BB U OK?
Studio album by
San Holo
ReleasedJune 4, 2021 (2021-06-04)
RecordedSeptember 2019 — January 2020[1]
StudioEcho Park, Los Angeles[1]
Length72:56
Label
Producer
San Holo chronology
Album1
(2018)		 BB U OK?
(2021)		 Existential Dance Music
(2023)
Singles from BB U OK?
  1. "BB U OK?"
    Released: 1 December 2020
  2. "Find Your Way"
    Released: 3 February 2021
  3. "It Hurts!"
    Released: 10 March 2021
  4. "Black and White / My Fault"
    Released: 14 April 2021
  5. "You've Changed, I've Changed"
    Released: 22 May 2021

BB U OK? (stylized as bb u ok?) is the second studio album by Dutch musician San Holo, released on 4 June 2021 by Bitbird, Counter Records, and Liquid State.

Production

The album was recorded from September 2019 to January 2020. Similarly to Album1, it was recorded in an Airbnb in Los Angeles, this time in Echo Park.[1][2] He explained: "I wrote bb u ok? during a new chapter of my life after that relationship ended. I was learning how to deal with what happens 'after love'. I flew to LA and just started writing and writing, trying to express everything I had been feeling for the last few months. The change in scenery definitely helped, going back to LA (like I did for album1) brought back some good memories of that previous chapter."[3] San Holo expected to release the album still in 2020, but that was not possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2]

Composition

"When I wrote this album, I was obviously feeling different things than I do now, over a year later. However, I think there’s always a sense of nostalgia in my music. Nostalgia is something I’m always inspired by. A lot of my songs are about looking back while still moving forward at the same time. They’re about accepting that everything is fleeting and understanding the beauty in that, too. This is something that I’m always thinking about. In that sense this album still really feels like me, even though I wrote it over a year ago."

—San Holo to Billboard.[4]

In an interview, San Holo declared that BB U OK? was his most personal project ever, which is "just me trying to experiment in a more indie direction, keeping the same sonic elements and feelings as a San Holo song."[2] He also declared that, while Album1 was "me being in love", BB U OK? "definitely has an after love vibe. Not to say a bad vibe, but more like an 'Okay, what happens after that relationship and how do you deal with it, how do you move on?' The bittersweetness of that, the beautiful memories yet the sad fact that it didn't work out, for example."[5]

San Holo declared the album is "post-EDM, with influences from indie and post-rock."[6] Dancing Astronaut said "[t]he LP is polished with contemporary musical influences including indie-electronic, ambient, lo-fi, and future-bass. The collection as a whole spotlights San Holo’s signature guitar progressions, spectral synth leads, and unfiltered lyricism."[7]

The album's title is "a reminder to ask others how they're feeling". San Holo further clarified that he felt that, even though everyone was connected with social media and phones, "I feel like we're so disconnected in a way".[5]

Release

On 5 November 2020, San Holo announced social media hiatus, "to clear my mind and live in the moment a little more". He also declared: "Let's start a new chapter soon!"[8] 21 days later, he announced the release of the single "BB U OK?" for 1 December,[9] which started "a new chapter" in his career.[10] The song was San Holo's first release on Counter Records.[11]

On 27 January 2021, he teased the "biggest announcement in San Holo history", to occur on 3 February.[12] The announcement was his second studio album, BB U OK?, along with a second single, "Find Your Way". The album was initially set to be released on 21 May via Bitbird, his own independent label, and Counter Records.[3] He then released "It Hurts!" on 10 March,[13] and "Black and White / My Fault" on 14 April.[14] On 6 May, San Holo announced that the album was delayed to 4 June.[15] On 22 May, he released "You've Changed, I've Changed", with Chet Porter.[16] On 24 May, he announced a North American tour to promote the album.[17]

BB U OK? was released on 4 June 2021, with vinyl, cassette tape and CD formats.[18]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
PopMatters7/10[19]
de Volkskrant[20]

OOR said the album has "great songs" and declared: "BB U OK? perhaps breathes the attic room where Sander van Dijck learned to play the guitar rather than the dance floors where San Holo triumphed. Of course, that could be completely different on the third."[6] de Volkskrant gave the album a 4 out of 5 rating.[20] According to Your EDM's Matthew Meadow, "[t]he combination of San’s bleeding-heart guitar chords, processed vocals, and delicate synths serenade throughout the album, more pronounced, more nuanced, more meaningful than ever before."[21] Dancing Astronaut said the album "is a graceful journey through the Dutch producer's discerning process of falling in and out of love, as San Holo picks up the pieces through 20 heart-felt tracks, offering a musical expression that breaks down his feelings in the most raw and authentic manner."[7] PopMatters said "almost every track plays out like its own self-contained grief cycle, with sadness turning to anger followed by a beautiful release that is ultimately cathartic."[19]

Track listing

All tracks are engineered and mixed by Sander van Dijck; "The Great Clown Pagliacci" also mixed by Tim Biesta.[22]

BB U OK? track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."I Am Thinking of You"
1:30
2."It Hurts!"
  • van Dijck
  • Rutger van Woudenberg
San Holo3:48
3."New One" (featuring Bipolar Sunshine)
  • San Holo
  • Hundaes
3:39
4."BB U OK?"
  • van Dijck
  • van Woudenberg
  • San Holo
  • The Nicholas
3:22
5."Black and White"
  • van Dijck
  • van Woudenberg
  • San Holo
  • The Nicholas
4:01
6."I Just Wanna Fucking Cry" (featuring The Nicholas)
  • van Dijck
  • van Woudenberg
  • Greening
  • Annie Schindel
  • Daan Havenith
  • Steve James
  • San Holo
  • The Nicholas
  • Hundaes
2:54
7."Heal (↑%)"
  • van Dijck
  • van Woudenberg
  • Tim Biesta
  • San Holo
  • The Nicholas
3:42
8."Lonely in LA"
  • van Dijck
  • van Woudenberg
  • San Holo
  • The Nicholas
2:58
9."The Great Clown Pagliacci"
  • van Dijck
  • van Woudenberg
  • Benjamin Hudson McIldowie
  • Goody Grace
  • Stephen Feigenbaum
  • San Holo
  • McIldowie
  • Johan Lenox
1:28
10."I Get Lonely Around People, Too"
  • van Dijck
  • van Woudenberg
  • Stuart Thomas
  • San Holo
  • Mountain Range
5:37
11."Thoughts and Chemicals" (featuring American Football)
San Holo4:24
12."My Fault"
  • van Dijck
  • van Woudenberg
  • San Holo
  • The Nicholas
5:22
13."Make This Moment Last"
  • van Dijck
  • van Woudenberg
  • Biesta
San Holo3:16
14."Find Your Way" (featuring Bipolar Sunshine)
  • van Dijck
  • van Woudenberg
  • Marchant
San Holo3:45
15."Do You See Me?"
  • van Dijck
  • Greening
  • San Holo
  • Hundaes
3:26
16."Feels Right"
San Holo4:18
17."Ewing Street"
  • van Dijck
  • van Woudenberg
  • San Holo
  • The Nicholas
2:18
18."Wheels Up" (featuring Weezer)
San Holo3:17
19."You've Changed, I've Changed" (featuring Chet Porter)
  • van Dijck
  • van Woudenberg
  • Chet Porter
  • San Holo
  • The Nicholas
  • Porter
5:12
20."One More Day" (featuring Mija and Mr. Carmack)
  • van Dijck
  • van Woundenberg
  • Carmack
  • San Holo
  • Carmack
4:39
Total length:72:56

Notes

  • Tracks are stylized in all lowercase, except "It Hurts!", "My Fault", and "Feels Right" which are stylized in all caps, and "Lonely in LA" and "The Great Clown Pagliacci" which are stylized "lonely in LA" and "the great clown Pagliacci" respectively.

Charts

Chart (2021) Peak
position
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[23] 46
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[24] 3
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[25] 5

References

  1. 1 2 3 The album's cover art states, on the top right: "Album 2 by San Holo. Recorded in Echo Park, LA. September 2019 — January 2020."
  2. 1 2 3 "Entrevista: San Holo fala sobre novo álbum, vinda ao Brasil e dá dica para novos produtores". Wonderland in Rave (in Brazilian Portuguese). 2021-04-02. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  3. 1 2 Wright, Raven (2021-02-03). "San Holo Releases New Single Off Upcoming Album 'bb u ok?'". EDM Identity. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  4. ↑ "20 Questions With San Holo: On His Beard, New Album & How Porter Robinson and Madeon Changed His Life". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  5. 1 2 Kocay, Lisa. "San Holo's 'Bb U Ok?' LP Showcases His Ability To Transcend Stylistic Borders". Forbes. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  6. 1 2 "Recensie: San Holo - BB U OK? (album)". OOR (in Dutch). Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  7. 1 2 "San Holo releases emotionally drenched sophomore album 'bb u ok?'". Dancing Astronaut. 2021-06-04. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  8. ↑ Heffler, Jason. "San Holo Announces Social Media Hiatus in Letter to Fans". Edm.com - the Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  9. ↑ Mullins, Ellie (2020-11-26). "San Holo announces new track 'bb u ok?'". We Rave You. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  10. ↑ Mullins, Ellie (2020-12-01). "San Holo – bb u ok?". We Rave You. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  11. ↑ Peters, Emily (2020-12-03). "San Holo Signs to Counter Records with New Single". EDM Identity. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  12. ↑ Yopko, Nick. "San Holo Teases "Biggest Announcement in San Holo History"". Edm.com - the Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  13. ↑ Heffler, Jason. "Listen to San Holo Sing on Soaring New Single, "IT HURTS!"". Edm.com - the Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  14. ↑ "San Holo expands 'bb u ok?' tracklist with two new singles". Dancing Astronaut. 2021-04-15. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  15. ↑ Yopko, Nick. "San Holo Pushes Release Date for "bb u ok? (album 2)"". Edm.com - the Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  16. ↑ "San Holo & Chet Porter Deliver Wistful Indie Electronic Single "you've changed, i've changed" on Bitbird [LISTEN]". Your EDM. 2021-05-22. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  17. ↑ Gray, Kaelyn. "San Holo Announces Massive "bb u ok?" North American Tour". Edm.com - the Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  18. ↑ "San Holo Releases Touching Sophomore Album 'bb u ok?'". CULTR. 2021-06-04. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  19. 1 2 Bergstrom, John (7 July 2021). "San Holo: bb u ok? (Album Review)". PopMatters. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  20. 1 2 Gijssel, Robert van (2021-06-03). "De mix van vlotte dance met dromerige tokkelgitaren van San Holo blijft fascineren". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  21. ↑ Meadow, Matthew (2021-06-04). "No Skips On San Holo's Sophomore Album, "bb u ok?"". Your EDM. Retrieved 2021-06-04.
  22. ↑ "Credits / bb u ok? / San Holo". Tidal. June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  23. ↑ "San Holo Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  24. ↑ "San Holo Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  25. ↑ "San Holo Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
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