By ORION BAKER/Assistant Video Editor
Duke Reviews: “Isotope” EP by Wasia Project
Hello! I’m Orion, and welcome back to Duke Reviews. Today’s submission was from the former Marketing Editor of Talon Student Media, Breanna Bolle. She suggested “Isotope,” an EP from Wasia Project. Isotope was released on August 29, 2024. I previously heard one song from Wasia Project titled “impossible” from their 2022 EP ”how can i pretend?” I am intrigued by what the new EP has in store.
If you want to submit your favorite movies or albums, please, let me know by filling out this form so that this column can continue going strong.
Before diving into “Isotope,” we need context first. At least I do.
Wasia Project’s Background and Success
Wasia Project is a pop band formed in 2019. It’s composed of siblings Oliva Hardy and Willaim Gao. The siblings are of mixed Asian-British descent, hence the name Wasia Project. Wasian is a slang term for people who are mixed Asian and White.
Their roots in music stem from their upbringing. Gao is a classically trained pianist, and Hardy learned to play violin when she was young via the Suzuki Method. The Suzuki Method is a teaching method that emphasizes teaching children to learn music in a way similar to how they learn their own native language. Occurring through extensive listening, repetition, and parental involvement.
In 2019, they uploaded their debut single “Why Don’t You Love Me?” on SoundCloud. From there it has only been up for the siblings. They released their first EP, “How Can I Pretend?”, which landed them a label deal with AWAL. This led to their music being included in a soundtrack for Heartstopper from Netflix. Then they had their first headline tour in the UK, followed by supporting tours with Tom Odell and Laufey in 2024. Their supporting tour with Laufey was the band’s first US tour.
This all resulted in the release of the duo’s second EP and the one I’m reviewing today: “Isotope.”
Isotope: The Review
This project caught me off guard, in the best way possible. Short, simple, and elegant is the best set of words I found to describe this. Despite consisting of only seven tracks, with two instrumentals, each one is a showcase of the siblings’ talent. The tracks flow into one another well and helps keep this project cohesive.
The instrumental range from the siblings is insane. Their talent speaks for itself. You can tell they arrived here through hard work and consistent improvements. The mix of slow jazz and current pop sounds helps make this album digestible and a smooth listen, front to back.
Both sibling’s vocals and instrumentals are magnificent on “To Get Better.”
The themes and story of this EP are about the impact of love, the need for it and the aftermath. “Take Me Back Home” showcases the yearning for true love. “Somebody Come Through” delves into the constant bickering and the slow, yet prominent, collapse of love over a period of time. This all culminates in “To Get Better,” where the impact and fallout of a perceived “love” come in effect.
Gao sings, “I don’t wanna be with me anymore, and oh, it’s such a shame to feel like I’m out of control.”
There is a short film that accompanies this album. You can find it here.
Scoring and Conclusion
Score: 9.5/10
Favorite Tracks: Tell Me Lies (fin), Is This What Love Is?, Takes Me Back Home
Least Favorite Tracks: N/A
I found myself surprised. I thought I would like this band based on “impossible,” but this feels so familiar and yet also refreshing at the same time. The combination of different genres and sounds comes together to make this EP great and worthwhile.
This EP would go on to be very successful for the them. It resulted in their own headline tour of the US, Europe and the UK. Wasia Project has a bright future ahead of them. I honestly wish them nothing but more success.
This review is a bit shorter than usual, as the EP itself is short. I recommend checking them out for yourselves! They are steadily growing, with nearly 1.5 million monthly listeners at this time.
Thanks again to Breanna for this suggestion, and if you want to suggest something you’d like me to review, I highly recommend filling out this form. It helps me know what to review next.
