By Eden van der Moere
With the rooftops still covered in snow and the cold biting our noses, we almost desperately wish for summer: the dazzling heat, the bright greens of the grass and leaves and, of course, amazing summer plans. These past few weeks, many plans have been made as music festivals all across Europe released their headliners and line-ups. Lowlands, Pinkpop, Rock Werchter, Pukkelpop, Best Kept Secret Festival, Down The Rabbit Hole—festivals are competing against each other by releasing name after name.
One name that keeps appearing is Oscar and the Wolf. After their phenomenal performance at Eurosonic Noorderslag, an annual music festival in Groningen, the band’s star has been on the rise. Oscar and the Wolf is currently touring through the Benelux and the United Kingdom, where they sold out the Lotto Arena in Antwerp and Paradiso in Amsterdam. This summer, the band will be performing at Where The Wild Things Are, Pinkpop and Rock Werchter.
But what is the hype all about? Oscar and the Wolf is a young, hip band from Belgium, with an amazing debut album. Entity was released last year and it did not go unnoticed by music critics and the audience. In Belgium, the album became #1 in the charts, and British newspapers The Guardian and London Evening Standard were impressed by the band’s debut. In all honesty, it is an international hype that is quite, although not entirely, deserved.
Entity is, while not that original within its genre, accessible and danceable alternative pop. Oscar and the Wolf matches deep electronic beats with an echoing voice and slow melodies. From the haunting album starter “Joaquim” to the energetic single “Strange Entity”, the songs paint dark and dream-like pictures: moving pictures, in delightful slow-motion, with a strong melancholic undertone. Entity sounds strong, powerful, and intense, especially in “Undress”. As one of the highlights of the album, the song is slow, sensual and piercing. “Astrin” is the song that follows—the one bright star in the dark constellation that is Entity. Instead of the usual synths and electronics, the main instrument that Oscar and the Wolf uses is the piano. Pure, honest and bare tunes are accompanied by a subtle synthesizer and high, haunting voices.
The sound of Oscar and the Wolf is quite similar to that of their international colleagues, such as Alt-J, The XX and SOHN— and therefore not very original. It is a sound that we are used to by now, but that does not mean it is not worth listening to. Entity is a good and strong debut album, that loyal listeners of the genre will certainly enjoy. The only downside to the album is that it is neither refreshing nor surprising.
Nevertheless, Oscar and the Wolf is a noteworthy artist in this summer’s festival circuit, and definitely worth paying a visit.
Eden van der Moere, class of 2017, is an Arts & Humanities major from Goes, The Netherlands.
