(Photo from www.wonderlandmagazine.com)

The debut album from Oh Wonder is, in some ways, not really a debut. Their delighted fans will have been following the monthly release of each single since last September.

But me, as a new discoverer of Oh Wonder, I was unable to unlock all of its treats in one blissful go.

This electro pop duo from South-East London has put together a delicate, very listenable collection of minimalist pop that encompasses the broad spectrum of emotions that our relationships give us.

Josephine and Anthony’s voices melt together hypnotisingly, coating you with their reflective warmth. Their voices could go somewhere much more powerful, yet they purposefully hold back. It’s thoughtful, tantalising even.

But part of me is desperate to hear what it’s like when they really let rip.

Each track is artfully and meticulously put together. I love the authentic acoustic piano sounds and the un-altered vocals that sound like they were captured in their East-London living room, (which they were!) contrasted against wonderfully engineered synths and drums.


Their songs are a celebration of love and loss, their melodies are warm and at times reassuringly unsurprising. “Without You” is a colourful, catchy-pop contrast to an otherwise minimalist collection. The sultry “Rain” is a deep, slow jam idolising surrender to love, and while the beautiful monotonous “All We Do” laments the monotony of life.

It’s an album for late nights. It is not one for listening deeply to, nor for playing over and over again. The songs tend towards each other, with the duo choosing to keep their vocals separated in an octave, rather than experimenting and branching out with harmonies and layers.

But for warm, frothy, slow-jam late-night listening, Oh Wonder will be just the thing.

Tags: album, album review, new music, music blog, musician, art, artists, Oh Wonder, minimalism,