Establishing the mood with a sublime guitar soundscape, both cinematic and fantastical, expanding with a subtle thunder texture and strings, Away! away! opens Wonderful Opposites with the lyrics, “Nothing to hold onto but to your restless bones, the minute they’ll break, you might come back home, so I can carry you from the beginning til the end…”
The opus evolves with haunting ad-libs and an intriguing piano performance as we experience metaphorical yet relatable prose, followed by a jarring notion and silence. The track then trips into an experimental vibe as ethereal vocals hypnotise us.
We appreciate the sonic switch-ups and the unique structure of the track. Fans of Björk, Portishead, and Lana Del Rey‘s latest release, White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter will be able to connect with what Away! away! are creating. We could also imagine the psychedelic adjacent song (notably the instrumental segue) being played on the rooftop of Petit Ermitage, Cirque Gitane, in West Hollywood, where songs like this are often played poolside in the sun.
Overall, the production of Wonderful Opposites is genius, and innovative. The cinematic allure makes it perfect for a multitude of sync placements, notably a Sofia Coppola, Pedro Almodóvar, or Luca Guadagnino film about lovers who are different from each other, yet cosmically bonded somehow.
Speaking on their creative universe, the cerebral artists behind the project say, “With echoes of folk and inspiration drawn from film- and pop-noir, Away! away! aims to escape with the audience into the timeframe of a beautiful song, into something that makes you feel away ayaw awaw ayay…”
We learn that Frederik Karcher and Helena Van Hoolst began collaborating because they shared a desire to write songs with meaning and empathy. They met whilst studying classical and avant-garde music, and their inspiration deepened and songs began to emerge. Away! away! lives within the realms of pop, but they avoid standard structures, allowing each composition to unfold in its own way and follow wherever the story leads.
Needless to say, we are in awe, and have added Wonderful Opposites to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we anticipate future releases from Away! away!.