Virtual Self: Why Porter Robinson’s New Alter Ego is Important

Then, in January of 2017, Porter disowned all but 11 of his songs via Twitter. The short playlist included most of Worlds, but left off his avowed claim to fame, Say My Name.

no disrespect but this is the canon

everything else is unofficial now

i've been making music for 12 years and i only wrote 11 songs, wow pic.twitter.com/xgpzMk8iFh

— porter robinson (@porterrobinson) January 24, 2017

Now, with Virtual Self, the conversation continues about what it means to be an artist and have a brand. Fans often expect their favorite artists to stay true to the style and genre they originally fell in love with. That said, shouldn’t we allow artists to grow and develop without judgment? If we truly do care for them, don’t we want to see them progress however they feel is right?

On the other hand, an artist having multiple aliases can definitely be overwhelming and confusing for some fans. Branching into different genres in and of itself perhaps shouldn’t necessarily require a brand new moniker. After all, shouldn’t the artist be more faithful to their own creativity and imagination than their brand?

It’s hard to say why Porter felt the need to create an entirely new alias for Eon Break. It’s also difficult to say what we can expect from the new project in the future. Still shrouded in mystery aside from an enigmatic Twitter account and the track itself, it seems only time will tell.

Virtual Self’s debut track Eon Break is quite the offshoot from Worlds. It features a staggeringly high BPM and a feel that reminiscent to tracks on Dance Dance Revolution. While it may be more industrial than much of Worlds, Porter Robinson’s style still manages to shine through. As for the DDR reference, it’s actually quite fitting considering Porter’s connection to the game. It was one of the first games, and influences in general, to spark his interest in electronic music.

Though we may not always know what’s going on in Porter Robinson’s head, it seems clear that he’s focused on following his heart. He’s been thriving in the world of Japanese culture and animation since Worlds, inclduding a short anime video for his track Shelter with longtime friend Madeon, in collaboration with A-1 Pictures and Crunchyroll.

Virtual Self and Eon Break seem to be the next step in Porter Robinson paying homage to his favorite mediums, influences, and memories. And honestly, who can be mad about that?

What do you think about Porter Robinson’s new alias and its debut track? Let us know in the comments below!