OH WONDER – OH WONDER Londoners Josephine van der Gucht and Anthony West describe themselves as an alt-pop writing duo. Perhaps the most striking thing about the music that they create as Oh Wonder is the depth that runs through each of their songs. This is created by the rich instrumentation that the duo uses along with the atmospheric production and thoughtful lyrics sung in subtle harmony. Oh Wonder chose an unusual method of release, writing and recording one song per month for the period of a year. Thereafter, their self-titled debut album was released. Although the duo has only released one album to date, they have already showed themselves to be a prolific team with an exciting future. Although there are 15 songs on the album, Oh Wonder – Oh Wonder each song is unique in its own right and the album shows great emotional range, although admittedly, there is a melancholic tone that characterizes the duo’s work.
In terms of instrumentation, violin, piano, flute and synthesizer are accompanied by acoustic, electric and bass guitar to create a full and varied sound. Midnight Moon features a sitar riff. Both members of Oh Wonder contribute to the vocals. Van der Gucht’s clear, soulful vocal also has a beautiful fragility to it, keeping perfect company with West’s wonderfully restrained harmonies. I once read that sad music is comforting because it releases the same hormone in the listener’s brain as mother’s milk in that of a baby. I’m not sure if that’s a hundred percent factual, but I can testify to being comforted by the likes of Landslide and All We Do on more than one blue Monday. Lyrically, the album is a thoughtful exploration of life and relationships, and the wonder as well as the sorrow that they can bring. Shark is a poetic and honest, look at the question of whether or not a love will last, while Livewire explores the hope of settling down. Body Gold, made famous by electronic duo, Louis the Child’s artful remix, describes a relationship that brings the singer out of a struggle. Plans speaks of the hope that a future with someone can bring in the midst of financial or career struggles.
I get the feeling that more than one track on the album may have been written with friendship, rather than romance in mind. Landslide is a sweet commitment to stand by someone when they are finding it difficult to get through the day. It’s really refreshing to hear a range of lyrical topics covered in an album and it shows a wonderful depth which bodes well for the longevity of Oh Wonder’s music career.
The duo have a strong social media presence and an interesting brand. Their debut album is equal parts technically impressive and easy to listen to. Each of the fifteen songs that it is comprised of is worth a listen, although my favourites are definitely Shark, Lose It and Technicolour Beat. As I’ve mentioned in earlier articles, their music videos are definitely worth checking out too!
