Wasia Project – Nocturne

Wasia Project achieved early virality with their soft, classical lament Ur So Pretty in 2022. Nocturne is the other side of the coin, the underbelly, darker, richer, pulling at strings one didn’t know were so taut. The band is made up of sibling duo Olivia Hardy and Will Gao, who both add vocals, instruments, and lyrics, taking pride in their British-Asian heritage by fusing genres. Nocturne is their first full-length project, sitting at 12 tracks that brim with a fervour to be heard.

It opens with the single 2515, which lures the listener in with its steady kick drum and minor chords, a 3 AM dance number blended with haunting vocals and a crescendo of strings. Hardy and Gao are both classically trained, a skill that blooms throughout, deepening each song. Vogue follows, its heartbeat synths keeping the listener in the dancing hours. These open up to Whale Call, the latest single. Whale Call harnesses the indelible cry of which it is named, as Olivia’s raw vocals raise goosebumps. Voices in My Head is another soaring peak, slower but with an explosion of ringing voices.

With most songs rising over four minutes, the music is given a chance to breathe, to explore. Strike Me Down from Heaven could be at the very crux of a Bond film, while Even If I Tried belongs at the end of a gothic horror, and Bleeding Gold would be at home on Billie Eilish’s acclaimed Hit Me Hard and Soft. Moon Goddess, entirely instrumental, takes the breath away, the vacuum of space amongst trilling piano and shimmering violin. The lyrics do not rely on the exceptional musical choices; they embolden them.

As a debut album, it exceeds expectations. Mature, sure of itself, with production that pushes at the bars of its cage, Nocturne invites the listener in like an old friend and takes them on a journey through cityscapes, wind tunnels, nightclubs, dark rooms and the solar system itself. It is an album for the lost generation, the young people left behind in the pandemic years, questioning what it means to really be close to someone.

Talitha Stowell
Image: Claryn Chong

Nocturne is released on 18^th September 2026. For further information or to order the album, visit Wasia Project’s website here.

Watch the video for Bleeding Gold here: