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Album Review: Self Titled Debut from Wowser Bowser + stream songs from the album

Review by David Ranew…

The self titled debut album “Wowser Bowser” is a layered ambient trance built with enveloped vocals and a splash of 80s pop infused indie synthed delight.  Most of the album is a collection of electronic ambient noise comfortably constructed on one another. The vocals throughout the album alternate between a place of prominence to fading into the sound and atmosphere of the tracks.  It has the feeling of placing the last puzzle piece in. The combined effect is something snuggly, warm, dancy, and hypnotizing.

The album has the feel of several bands. The acoustics and synth of Animal Collective, Deerhunter, a bit Crystal Castles and a whole bunch of 80s pop beats is sensed throughout this experience. While you can make out similarities between Wowser and a host other synthed indie pop startups, they are more playful and organic than most.

Of the albums nine tracks three seem to have divided themselves from the whole: Water Story, The Garden, and To the Pleasant Life.  A noisegasm starts off this album. Infused with a steady beat that immediately gets the foot tapping this is likely the most popular song on the album. Water Story has the mood of running through a disaster and feeling just peachy about it. The Garden begins with Xylophone fun with a wonderful rhythmic beat that takes you straight to that 80s flavor that is then accompanied with a plateau of calming vocals before a stair step chorus. The Pleasant Life is a hurricane revving you up to the steady organic beat that has been pervasive throughout the album. This is another high energy addition and what feels like the unofficial ending to the album before the remix of E Dialeda Ho.

This is an enchanting beginning for Wowser Bowser. The tracks throughout the album might have been grown together on the same plant it is so organic. The experience of listening to it from beginning to ending is akin to pleasantly skipping down a balloon filled avenue.  It is bubbly simplistic layered noise; fun is the name of the game with this one.  Wowser Bowser has put together a real treat for the ears. It is something that can be not only energetic and dancy, but meditative, trancey, and wondrous.