Wasia Project, ‘Isotope’: Is This What Love Is?
Love can be found in many places—your morning coffee, a hug from a close friend, and most importantly, in Isotope, the latest project from Wasia Project. The musical duo, formed of siblings Will Gao and Olivia Hardy, have just released their second EP and have captured the hearts of thousands since.
Isotope feels like it’s arrived at just the right time in Wasia Project’s career. Following the success of their 2022 piano ballad ‘ur so pretty’, which solidified their place in the indie-pop scene, their growth is undeniable. Audiences who associated them with this genre can immediately be proved wrong when listening to Isotope, which draws on a variety of genres including modern jazz, classical, and pop. It’s vulnerable in its lyrical approach, touching on topics of love, anxiety, and growth. Each song is built so delicately that the listening experience is easy to follow whilst still showing their work as instrumentalists. When the full length of the project passes, you’re ready to do it all over again.
Naming the EP Isotope is a sentimental nod to Will Gao and Olivia Hardy’s shared roots as siblings, acknowledging their journey together both in life and music. This deep connection and understanding of one another is apparent in everything they create, and Isotope is no exception. In only seven tracks, they bring their individual experiences together into an emotional story. The EP shows their unique chemistry, with each song highlighting their growth as artists while staying true to their shared creative vision, and love for one another.
“It’s about using this platform to merge our voices, we’re filtering our experiences through the lens of a single character, in a very vulnerable and personal way.”
The EP begins with careful and cautious, ‘Is This What Love Is?’, dealing with the confusion that can come with love, and its chaos. Lyrics like “Will you always care for me this way?” accompany an intense arrangement of piano, strings, and echoing vocals–representing the fear that can come with new emotions and the unknown. The song’s build-up is chilling, and as an opener, it truly sets a tone of uncertainty for the remainder of the EP.
‘Takes Me Back Home,’ hugely inspired by Olivia and Will’s recent visit to China, beautifully captures that feeling of being grounded by home. Their British-Asian heritage has always shaped their music, but this track truly highlights how deeply their upbringing influences them. Olivia's vocals are so intimate, and with just a delicate piano alongside her, she creates something special. The track has a deep sense of longing and nostalgia, reflecting the siblings' experience of being between two cultures. As Olivia explains, “You’re not fully in one culture or the other, so there's always this yearning between the two.” This emotional connection is unmissable, making the track a definite stand-out in the EP.
Picking up where last year’s Petals On The Moon left off, ‘Somebody Come Through’ is an incredible indie-pop track, touching again on those feelings of confusion and yearning. It’s energetic, fresh, and definitely something that fans of this genre could get behind. Transitioning into ‘To Get Better’, which feels to have drawn inspiration from the likes of Matt Maltese, Will’s vocals take centre stage. It’s a slow-burner, and with an iconic solo from guitarist Michael Jablonka, the instrumentals provide Will with a base to explore his self-doubt and personal struggles.
The EP truly showcases the siblings' skills within music, using their classical music training and combining that with their deep understanding of contemporary music to create impressive, and universally appealing tracks, which isn’t surprising by the numbers they’ve done since its release. Their personal touch is strong in every single piece, with the emotion even in the interludes not going unnoticed. Ending with ‘Tell Me Lies (fin), was my favourite decision they made. It’s a beautiful 2 minutes of instrumentation, and so cinematic, really giving the EP a massive ending.
