Aa (album)

2016 studio album by Baauer

Studio album by

Baauer

Released| March 18, 2016
Recorded| 2014–2016
Genre|

* Electronic
* trap
* bass
* hip hop

Length| 33:27
Label| LuckyMe
Producer|

* Baauer
* Noah Beresin
* Mason Klein (exec.)

Baauer chronology
| ß
(2014)  | Aa
(2016)  | Planet's Mad
(2020)

|
|

Singles from  Aa

1. "GoGo!"
Released: October 20, 2015
2. "Day Ones"
Released: January 28, 2016[1]
3. "Temple"
Released: March 16, 2016[2]

Aa (pronounced "double a"[1][2][3]) is the debut studio album by American record producer Harry Rodrigues, under his alias Baauer, released by LuckyMe on March 18, 2016. It has guest features by Future, G-Dragon, Leikeli47, M.I.A., Novelist, Pusha T, Rustie, Tirzah and TT the Artist.

## Background and recording

[edit]

> That song ["Harlem Shake"] gave me the opportunity to travel the world. The whole world. And in doing so learnt more about music than I could have ever imagined. But more so than anything I discovered, what makes a sound special to me is its imperfections, its peculiarities. I spent the last couple years trying to get all of those imperfections into one record, and I think finally it makes sense.

\- Rodrigues, 2016[3]

After Rodrigues' debut single, "Harlem Shake", spawned numerous Internet memes, he stated that "it became corny and annoying as fuck".[4] He also stated: "I didn't want to be an EDM producer and I still don't want to be".[5]

The album is named after Rodrigues' stage name, Baauer.[6][7] He said: "I have two A's in my name, and also the first release I did on LuckyMe was ß, so this is gonna be Aa and in the future I'll do a U, and then ER".[7]

Rodrigues recorded the album in Glasgow, Japan and the United Arab Emirates[8] for "at least two years".[6]

## Music

[edit]

Aa is an electronic,[9] trap,[10] bass[11] and hip hop[10][12] album. It is also influenced by M.I.A. and tribal music.[8][12]

## Artwork

[edit]

The artwork was designed by Jonathan Zawada and Dominic Flannigan.[13][14] It depicts a tree rising from an upturned motorcycle helmet, which is a reference to the "Harlem Shake" music videos.[8]

## Critical reception

[edit]

Professional ratingsAggregate scores

Source| Rating
AnyDecentMusic?| 7.4/10[15]
Metacritic| 76/100[16]
Review scores
Source| Rating
AllMusic| [17]
Clash| 5/10[18]
Consequence of Sound| B[11]
Exclaim!| 9/10[19]
The Guardian| [20]
Pitchfork| 7.3/10[9]
Q| [16]
Resident Advisor| 3.3/5[21]
Rolling Stone Australia| [22]
The Skinny| [12]

At review aggregate site Metacritic, Aa has an average score of 76 out of 100, based on 11 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[16]

### Accolades

[edit]

Accolades for Aa Publication  | Accolade  | Rank

|
|

Billboard | 10 Best Dance/Electronic Albums of 2016[23] | 9
Complex | 50 Best Albums of the Year[24] | 35

## Track listing

[edit]

Aa[25]No.| Title| Length

|
|

1.| "Church"| 1:45
2.| "GoGo!"| 3:14
3.| "Body"| 3:31
4.| "Pinku"| 2:05
5.| "Sow"| 3:11
6.| "Day Ones" (featuring Novelist and Leikeli47)| 2:51
7.| "Good & Bad"| 1:09
8.| "Way from Me" (featuring Tirzah)| 3:17
9.| "Temple" (featuring M.I.A. and G-Dragon)| 3:05
10.| "Make It Bang" (featuring TT the Artist)| 3:20
11.| "Kung Fu" (featuring Pusha T and Future)| 2:34
12.| "Church Reprise" (featuring Rustie)| 1:32
13.| "Aa"| 1:15
Total length:| 33:27

## Personnel

[edit]

Credits for Aa.[14][26]

* Baauer – producer, writer, recording
* Caleb Leven – vocal engineering
* Dominic Flannigan – design
* Future – vocals ("Kung Fu")
* G-Dragon – vocals ("Temple")
* Joe LaPorta – mastering
* Johnatan Zawada – design
* Leikeli47 – vocals ("Day Ones")
* Mason Klein – executive producer
* M.I.A. – vocals ("Temple")
* Noah Beresin – production ("Church", "Way from Me", "Temple")
* Novelist – vocals ("Day Ones")
* Pusha T – vocals ("Kung Fu")
* Rustie – guitar ("Church Reprise")
* Ryan Schwabe – mixing, vocal engineering
* Stewart Hawkes – mastering
* S-Type – additional production
* Tirzah – vocals ("Way from Me")
* TT The Artist – vocals ("Make It Bang")

## Charts

[edit]

Chart performance for Aa Chart (2016)  | Peak
position

|

Australian Albums (ARIA)[27] | 52
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[28] | 11
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[29] | 3

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b Minsker, Evan (January 28, 2016). "Baauer's Debut Album Aa Features M.I.A, Future, Pusha T, Rustie; Performs "Day Ones" on "Colbert"". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
2. ^ a b "Hear Baauer, M.I.A., G-Dragon Team for Booming 'Temple'". Rolling Stone. March 16, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
3. ^ a b Hughes, Josiah (January 28, 2016). "Baauer Taps Pusha T, Future, M.I.A. for Debut Album". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
4. ^ Beta, Andy (February 17, 2016). "Baauer Is Shaking Off the Blessing and Curse of Meme Stardom". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
5. ^ McQuaid, Ian (March 16, 2016). "'It became me, that was all I was': can the man who made the Harlem Shake escape its shadow?". The Guardian. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
6. ^ a b Fintoni, Laurent. "Baauer's World-Sampling Sounds Are Bigger Than The Internet". The Fader. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
7. ^ a b "Baauer's Post-"Harlem Shake" Renaissance". Complex. March 15, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
8. ^ a b c Bulut, Selim (March 15, 2016). "Baauer's journey from college beatmaker to hip-hop boss". Dazed. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
9. ^ a b Bromwich, Jonah (March 22, 2016). "Baauer: Aa Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
10. ^ a b Rivitz, Will (March 30, 2016). "Baauer: Aa". PopMatters. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
11. ^ a b Staples, Derek (March 17, 2016). "Baauer – Aa". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
12. ^ a b c Sully, George (March 2, 2016). "Baauer: Aa – Debut album review". The Skinny. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
13. ^ "Baauer - Aa - LuckyMe". Retrieved June 27, 2017.
14. ^ a b "Aa - Baauer | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
15. ^ "Aa by Baauer reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
16. ^ a b c "Critic Reviews for Aa". Metacritic. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
17. ^ Jeffries, David. "Aa – Baauer". AllMusic. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
18. ^ Kilpin, James (March 17, 2016). "Baauer – Aa". Clash. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
19. ^ Keating, Daryl (March 16, 2016). "Baauer Aa". Exclaim!. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
20. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (March 17, 2016). "Baauer: Aa review – Harlem Shake hitmaker delivers up-and-down album". The Guardian. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
21. ^ Ryce, Andrew (March 15, 2016). "Baauer – Aa". Resident Advisor. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
22. ^ Wallen, Doug (March 24, 2016). "Baauer – Aa". Rolling Stone Australia. Archived from the original on April 5, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
23. ^ Medved, Matt; Bein, Kat; Leight, Elias (December 13, 2016). "Billboard's 10 Best Dance/Electronic Albums of 2016: Critics' Picks". Billboard. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
24. ^ "50 Best Albums of 2016 | 35. Baauer, Aa". Complex. December 15, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
25. ^ "Aa by Baauer on Apple Music". iTunes. March 18, 2016. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
26. ^ "Baauer - Aa (CD, Album)". Discogs. March 18, 2016. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
27. ^ Ryan, Gavin (March 26, 2016). "ARIA Albums: Violent Soho 'Waco' Is No 1". Noise11. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
28. ^ "Baauer Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2016.
29. ^ "Baauer Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 30, 2016.

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz release group

|

*[No.]: Number