‘Oh Wonder’ album impresses with soothing tunes

With its hit single “Technicolor Beat” boasting 7 million streams on Spotify, Oh Wonder has defined a new standard for musical groups in the alternative genre.

The English duo includes singer Josephine Van Der Gucht and singer/producer Anthony West, who have established a mellow yet unique sound through their duets.

After a year of releasing new singles each month, Oh Wonder has finally made its debut with its first album:  “Oh Wonder.”

Although the duo worked quickly to release the album, they did not prioritize deadlines over quality and still managed to produce thrilling tunes and sweet beats.

Much of the band’s struggle, in truth, was not in meeting its deadlines, but in learning how to put egos aside.

“Previously to this, I had always been in the front of a band, and [Van Der Gucht] had always been in the front of a band,” West said in an interview with FaceCulture. “Now, there’s a balance; everything we do now is not just what’s best for ourselves. That’s down to writing, it’s down to interviews, it’s down to being on stage — it’s all gotta be for Oh Wonder.”

The album sets Oh Wonder apart from other pop duos such as Alex and Sierra and Us the Duo, as Oh Wonder showcases its experience in musical production through its integration of various sound effects. Piano, strings and rain all emphasize the album’s chilling undertones, low bass and refined beats, thus marking the album an indie/synthpop wonder.

“Melodically, I used to write songs that were just really odd and not very ‘catchy’ or not very sonically appealing, but [West] has tamed that,” Van Der Gucht said in FaceCulture. “There’s a level of not wanting to be predictable but you want to be melodious.”

Though each song on the album is unique in its tempo and melody, all songs are tied together with similar piano progressions and slow rhythms at their beginnings.

The songs also convey meaningful messages about love and relationships, mental illness, money and fame.

While many other artists write about similar topics, Oh Wonder relates them differently. For instance, in its song “Drive,” the band refers to artists who sing “the same songs with the same old rhymes, tell me to shake it off and swing from the lights,” a reference that serves as a metaphor for the redundant essence of relationships.

In the song “Dazzle,” the duo says that they're “not in it for the money, just in it for the thrill, living in the moment, paying for the kill” to ensure that their fans know that they truly care about the content they put out, and are not just part of a marketing plan to boom and then bust.

The duo sets these intriguing lyrics to electronica ballads, essentially formulating the perfect wind-down album.

With the album, Oh Wonder has separated itself from mainstream bands through breathtaking melodies and contemplative lyrics. Though the band started touring just this year, it has already sold out shows and toured internationally. These new kids on the block are slowly but surely creeping up the charts, leaving fans wondering whether Oh Wonder continue to rise to success.

Whatever the answer may be, one thing is certain: The duo has opened the eyes of listeners, or ears rather, to new, idiosyncratic, simply wonderful music.