Oh Wonder is a London based duo featuring Josephine Vander Gucht and Anthony West. The two have been writing together for four years, but only formed their group in the beginning of Sept. 2014. Their unique self- titled album was released one song at a time over the course of 12 months. As of Sept. 2, 2015, the full album is available for purchase.

The genre of the band is still undefined because of the differing styles in each of their songs. The piano, harmonies and minimal instruments in the track ‘All We Do’ sounds like a theme song to a John Green movie.  The sound effects created with a drum machine and synthesizer are dominant throughout, creating a subtle haunting mood. The tracks have a slow trance-like rock sound similar to the song ‘The Hills’ by The Weeknd. Some songs, such as ‘Drive’ and ‘Plans,’ have a more joyful and upbeat sound. Filled with repeating beats and catchy chorus, these tracks are reminiscent of a sugary pop song you might hear on the radio.

Throughout the album, Oh Wonder uses different types of instruments to achieve their unique style. ‘Livewire’ has a fast piano melody which makes the song more bright and cheerful. Tracks like ‘White Blood’ and ‘The Rain’ have slow piano melodies. ‘Drive’ has prominent violin melodies in the background that you won’t be able to get out of your head. The song ‘Midnight Moon’ has a rather peculiar instrument playing in the chorus and bridge: the sitar. It adds an interesting contrast yet still makes the song sound skillfully crafted.

The use of the synthesizer and drum machine is an obvious staple of their style, as it permeates throughout the album. After listening to a few songs, it is immediately obvious where the electronic instrument stands in Oh Wonder’s style. Many listeners even use this as a reason to call Oh Wonder an electronic contemporary band.