Baauer Returns With 'U,' His First Album in Six Years

A Decade-Long Naming Scheme Continues

Baauer has released U, his first full-length album since 2020's PLANET'S MAD. Out now via LUCKYME, the record continues a naming convention the producer first floated in 2016: spelling his name across successive releases, starting with 2014's ß and 2016's Aa.

Executive-produced by Hudson Mohawke, U marks a stylistic pivot for the artist who first broke through during the SoundCloud trap era. The album draws heavily on the disco, house, and French touch records Baauer grew up with as a teenager in London, moving fluidly between genres with the sampling instincts that have defined his catalog.

Disco Hooks and Vintage Samples

Tracks like "Better" and "Nothing's Ever Real" (featuring Betsy) lean into unfiltered disco euphoria, while "Calling Out For U" channels luminous house energy. "Supersonic" flips a vintage Jimmy Castor Bunch vocal into a riotous homage to the UK dance records of Baauer's youth.

The album also nods to his earlier sound. "Gravity/Chaos Flow" (featuring KUČKA) detours into halftime, grime-tinged hybrid territory that reconnects with the low-end sensibilities of his previous work. The close circle of collaborators includes Aluna and Brazy, with piano from Eli Teplin and additional production from Parisi.

Pandemic Twitch Sessions Opened the Process

Baauer credits his creative shift to producing live on Twitch during the pandemic. "Doing that cracked open my process, people could see me the whole time, from starting a beat to finishing," he said in a press release. That transparency carried into the studio sessions for U. "I had to stop overthinking it," he added.

U is available now on streaming platforms.