Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Named after the Mac command also used as a mathematical equation to show change, formed while studying fine art at university, and prone to throwing in the odd geometric reference within their lyrics, there are signs that Cambridge-based quartet Alt-J might be a little bit too clever for their own good. Produced by Charlie Andrew (the Laurel Collective), their debut album, An Awesome Wave, is occasionally guilty of pretentiousness, particularly the irritating a cappella vocal warmup of the interlude "(The Ripe & Ruin)." But for the most part, its 13 tracks do for nu-folk what Everything Everything's equally ambitious debut did for indie rock, breathing new life into the genre with an intriguing but accessible series of art rock twists and turns. Indeed, other than frontman Joe Newman's impassioned -- if occasionally bordering on parody -- vocal style, there's little here in common with the tweeness of Mumford & Sons. "Tessellate" combines the glitchy electronica of Thom Yorke's solo career with the wistful wintry harmonies of Fleet Foxes; "Fitzpleasure" fizzes along with its dubstep-lite beats and acidic basslines before it's interrupted, first by a burst of jangly post-rock and second by the kind of shimmering guitar twangs you'd expect from a Tarantino soundtrack; while "Taro" somehow melds together the unlikely bedfellows of Americana and bhangra to produce a fittingly oddball but enthralling finale. It's to Andrew's credit that these eclectic arrays of sound are woven together in a manner so effortlessly that the results never feel forced or contrived. There are a few more straightforward moments such as "Matilda," a gentle acoustic folk ode to Natalie Portman's troubled character in Léon, and the sparse, haunting "Ms." But Alt-J's wave is far more awesome when it's at its most schizophrenic.
© Jon O'Brien /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From £10.83/month
Joe Newman, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger, Violin - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar - Charles Andrew, Producer - Rachael Lander, Cello
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - Charlie Andrew, Composer, Writer - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
alt-J, MainArtist
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
alt-J, MainArtist
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer - St. Ronan's Chamber Choir, Additional Vocals
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger, Violin - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer - Rachael Lander, Cello - St. Ronan's Chamber Choir, Additional Vocals
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Mark Bishop, Producer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, Engineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums, Writer - Charlie Andrew, Producer, Mixer - alt-J, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, Engineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums, Writer - Charlie Andrew, Producer, Mixer - alt-J, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals - Dick Beetham, Engineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums - Kirsty Mangan, Violin - Charlie Andrew, Producer, Mixer - alt-J, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, Engineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums, Writer - Charlie Andrew, Producer, Mixer - alt-J, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Bass Guitar, Writer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company
Charlie Russell, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - Charlie Andrew, Composer, Writer - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer - Bradley Spence, MixingEngineer, RecordingEngineer - Thom Sonny Green, Composer, Writer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, Engineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums, Writer - Charlie Andrew, Producer, Mixer - alt-J, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Bass Guitar, Writer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2011 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Drums, Writer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - Ghostpoet, Remixer - Charlie Andrew, Composer, Writer - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer - Thom Sonny Green, Composer, Writer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals - Dick Beetham, Engineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums - Kirsty Mangan, Violin - Charlie Andrew, Producer, Mixer - alt-J, MainArtist - Tom Marshallsay, Remixer - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company
Joe Newman, Composer, Guitar, Lead Vocals, Writer - Dick Beetham, MasteringEngineer - Thom Green, Composer, Drums, Writer - Tom Vek, Remixer - Kirsty Mangan, String Arranger - Charlie Andrew, Composer, Writer - alt-J, Performance, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Keyboards, Vocals, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Writer - Charles Andrew, Producer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd
Joe Newman, Composer, Writer - Thom Green, Composer, Writer - Charlie Andrew, Producer, Mixer - alt-J, MainArtist - Gus Unger-Hamilton, Composer, Writer - Gwilym Sainsbury, Composer, Writer - Blackbox, Remixer
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Limited
Album review
Named after the Mac command also used as a mathematical equation to show change, formed while studying fine art at university, and prone to throwing in the odd geometric reference within their lyrics, there are signs that Cambridge-based quartet Alt-J might be a little bit too clever for their own good. Produced by Charlie Andrew (the Laurel Collective), their debut album, An Awesome Wave, is occasionally guilty of pretentiousness, particularly the irritating a cappella vocal warmup of the interlude "(The Ripe & Ruin)." But for the most part, its 13 tracks do for nu-folk what Everything Everything's equally ambitious debut did for indie rock, breathing new life into the genre with an intriguing but accessible series of art rock twists and turns. Indeed, other than frontman Joe Newman's impassioned -- if occasionally bordering on parody -- vocal style, there's little here in common with the tweeness of Mumford & Sons. "Tessellate" combines the glitchy electronica of Thom Yorke's solo career with the wistful wintry harmonies of Fleet Foxes; "Fitzpleasure" fizzes along with its dubstep-lite beats and acidic basslines before it's interrupted, first by a burst of jangly post-rock and second by the kind of shimmering guitar twangs you'd expect from a Tarantino soundtrack; while "Taro" somehow melds together the unlikely bedfellows of Americana and bhangra to produce a fittingly oddball but enthralling finale. It's to Andrew's credit that these eclectic arrays of sound are woven together in a manner so effortlessly that the results never feel forced or contrived. There are a few more straightforward moments such as "Matilda," a gentle acoustic folk ode to Natalie Portman's troubled character in Léon, and the sparse, haunting "Ms." But Alt-J's wave is far more awesome when it's at its most schizophrenic.
© Jon O'Brien /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 25 track(s)
- Total length: 01:34:09
- Main artists: Alt-J
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Infectious Music
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
© 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company ℗ 2012 Infectious Music Ltd., a BMG Company
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.
Playlists