It's surprising that after the onslaught that was Harlem Shake in early 2013, the man behind that tune Baauer has gone on to be completely hidden within the public eye and keep Harlem Shake only a song known as the biggest meme of 2013 rather than his own piece of work. However, if you do follow the trap/EDM Baauer has continued to stay relevant thanks to multiple singles and EP's (plusIt's surprising that after the onslaught that was Harlem Shake in early 2013, the man behind that tune Baauer has gone on to be completely hidden within the public eye and keep Harlem Shake only a song known as the biggest meme of 2013 rather than his own piece of work. However, if you do follow the trap/EDM Baauer has continued to stay relevant thanks to multiple singles and EP's (plus the remixes he's done for the likes of Shlohmo, Flosstradamus, and Disclosure) working with the likes of Jay-Z and AlunaGeorge. With his fans curious to hear of a possible debut album rumored for a while now, Baauer finally reveals his new project Aa (pronounced double A) grabbing together the likes of Pusha T, Future, G-Dragon, Rustie, and M.I.A. along with new talent emerging onto the indie scene. The biggest goal Baauer seems to be setting for Aa, is to show people that he's more than a one hit wonder with a song known only for countless YouTube videos of a meme. So does Baauer deliver on that goal set?
For the most part he does, while Aa has it's flaws it does showcase Baauer as a much more skilled and diverse producer than what was showcased in 2013. Full of party bangers and experimental tunes, Aa is an enjoyable listen for those looking for some head-bobbing grooves and slick melodies.
Let's start with the lyrics since they're the quickest considering this album doesn't want to focus on anything deep, the themes that run throughout Aa are typical for this brand of EDM. Whether it's flossing and being a total bad-ass on "Temple" or dancing hard in the club on "Make it Bang" (a song ready to be played on future World Star twerk videos) then we get "Kung-Fu" which is really about drug dealing and cooking drugs rather than actual martial arts. The only time the lyrics actually attempt something introspective is on "Way from Me" as it focuses on two people taking a chance with love even despite possible consequences.
Thankfully, the lyrics work thanks to the guest stars. Once the instrumental heavy first half is through, Baauer calls on his famous friends to finish off the second half, and he manages to utilize them well enough. Whether it's the verses from M.I.A. and G-Dragon on "Temple" or the soothing vocals from Tirzah on "Way from Me" then we get Novelist delivering a solid verse before getting shoved from the spotlight by a fiery verse and hook from Leikeli47 on "Day Ones" even Future has a few clever lines and doesn't annoy me as usual on his hook for "Kung-Fu" they all work great with the instrumentals. However, there are a few weak points with the guests most notably with TT the Artist drowned out in the mix on "Make it Bang" or Rustie hardly delivering anything interesting to the reprise of Church. The most disappointing guest came with Pusha T on "Kung-Fu" as his lyrics don't offer any of his usual clever wordplay and his vocal delivery sounds like a bad Kanye West impression.
Now we've come to the most important aspect of Aa, which is the instrumentals. The biggest compliment I can give for this album is that it always manages to surprise me with it's various styles, while providing Baauer's signature production. From the grimey and horn driven "Day Ones" to the industrial and bouncy "Make it Bang" to the slow driven "Way from Me" that switches to 2-step garage in the second half and pulls it off very well. Then we get to the pure instrumental tracks that are just as good, from the energetic drum-and-bass vibe of "GoGo!" to the nu-disco leaning "Pinku" which sounds like Baauer remixing a track from The Knocks, to the atmospheric interludes "Church" and "Good & Bad" flowing along nicely with the album. But my favorite instrumental comes courtesy of "Temple" opening with a sample of a mediation class before quickly switching it up with a Chinese banjo and 808 drums matching both M.I.A. and G-Dragon flawlessly (Baauer was clearly listening to a lot of Wu-Tang clan before crafting this beat), an easy contender for one of my favorite songs of 2016. That being said, not all the instrumentals work, "Kung-Fu" sounds the most bland out of all the beats with no creativity or soul behind it, and "Church Reprise" provides very little of a reprise besides an electric guitar around the end. The most glaring of the instrumentals comes from "Sow" as the annoying vocal samples and blubbering bass fail to create something worthwhile and honestly coming off as an overcooked mess. Finally there's the title track closing out the album, all I'll say is that it's the most experimental thing Baauer has ever crafted and will divide listeners afterwards.
In the end, Baauer's debut provides plenty of good times throughout with only a few weak moments on his debut holding it back from perfection. Hopefully once this settles in with listeners, Baauer will not be known as the moron behind Harlem Shake, but as a legit producer in mainstream music.
Best Songs: Temple, Day Ones, Way from Me, GoGo!, Pinku
Worst Songs: Sow, Church Reprise,… Expand
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