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<!-- Multi-Love is the third studio album by the band Unknown Mortal Orchestra, released on May 25, 2015 by Jagjaguwar. Nielson's experience with polyamory thematically informed the album, touching upon hedonistic themes and the subsequent psychological distress. Sonically,

Background and concept
Between 2011 and 2013, Unknown Mortal Orchestra released their eponymous debut and second album, inspired by frontman Ruban Nielson's fatherhood. The former drew upon his initial optimism, whereas the latter manifested his insecurities regarding the experience.

Upon entering a club in Tokyo, in February 2013, Nielson was drawn to a "strange, singularly beautiful" young woman, referred to in interviews as Laura, with whom he established a platonic relationship. After requesting to see a photograph of her, his wife partook in the relationship, exchanging intimate letters with her. Nielson was preoccupied at first, but agreed when his wife suggested that Laura move in with them and their children. Despite a warm receptivity to the experience, Nielson would sulk around the house while Jenny and Laura carried on, toiling in the basement rather than confronting them both with his feelings. "

On May 1 of last year, Laura arrived, along with summer. Nielson says what followed was like “a crazy awesome dream.” The three of them bonded almost immediately, and the kids, whose response was always a major concern, took to Laura just as quickly. “‘Let’s do this forever, this is the ultimate state of being,’” he remembers thinking, that first week they were all together. “We let our defenses down,” he says now. “The complications kicked in later.”

By October 2013, songwriting had begun for a forthcoming project, which Nielson said he hoped would be "uplifting", similarly to Unknown Mortal Orchestra, rather than a melancholic, solitary "tour record". The musician expected to divide recording sessions between his home and proper studios, in addition to collaborating with producers. -->

Recording
Spanning ten months, the recording of Multi-Love was executed nocturnally; this was done in an attempt by Nielson to grapple with his insomnia. His Portland home housed his personal studio and equipment, which he mastered as an autodidact. Jagjaguwar arranged a larger budget for the development of the album, allowing for superior production. Nielson's original plan of working with other producers was discarded in favour of a desired richer sound, leading to the acquisition of studio gear. This approach was a shift from the lo-fi nature of its predecessors, recorded with inexpensive material. However, the technique adopted in those albums remained virtually unaltered.

An initially desired "airy" feel to the record was traded for a "midrange-heavy" sound. Nielson intended to feature horns, strings and synthesizers into the recording, but the lack of emphasis on guitars was not deliberate. He expressed his wish to emulate David Bowie's output between Young Americans (1975) and Scary Monsters (1980), incorporating digital instruments, digital delays and pitch shifters. Aja (1977) and Off the Wall (1979), respectively by Steely Dan and Michael Jackson, were other touchstones cited by Nielson. Selected songs were slowed down through a tape deck. Due to impatience and time constraints, Nielson experimented with repairing his instruments. After learning how to deconstruct guitars, the musician began handling guitar pedals and oscillators, leading him to construct many of the synthesizers employed in the album.

A greater involvement of other musicians also distinguished the album from Unknown Mortal Orchestra and II. Despite his fondness of working unattended, Nielson found that collaborating resulted in faster results. After compiling miscellaneous song ideas, Nielson invited his brother and former bandmate Kody to work on them. Kody spent five weeks recording drums and keyboards for the entirety of Multi-Love. After Nielson sent him a demo of "Necessary Evil", his father recommended adding brass to it; according to Nielson, this contribution resulted in one of the song's most vital parts. The band's bass player, Jake Portrait, recorded and produced vocals for the album in Brooklyn alongside Nielson.

Critical reception
In a negative assessment, Greg Beets of Austin Chronicle found Multi-Love to be "top-loaded with mildly engaging songs drawn out past the point of intrigue", unfavorably mentioning its diversion from "the psychedelic fancy that informed its predecessors.".