Oh Wonder
Self-titled
4th September 2015
R
eleasing a song a month worked out pretty well for this London-based duo, Oh Wonder; with close to 100k followers on Soundcloud, their 14 track debut album generated a lot attention before it was formally released in early September, 2015. It features the capable vocals of Josephine Vander Gucht and Anthony West alongside fluid electronic instrumentals and beats, resulting in what is often an ambient listen.
Despite their success online, I had only recently heard about Oh Wonder from a friend’s recommendation. When I gave it a listen, I could immediately see the attraction in their ability to change the mood of a room for the better. Their melodies cascade through the tracks with an airy elegance that perfectly aligns with sweet vocals.
A few songs in particular caught my ear; ‘Technicolour Beat’ is a catchy and uplifting listen. The introduction features relaxing electro modulation and a pulsating beat follows throughout the rest of the track. The lyrics flow well with the rhythm of the song and are layered together in a way the definitely warrants a head bob here and there. ‘Body Gold’ features a hugely limited instrumental backdrop behind fuzzy vocals, creating a chilled vibe that conjures up a resemblance to Flight Facilities. ‘Landslide’ is a prominent display of the duo’s consistently good vocals, which fit together perfectly, his providing backing to hers, allowing it to stand out against the instrumentals by contrast.
“they have some real potential to make great music”
It’s apparent that they have uncovered a formula to create some captivating electropop, with enchanting vocals braided together on top of a subdued rhythmic beat. The only problem is that this musical cookie cutter is used on the majority of the tracks in this album, and what I initially found as a great ambient soundtrack to everyday life became repetitive and quickly lost its charm.
The soprano and alto vocals of Vander Gucht and West follow each other closely throughout the whole album alongside mellow beats and limited instrumentals, and although their voices are by no means bad, there is almost no variety in any of the songs. Singing every lyric together at different octaves becomes at best monotonous, and mind-numbing at its worst. This is the primary reason why I would not advise listening to the entire album in one go, instead taking a few select tracks and adding them to a playlist.
The vibe produced by this band’s self titled album is a good one, providing a relaxing backing to life that helps you unwind. Cycling to uni with this on was a dream. But, it’s just a shame that there’s a lack of variety on the album, because they have some real potential to make more great music. I love what has been produced, but need to see something more before Oh Wonder truly grabs my attention.
