known for experimenting with post-punk, klezmer, free jazz, and math rock, the band showcased a clear preference for atmospherics over post-punk on For the First Time.

Mat Dryhurst is a British artist, musician, and technological researcher based in Berlin, Germany. Dryhurst often works on interdisciplinary audiovisual projects in collaboration with Holly Herndon. The duo is known for their contributions to music and art, in which they explore the creative potential and ethics of creating content using technologies, such as AI, Web 3.0, and blockchain. Dryhurst and Herndon have been listed among Art Review's Power 100 in 2021 and 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 "Reviews for Platform by Holly Herndon". Metacritic . Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  2. Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (April 26, 2015). "Holly Herndon: the queen of tech-topia". The Guardian . Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  3. Sherburne, Philip (March 31, 2015). "Holly Herndon's collective vision". Pitchfork . Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  4. Corcoran, Nina (May 22, 2015). "Holly Herndon goes off the grid". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  5. Jacoby, Sarah (May 21, 2015). "Does this song trigger your ASMR?". Refinery29 . Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  6. Cliff, Aimee (May 13, 2015). "Holly Herndon's new horizons". Dazed . Retrieved December 31, 2015.
  7. "Platform by Holly Herndon reviews". AnyDecentMusic? . Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  8. 1 2 Phares, Heather. "Platform – Holly Herndon". AllMusic . Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  9. 1 2 Mokoena, Tshepo (May 14, 2015). "Holly Herndon: Platform review – fiercely inventive, brain-tingling techno". The Guardian . Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  10. Carroll, Jim (May 15, 2015). "Holly Herndon: Platform | Album Review". The Irish Times . Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  11. Pattison, Louis (May 1, 2015). "Holly Herndon – 'Platform'". NME . Archived from the original on April 8, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
  12. 1 2 Cook-Wilson, Winston (May 21, 2015). "Holly Herndon: Platform". Pitchfork . Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  13. "Holly Herndon: Platform". Q (347): 107. June 2015.
  14. Maleney, Ian (June 3, 2015). "Holly Herndon – Platform". Resident Advisor . Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  15. Dolan, Jon (July 29, 2015). "Platform". Rolling Stone . Retrieved May 13, 2016.
  16. Joyce, Colin (May 20, 2015). "Review: Holly Herndon Pioneers the Skype Breakup Album With 'Platform'". Spin . Retrieved May 20, 2015.
  17. Dalton, Stephen (June 10, 2015). "Holly Herndon – Platform". Uncut . Archived from the original on December 4, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  18. Tuffrey, Laurie (June 2, 2015). "Holly Herndon: Platform". The Quietus . Retrieved June 2, 2015.
  19. Bland, Benjamin (14 May 2015). "Album Review: Holly Herndon – Platform". Drowned in Sound . Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  20. 1 2 Harrison, A Noa (August 4, 2020). "The 10 Best Experimental Albums of 2015". PopMatters. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  21. "The Best Albums of 2015". The Guardian . December 2, 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  22. "NME's Albums of the Year 2015". NME . Retrieved December 10, 2015.
  23. "The 50 Best Albums of 2015". Pitchfork . December 16, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  24. "2015 Rewind: Releases of the Year 1–50" . The Wire . No. 383. London. January 2016. p. 32 via Exact Editions.
  25. ""Platform" von Holly Herndon". iTunes . 15 May 2015.
  26. "Ultratop.be – Holly Herndon – Platform" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 28, 2019.
  27. "Holly Herndon Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  28. "Holly Herndon Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 5, 2019.