Providence (Nathan Fake album)
| Providence | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 10 March 2017 | |||
| Recorded | 2016 | |||
| Genre | Electronic[1] | |||
| Length | 46:57 | |||
| Label | Ninja Tune | |||
| Producer | Nathan Fake | |||
| Nathan Fake chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Providence | ||||
Providence is the fourth studio album by English electronic musician Nathan Fake. It was released on 10 March 2017 through Ninja Tune, his first release on the label.[4] The album was recorded during the first half of 2016 following a period of writer's block, and features Fake's first vocal collaborations.[5] Providence received generally favourable reviews, with a score of 73 out of 100 on Metacritic.[6]
Background
After extensive touring in support of his third album Steam Days (2012), Fake experienced a two-year creative drought, describing it as a cycle of being unable or unwilling to make music.[5] He broke through the block after purchasing a Korg Prophecy synthesiser from the 1990s, whose limitations as a monophonic instrument forced him to approach composition more intuitively, playing melodies in real time rather than programming sequences in a digital audio workstation.[5] The album's title references the Prophecy's name.[5]
Fake recorded the album through jam sessions, with synthesiser parts captured on cassette tape before being transferred to computer, a workflow that added organic texture to the sound.[5] The album features vocal contributions from Dominic Fernow on "DEGREELESSNESS" and Raphaelle Standell-Preston of Braids on "RVK", marking Fake's first collaborations with vocalists.[4][7] Fake's move to Ninja Tune came through prior remix work and rapport with the label.[5]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 73/100[6] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Resident Advisor | [1] |
| The Skinny | [7] |
| The Irish Times | [8] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 6/10[9] |
Providence received generally favourable reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 73, based on 10 reviews.[6] Resident Advisor praised the album as a reinvention, noting that Fake's confidence seemed renewed and that the record marked a more urgent and aggressive direction while retaining his distinctive identity.[1] The Skinny highlighted the layered sound resulting from the Korg Prophecy's constraints and praised Fake's first vocal collaborations.[7] Writing for The Irish Times, Chris Jones noted the album's move away from the dancefloor, describing it as intense and disorienting.[8] The Line of Best Fit gave a more mixed assessment, praising the collaborative tracks but finding some of the album's compositions directionless.[9]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Nathan Fake.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "feelings 1" | 1:41 |
| 2. | "PROVIDENCE" | 4:59 |
| 3. | "HoursDaysMonthsSeasons" | 5:45 |
| 4. | "DEGREELESSNESS" (featuring Prurient) | 8:07 |
| 5. | "The Equator & I" | 2:24 |
| 6. | "unen" | 2:04 |
| 7. | "SmallCityLights" | 4:10 |
| 8. | "Radio Spiritworld" | 2:36 |
| 9. | "CONNECTIVITY" | 2:51 |
| 10. | "RVK" (featuring Raphaelle) | 5:25 |
| 11. | "REMAIN" | 3:40 |
| 12. | "feelings 2" | 3:15 |
Personnel
- Nathan Fake – production, all instruments
- Dominic Fernow – vocals on "DEGREELESSNESS"
- Raphaelle Standell-Preston – vocals on "RVK"
References
- ^ a b c Miller, Derek (23 March 2017). "Providence". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ "DEGREELESSNESS / Now We Know". Ninja Tune. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ "Nathan Fake announces new album, Providence". Resident Advisor. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ a b "Providence". Ninja Tune. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ a b c d e f Fenwick, Tom (12 March 2017). "Nathan Fake: Providence interview". FACT Magazine. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ a b c "Providence Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ a b c Wallace, Megan (6 March 2017). "Nathan Fake – Providence". The Skinny. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ a b Jones, Chris (9 March 2017). "Nathan Fake: Providence – album review". The Irish Times. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
- ^ a b Riby, Scott (27 March 2017). "Nathan Fake – Providence". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 22 February 2026.