Aa (album)

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.

Aa
Studio album by
Baauer
ReleasedMarch 18, 2016
Recorded2014–2016
Genre
Length33:27
LabelLuckyMe
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]

Background and recording

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

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

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
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.4/10[15]
Metacritic76/100[16]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[17]
Clash5/10[18]
Consequence of SoundB[11]
Exclaim!9/10[19]
The Guardian[20]
Pitchfork7.3/10[9]
Q[16]
Resident Advisor3.3/5[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
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
Aa[25]
No.TitleLength
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

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
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
  1. 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. "Hear Baauer, M.I.A., G-Dragon Team for Booming 'Temple'". Rolling Stone. March 16, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  3. 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. Fintoni, Laurent. "Baauer's World-Sampling Sounds Are Bigger Than The Internet". The Fader. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  7. "Baauer's Post-"Harlem Shake" Renaissance". Complex. March 15, 2016. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  8. Bulut, Selim (15 March 2016). "Baauer's journey from college beatmaker to hip-hop boss". Dazed. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  9. Bromwich, Jonah (March 22, 2016). "Baauer: Aa Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  10. Rivitz, Will (March 30, 2016). "Baauer: Aa". PopMatters. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  11. Staples, Derek (March 17, 2016). "Baauer – Aa". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  12. 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. "Aa - Baauer | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  15. "Aa by Baauer reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  16. "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. 18 March 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.
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