Wasia Project is the musical endeavour started in 2019 by William Gao, known for his role as Tao in the Netflix series Heartstopper, and his sister Olivia Hardy. Both siblings act as vocalists in the duo’s discography, with Gao also playing the keyboard and piano, and Hardy the guitar. For those unfamiliar with the term Wasia, it is a mash-up of ‘white’ and ‘Asian’. The siblings were born to an English father and Chinese mother, thus making them Wasian. Earlier this year, the siblings completed their first UK headline tour, supporting Tom Odell on his European tour and Laufey on her US tour. On the 29th of August, Wasia Project released their second EP Isotope.
The EP opens with previously released singles ‘Is This What Love Is?’ and ‘Takes Me Back Home’. The former “describes the experience of uncontrollable emotions”. The song opens with a few seconds of soft drum taps, before the piano and Hardy’s vocals kick in. It must be noted that she has a very distinct, easily recognizable voice that easily differentiates between the lowest and highest notes. After the intro, the drums kick in and the pianist fastens their rhythm, evoking a feeling of anxiety in the listener that resonates with the unsure nature of the lyrics. In every verse, Hardy asks ‘Is this what love is?’ while describing her emotions of losing control in this relationship. In the background of the bridge and outro, in which the song’s climax can really be found, Gao’s voice can be heard in the background, like a voice in the back of one’s head. It is mesmerising how this song, clearly inspired by the classical music the siblings grew up with, manages to match haunting vocals and thematics to intense instrumentals that sonically describe the same feelings.
The second single, ‘Takes Me Back Home’, is a lot less intense. It opens with Hardy singing in a very high tone to the soft sounds of the piano, which becomes louder throughout the chorus the track opens with. It is a cute little love song and piano ballad that talks about another person feeling like your home and knowing that, with them, you’ll be safe. However, the track does also take on a slightly darker tone with lyrics such as “I can’t save him from the fire but I’m cold”. That especially is an interesting little line that stands out in the otherwise very comforting lyrics talking about how the partner makes her feel warm and comforted.
An interlude called ‘Isotope’, being the title track, follows the two singles. An ‘isotope’ is the smallest unit of material that makes up what everything in the world is made of. In scientific terms, isotopes are a family that all have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons. It’s a fitting title for an EP that has already spoken a lot about yearning to feel connected to other people. The interlude itself is, however, very different from the previous tracks, and includes a lot more synths and drums alongside vocal echoes. It is a majestically jazzy tune that sets the tone for what’s to come next.
‘Somebody Come Through’ flows nicely from the interlude, as it includes similar instrumentals. It opens with a fast drumbeat and Hardy’s vocals, asking “why did I have to meet you?” in the first verse. The track builds up nicely, with the chorus intensifying the drums and including some piano as well. Meanwhile, Hardy is talking about how confusing her partner is, not letting her know what they want. In the funky post-chorus, she asks herself “Why do I still feel like nothing ever changes?” It is evident that this relationship has not proven healthy for her. The song’s second verse is slower and more haunting, which is the atmosphere that continues into the rest of the track before the instrumentals and vocals slowly fade out.
For the fifth song on the EP, ‘To Get Better’, the music fades back in for a small introduction before almost completely being cut out. The entire song consists only of the acoustic guitar and some occasional piano and is sung not by Hardy, but by her brother. Gao has not had many moments on this EP so far to show off his raw, mesmerising voice – but he did get this entire five minute track, the longest on the EP. It is also definitely the darkest song, with Gao talking about how “I don’t wanna be with me anymore” in the first verse and “all the staring makes me cry and wail” and “how horrible it feels to be panicking” in the second. However, in the chorus, he mentions how he will “make my way to paradise” and is really trying to feel happier, to get better. In the post-choruses, he harmonises together with his sister, mashing their voices together beautifully. It may remind the listener of an old song from The Smiths; a coming-of-age soundtrack to the fears many youth unfortunately suffer through. It is a very slow, but magical song that builds up to a powerful finale of synths and really deserves its spotlight on this extended play.
The EP ends with ‘…’ and ‘Tell Me Lies’, two more instrumental tracks. The first is less than a minute long and just consists of Hardy playing the guitar and humming. The second is around two minutes of piano and violin that feels very dreamy, like a fairytale taking place at the end of the summer, disappearing into a forest where the fairies make their music heard. It is a lovely ending to the EP, although one may wish there were a little more than four songs with lyrics on it.
In its entirety, Isotope is an enchanting project that includes incredible lyrics about anxiety, growing up, and belonging, set to instrumentals clearly inspired by the classical training the siblings received in their youth. The duo will be performing songs from this and previous works on their upcoming European tour this November before they embark on their headline tour across the USA.
Written by: Mandy Huibregtsen
Edited by: Nèri Cliteur
