7G is the debut studio album by English music producer, singer and PC Music label head A. G. Cook.[5][6][7] It was released through PC Music on 12 August 2020.[8]
The album is 49 tracks long and split into seven discs, each disc being instrument-specific.[9]7G was not supported by any singles, but a seven-minute long mix previewing one song from each disc for approximately one minute each. In addition to new material, it includes covers of songs by Taylor Swift, Blur, Charli XCX, the Strokes, the Smashing Pumpkins, and more.
Cook released his second studio album Apple on 18 September 2020, only five weeks later. Apple vs. 7G, a remix album consisting of songs from both Apple and 7G, was released on 28 May 2021.
Background and recording
Cook first began teasing 7G's release in September 2018 via Instagram.[11] In March 2020, Cook took to Instagram again to give an update on his record.[12]
In May 2020, Cook performed as part of American songwriter and producer Porter Robinson's virtual musical festival Secret Sky, where he debuted new material.
Of the background and recording of 7G, and its successor, Apple, Cook spoke with The Recording Academy in September 2020, stating:[13]
I actually finished the Apple album about a year ago. And I was just looking for the right way to contextualize it. And then with the 7G stuff, some of it was done kind of recently, but it's really an exploration of all the sounds that went into Apple. It's a time travel look at things I've been exploring since day one, since seven years ago when I was starting to do this full-time.
Obviously I'm fairly prolific and work with different people. But also I just thought it was the most true version of me to be quite saturated and seeing things from many different angles at the same time. That just felt like the right way to do a debut.
Release and promotion
Cook announced the 7-disc record on 31 July 2020, along with its cover art, designed by Supermodel, release date, and track list that featured 49 tracks. Instead of a lead single, Cook released a seven-minute mix, previewing one-minute snippets of "Acid Angel", "Gold Leaf", "Illuminated Biker Gang", "Anything Could Happen", "Behind Glass", "Hold On" and "Show Me What".[14]
A digital preorder on Bandcamp was also made available, where upon purchase buyers were gifted with a Deluxe Box Set, including "a definitive source of 7G information & artwork, a labyrinth of images, text, sound & MIDI and a 30-minute audio file", as well as the aforementioned seven-minute mix.
On 11 August, a 7G listening was broadcast on Zoom, followed by an afterparty live event, featuring sets from Balming Tiger, Charli XCX, DJ Warlord, Hannah Diamond, Flume, Namasenda and SOPHIE.[17]
On 7G's release day, Cook released a visual for the final track on the album, "Alright", directed by Aaron Chan.[18]
On 26 August, Cook released the video to the final track on disc 1, "Silver", directed by Cook himself and Aaron Chan.[19]
On 14 September, Cook released the video to the "Live at Appleville" version of the first track on the final disc, "Today", directed by Rick Farin & Claire Cochran. The video was premiered at the virtual live event Cook hosted via Twitch, Appleville, the day prior.
A physical CD boxset was announced for release in October 2021.
Track listing
All tracks written and produced by A. G. Cook, except where noted.
