Album Review: Kid Wave – Wonderlust
2 min read
UK indie pop/rock quartet Kid Wave are rising stars: their gnarly signature sound is taking a hold of their home turf and perhaps soon the world. Lead singer Lea Emmery sure has the indie look down pat with her long blonde locks and alternative attire, and boy does she have the vocals to go with it; Kid Wave have released their debut album Wonderlust and the hype is real. We bet you can’t wait for us to have a look.
Debut single, album opener and title track Wonderlust presents the earthy alternative side of indie rock, with Emmery’s deep voice almost as a mumble but more of a statement. Gloom follows the same route and keeps the energy levels high, whereas Honey is a little more atmospheric with its airy backing vocals and fuller instrumentation. The sweet Best Friend is carried by endearing lyrics towards somebody close and a neat yet subtle beat. A slower tempo was gone for with Walk On Fire which was refreshing, it broke up the dominant indie/rock sound to take the album to newer heights, not to mention the more darker vibe resonating from Baby Tiger.
We welcome a return to the more upbeat kicks with All I Want, this time the album being injected with the slightest dose of pop. Sway could almost be described as soulful: its guitar and bass lines carry the track in that direction whilst the melody adopts a pop demeanour, creating a dreamscape like environment. Freeride has an interesting ring to it with its edgy guitar work and snappy vocals, whereas I’m Trying To Break Your Heart goes for a more laid back yet intense approach. Last but not least, Dreaming On is provided as the most down beat track on the album, once again breaking up the fulfilled energy that existed throughout.
Kid Wave know what they want to hear from their music and Wonderlust is an exceptional debut from the group. There were some versatile moments throughout the album, even though at times the game could’ve been upped a little in terms of sound experimentation and vocal variety, but you just wouldn’t have Wonderlust any other way as it would lose its charm. Not a bad debut effort from Kid Wave at all: it would be as interesting to catch one of their live shows as it would be to hear more from them.
