1. Spitfire
Phil
Being the opening track to Porter’s debut EP as well as the title of the entire release, I expected big things from Spitfire. The intro/build is just that – giant and full and very soothing on the ears. As for the dubstep – can’t say I’m a huge fan, just because I would expect more creativity and originality based on Porter’s live performances. However, I enjoy the complextro bit and I’m sure clubs will drool all over the track after the official release. It may turn into one of those Dubstep anthems. Good for you Porter.
Ben
The EP begins with its title track. I love Porter’s Ratatat in the first few seconds of track, he also closes out with it. Things quickly get heavy in the dub. I should have been expecting this, but I wasn’t. I’m not much of a dubstep lover, but this track has become of the the few exceptions. Porter uses interesting and intriguing sounds to build into his drops.
Cyrus
Spitfire is as epic as epic can be. The track starts off with a keyboard arpeggio that not only puts you into a trance for the rest of the song, but leaves you wondering as to what’s coming next. This is exactly what Porter needed to start off this EP. The arpeggio is then met by a combination of Skrillex’s sliced up Dubstep samples and Porter’s own natural hard pounding Electro synths. The arpeggiator comes back midway through the song right before Porter’s hard pounding synths and Skrillex’s samples come back faster and more defined. Finally, Porter ends the track in a classy fashion by ending with the arpeggio increasing in pitch, instead of it being the same arpeggio we hear throughout the song.
Brandom
“Spitfire” starts off with this fast progressive sounding arpeggio which after building forever drops into some pretty heavy wobs and grrrrs. This track was a great choice as the opener of the album as it makes it very clear that this is a new Porter Robinson. The track shows far more depth and mature than tracks like “Say My Name.” It was also great to hear the Porter can make some killer dubstep. Thankfully he didn’t fall into the trap of making your synths nothing but heavy and unpleasant. Cough Getter cough cough. For those of you who didn’t understand that amidst all my coughing I was talking about Getter. Getter is shit. Porter is not.
2. Unison
Ben
Unison is huge. Unison’s intro truly lured me in with over two minutes of varied build, until 2:15 when it dropped one of the nastiest almost-dubstep-but-still-house synths. The effect forced me to utter “Holy SHIT”. I kid you not. Unison goes on to build and crescendo in a similar manner as the song progresses. Can’t wait to spin this one. Spitfire is certainly one of my very favorite tracks on the EP. I love Porter’s use of synths. A friend told me he didn’t love the album because it sounded to “Skillex-y”. My response is two-fold. Since the EP is released on Skllex’s new label OWSLA, the sound requires a sound or not texture, which I believe it does. Additionally, I felt the connection could have been made because of the uniqueness of the album’s sound, something I often praise Skrillex for on his own tracks.
Janet
Even though Unison starts off with a quicker pace, it has a similar quality to Spitfire in that it offers an interchanging combination of catchy build ups and a more hard-hitting House segments. This is definitely more of a Dance-type of song that will please crowds on his College Invasion tour with Tiesto.
Brandon
Porter returns to his signature complextro sound with this track. This is closer to the Porter we know, but again he’s all grown up. The short melodic vocal samples really make the track. I was honestly beginning to feel like the whole complextro sound was getting played out, but this track really breathed new life into the sound for me.
Cyrus
The intro to Unison might be one of my favorite intros in all of EDM history. Porter starts off with a very funky, again utilizing a keyboard to produce the rhythm. Next, this rhythm is amplified with more instruments and soon the complextro hits the ground running. It automatically uplifts you from your seat once you hear the drop. You simply can’t help bopping your head to Porter’s synths and the funky piano rhythm from the beginning. I will say that the beginning goes on for a good 2:00 without the song actually dropping which slightly annoyed me, however its made up by the fact that the complextro is simply awesome. Honestly, Unison is one of the best tracks on this album, because Porter truly sticks to his roots. He just makes his normal sound 100 times better.
3. 100% in the Bitch
100 % In The Bitch – Porter Robinson
Phil
I hate moombahton. There. I said it. I cannot bring myself to listen to the absolute absurdity of Electro slowed down to 108 bpm and passed off as a genre. The only thing I can imagine being more annoying is goddamn dubstep being sped up to 108 bpm and riddled with constant synth stabs and overly reverbed vocal samples (we like to call it moombahcore). And that is exactly what you will find with “100% in the Bitch.” There are absolutely no redeeming qualities to this track in its first half. The second half is at least a foray into new moombahton, but it doesn’t last long and has no hope of saving this godawful mess of a track (and genre). Goddamn you Porter.
Ben
Moombahton…Really Porter? I thought I was disappointed when I heard that Lady GaGa remix. I’ve actually been warming up to Moombahton lately, this song certainly counteracted that. Click fastforward.
Brandon
This is a moombahton song and it is absurd. I have nothing else to say.
Cyrus
I applaud Porter for trying something really new, but Moombahton definitely isn’t his style. 100% in this Bitch is basically a drum beat slowed down to 108 bpm with a couple vocals laid down. It honestly doesn’t add much to the album except to show that Porter can produce amateur Moombahton. However, I will admit that in the beginning the Moombahton hits extremely hard. Theres also a specific section starting at 2:59 of 100% in this Bitch where the drum beat completely switches and that shows Porter’s versatility. I simply wish that Porter could have elaborated on this change in rhythm.
4. Vandalism Ft. Amba Shepherd
Vandalism – Porter Robinson Ft. Amba Shepherd
Ben
The EP gets back on track with Vandalism. I like, but don’t love the vocals from Amba Shepherd. After the build comes a fuck drop. I think the synth is pretty sweet, but nothing to get overly excited about. Overall I give this track a not bad
Cyrus
Vandalism is another track on this EP that I can listen to on repeat for awhile. It has a catchy drum beat intro and keeps you tied in for the entire song. The vocals are catchy and work well with the beat in the beginning. Also, the buildup to the drop is a smooth transition from this catchy beat with Amba Shepherd’s vocals to some electro synths that portray Porter’s original sound well. In fact, Vandalism reminds me a lot of Porter’s old tracks such as Say My Name (just not nearly as epic) or Venga. When the vocals come back in the middle, the refrain is kept basically the same but for this track that’s exactly what was needed.
Janet
The vocals are a nice, airy touch to this track. It really gives it something different, but it in no way takes away from the upbeat synth lines, which are the real stand out. This song is so amazingly produced and layered that I’d have to say, “I’m a victim” too.
5. The State
Ben
Is this a Transformers sample? Honestly I think it might be. Unless Megan Fox is involved I’ll pass. People have point out this track’s similarity to “Excision.” I can’t speak to that, but it is one of the fattest Dubstep releases I’ve heard in a while. I don’t plan on putting the song on again, but I’d imagine most Dubstep lovers would say otherwise.
Cyrus
The main reason that I like Porter Robinson is because he produces some awesome Electro/Complextro with rhythmic chord progressions. He has a unique sound that doesn’t need to be changed. The State has no connection to Porter’s old sounds, nor his new sounds. It’s literally just grimy Dubstep that has already been made since everyone jumped on the Dubstep bandwagon. It’s incredibly hard to make good Dubstep, but its naturally easy to make decent Dubstep and thats exactly what Porter attempted to do. Now, I’m not saying The State is a horrible track. I just don’t love it.
Janet
There’s almost a funky Oriental vibe going on in this song (maybe that’s why I like it). With the addition of the robotic narration, this track is an interesting blend of what seems like traditional Asian sounds and a more modern, Electronic style. A strange, but very enjoyable fusion that is overall a very solid track.
Phil
This track was stolen off of Excision’s computer. Or at least that’s what it sounds like. I’m sorry. I really did not expect this much heavy Dubstep on this release.
6. The Seconds Ft. Jano
The Seconds – Porter Robinson Ft Jano
Ben
Here Spitfire takes a turn to Trance. I’ll fight anyone who says it isn’t. Maybe the track is at 128 Bpm, but it sounds like it could be straight off the shelves of Anjunabeats. This is no slight, quite the opposite actually. I wasn’t expecting such a blissful track from Porter. For casual listening I imagine this will be my most played song off of Spitfire. The vocal are smooth, the build is euphoric and the drop just as riveting. The chopping sound Porter throws in immediately before drop took me off guard but worked. “The Seconds” is my top choice from the EP. I imagine many will disagree with this.
Cyrus
The Seconds is my favorite track on the album, and one of my favorite tracks that Porter has ever created. Porter utilizes an awesome mix of trance and electro in this track starting with the hard bass of the beat that comes in at 1:02. The vocals complement the beat as well as any vocals could and there’s an awesome new feel to this track as well. The refrain is a perfect trance refrain and sets yourself up for the Porter’s unique electro synths as well as that awesome trance synth that seems to be used in every song by Tritonal and Above and Beyond (just to name a few). Honestly, I love this track more than any other song on the album, and I put it on the same level as Porter’s original tracks; Say My Name and Hello. This is definitely one to look out for in the coming year.
Brandon
Again this is a really cool Deadmau5ey complextro track. The soft vocals from Jano add a whole new layer to the album that I really appreciate.
Phil
As opposed to the terrible and unpleasant combination of Dubstep and Moombahton, this track is a great attempt at a cross between complextro and trance. Creating this track as he hits the road with Tiesto– whether it was a coincidence or not– was absolutely genius. The structure is exactly like that of my favorite trance tracks, with all the bass and heaviness of a Dirtyloud release. This will not only appeal to Porter’s loyal bass following, but also to the trancier crowd out to see Tiesto. Good move Porter.
7. Unison (Knife Party Remix)
Unison Knife – Porter Robinson (Party Remix)
Phil
I was so excited for Knife Party. “Pendulum making Electro will be awesome,” I thought. “Their remix of Save the World was great,” I thought. “They won’t make terrible Moombahton,” I thought. I was so goddamn wrong and it sucks so hard. The beginning of this track literally has NOTHING to do with the post-drop. The disparity between the main riff/refrain and the mooombahcore is RIDICULOUS. After the first bit, the music literally fades into the same thing as the intro, then returns after an unpleasant buildup to a random mash of wobbles and stabs with no concern for musical congruity. This is how I imagine Knife Party made this remix; With a bunch of random moombahcore noises at their fingertips, they put their names on a spinning wheel and threw throwing knives to decide their order. They should have a pow wow with Skrillex. He does the same thing. Ah, wait! They already have.
Cyrus
Now why did Knife Party have to go and make this track into Dubstep? I mean seriously, after the awesome funky intro, Knife Party quickly switches (not transitions but switches) the Complextro to Dubstep. The Dubstep is of course catchy, but that’s simply because Knife Party knows how to make decent wobbles. However, there’s nothing really special in Knife Party’s remix of Unison, or anything in their remix that truly relates to Skrillex or Porter in the first place…except for the intro and the riff that comes back in the middle. I will admit that Knife Party remixed the riff in the middle to be a bit more epic by adding an undertone of chords and a deep bass drum. Knife Party then decides to repeat the same exact thing they did in the beginning, and I literally mean the same exact thing. The wobbles aren’t changed at all. I wish Knife Party had just taken more time on this remix.
8. Unison (Mikkas Remix)
Unison – Porter Robinson (Mikkas Remix)
Cyrus
Now Mikkas definitely knows how to remix Unison. Mikkas keeps the funky intro the same and transitions the track into catchy electro extremely quickly, allowing for a longer refrain in the middle. The refrain is then remixed almost perfectly, where Mikkas adds an entirely new progression and rhythm into the refrain. I was jumping up in my chair the first time I heard this progression in the middle. Mikkas then builds up the refrain and unleashes an absolutely awesome, epic drop. The track then continues with Unison’s funky keyboard progression as the base of rhythm for the entire second half of the track. Honestly, Mikkas added his own touch to this Unison and it worked perfectly. I don’t really know which one I like better to be honest, Mikkas or Porter’s original.
Ben
Mikkas’ Remix of Unison keeps the themes of the EP going. I like what he does by extending the drop, but I can’t even imagine what this would do to people live. I’m hoping to find out next Thursday when Porter comes to Madison with Tïesto. However, I can’t imagine him playing the remix over his own.
9. 100% In The Bitch (Downlink Remix)
100% In The Bitch – Porter Robinson (Downlink Remix)
Ben
The only thing I like less than 100% In The Bitch on Spitfire is Downlink’s remix of it.
Cyrus
Downlink definitely made this track better. I’m still not a huge fan of the Moombahton or the Dubmahton, but with Downlink’s new wobbles and dub samples, the track has a better sound too it. At the same time, I don’t think it was very hard to make this track, and I believe that Downlink could have spent more time on remixing it. The rhythm that starts at 5:00 and carries on until the end of the song is the most original and best part of the remix. I wish I had heard it halfway through the song instead of at the end.
10. The State (SkisM Remix)
The State – Porter Robinson (Skism Remix)
Cyrus
Once again, I see no connection to Porter’s style or Skrillex’s style. I am a bit impressed with the Skism’s remix of The State, but for an EP that is supposed to show a mix of Porter and Skrillex, I just don’t see the combination. All I hear is grimy Dubstep, which I have been hearing for a couple of years now, without much improvement. However, Skism knows his own style incredibly well, and he definitely continues to improve upon it.
Ben
SkisM does some really cool stuff to this track. I’m a fan of the minimized vocals, but again, as I’m not a Dubstep aficionado, this is not where my heart lies in the album.
11. Spitfire (Kill The Noise Remix)
Spitfire – Porter Robinson (Kill The Noise Remix)
Brandon
This remix is pretty amazing. Kill the Noise really takes this track somewhere. He adds some serious wobbage and yet maintains the integrity of the original.
Cyrus
When I heard Spitfire in the beginning of this EP, I was taken aback by how much I enjoyed the Complextro. However, when I first heard Kill The Noise’s remix of Spitfire, I almost cried because of the Dubstep. Usually, I love Kill The Noise, but Spitfire was a track that I don’t believe should have been remixed into Dubstep. Kill The Noise did do a great job on remixing the refrain, but the amount of Dubstep that I’ve also been hearing for a year now is present in this track, and that annoys me.
Ben
I’m a fan of Kill The Noise, he absolutely threw down in SF just a couple months ago. However, I am not a fan of his remix of Spitfire. The increased tempo made me uneasy from the start. Spitefire is an amazing track, this remix is not.
Recap
Brandon
After seeing Porter absolutely annihilate San Francisco’s premier nightclub, Ruby Skye, let’s just say I was just a tad excited for his first full release, Spitfire. Although Spitfire is a clear departure from his sound that we’ve come to know, it showcases a far more mature side of Porter and exhibits some real versatility as a producer. The problem with prodigies is no matter how great they are when they’re young, they always grow up and get caught emailing someone their dick or something. Maybe I’m confusing prodigies with ex-Disney channel stars, but the point is I really hope Porter doesn’t just end up emailing his dick and I think Spitfire is a great step in that direction.
Cyrus
I want to say that this album is a success, but Porter focused entirely too much on Dubstep. The tracks that don’t focus on Dubstep are nothing short of “epic” and “incredible”. if Porter had simply stuck to a mainly Complextro theme with this EP, it would have been awesome. I’m not saying that the EP can’t have any Dubstep, but making an EP that is half simple Dubstep, half epic Complextro and a small portion crappy Moombahton doesn’t make any sense. I think that Porter should stick to his roots, with a couple Dubstep tracks thrown in. Instead, Porter tries to please the masses and therefore, I don’t think its a successful EP. However, I will say that there are a couple tracks that people need to look out for within the coming year, especially The Seconds and Unison.
Ben
I was totally unprepared for Spitfire. I knew Porter toured with Skrillex, but he is about to embark on tour with Tïesto so I didn’t make much of it. The best tracks blew my exceptions out of the water, while a a couple were really, quite bad. My favorite part of the album was Porter’s ability to keep the sound texture consistent as he moved to House to Dubstep, then to Trance and back again. While the EP’s genres probably don’t belong together, Porter did a great job of making them sound like they could co-exist. Porter Robinson got my DJ Mag Top 100 vote and he should get one of yours two.
Phil
I was so excited for this release. Porter is phenomenally good live and all his previous releases have been absolutely awesome, but I am having a very difficult time considering the EP as anything other than a letdown. I want to say that the good outweighs the bad, I really do. But in the end, the few good tracks are not mind-blowing or original enough to outweigh the generic Dubstep and the always awful Moombahcore. I will say this – Porter is a versatile and intelligent producer. He will reach a very wide audience with this EP, and I suppose it’s for the better. The entire thing is above par with the constant stream of garbage infecting EDM right now.
