An Awesome Wave
by Alt-J
  • Record Label: Atlantic
  • Release Date: Sep 18, 2012
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
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  1. AllMusic
    Aug 21, 2012
    70
    Alt-J's wave is far more awesome when it's at its most schizophrenic.
  2. Austin Chronicle
    Mar 13, 2013
    67
    Alt-J crafts an ethereal ocean of sound that's remarkably cohesive-at once strange and familiar.
  3. BBC Music
    May 30, 2012
    80
    This debut offering is strong, addictive and enthralling, the perfect accompaniment to any mood, any moment, anywhere.
  5. Blurt Magazine
    Sep 24, 2012
    50
    [Once An Awesome Wave] maintains a steady jog and never quite sprints into action... Nevertheless, a creative effort from this new band, Alt-J shows promise and proves they can create hauntingly catchy melodies from irregular rhythms.
  6. Clash Music
    May 25, 2012
    90
    Young, yet somehow void of naivety. Vibrant, yet artistically matured.
  7. DIY Magazine
    May 25, 2012
    80
    A complete joy.
  8. Drowned In Sound
    Jun 26, 2012
    80
    There are just enough love songs in there to keep it rock, just enough instrumentals to edge it back towards the cinematic, and more than the usual helping of skill to smooth off the edges and end up with a beautifully rounded, awesome debut album.
  9. Exclaim
    Sep 18, 2012
    70
    Despite sounding more like Radiohead's wistful indie-pop nephews than the genuine article, alt-J are a group offering moderate experimentalism that'll serve as an effective gateway for younger fans.
  10. Expert Witness (MSN Music)
    Feb 26, 2013
    83
    This Leeds-to-Cambridge foursome's unhurried electro-mesh is always more than pleasant and half the time mildly enthralling.
  11. Magnet
    Oct 17, 2012
    70
    It's all very impressive (and pretty), but that doesn't necessarily mean it leaves much of an impression. [No. 992, p.52]
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  12. Mojo
    Jun 26, 2012
    40
    The whole album is uncertain and unconvincing. [Jul 2012, p.94]
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  13. musicOMH.com
    May 29, 2012
    90
    Utterly compelling.
  14. New Musical Express (NME)
    May 29, 2012
    80
    A brilliantly disquieting debut.
  15. Pitchfork
    Sep 28, 2012
    48
    It's both overstuffed and messy, and so overworked that what life there may once have been now exists as a kind of primordial paste.
  16. PopMatters
    Sep 28, 2012
    80
    Alt-J's bizarre pop is ultimately rooted solidly in pathos, in a sort of blighted redemption. They favor cacophony for its ability to offset silence, enjoy spiraling out of control for its appreciation of the meticulous.
  17. Prefix Magazine
    Sep 19, 2012
    90
    You can see every angle and every side of the shape they've made. And the unimpeachable logic of each song, added to their odd tunefulness of the songs, makes them exciting to listen to.
  18. Q Magazine
    Oct 12, 2012
    80
    There's undeniably something new and intriguing going on here. [Jul 2012, p.95]
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  19. The A.V. Club
    Nov 20, 2012
    50
    An Awesome Wave washes over its beached listeners, pleasantly cooling them for a second, then making its retreat back into an ocean of sameness.
  20. The Fly (UK)
    May 30, 2012
    60
    'Matilda' is superb, squirmy avant-pop, 'Tessellate' sports a pleasing, stuttering, polyrhythm, whilst 'Breezeblocks' skitters beneath multilayered vocals.
  21. Under The Radar
    Aug 22, 2012
    80
    It's uncommon for bands to achieve cohesiveness amidst such levels of quirk; on their debut, Alt-J have done much better than that. [Aug/Sep 2012, p.108]
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Awards & Rankings

29
#29 Most Discussed Album of 2012
40
#40 Most Shared Album of 2012

User Reviews

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User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 261 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 238 out of 261
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 261
  3. Negative: 13 out of 261
  1. twiggy
    Dec 23, 2012
    0
    So underwhelming as to produce a soporific effect. The latest industry inside joke? ... Yes.

    Laura Snapes of Pitchfork said it all--    So underwhelming as to produce a soporific effect. The latest industry inside joke? ... Yes.

    Laura Snapes of Pitchfork said it all-- 'overstuffed and messy, and so overworked that what life there may once have been now exists as a kind of primordial paste.'    … Full Review »
  2. M3chaGr4n
    Dec 5, 2012
    1
    Absolute drivel,; a mixture of whiney synth pop and mediocre melodia ....transient rock? get a grip do you even know what rock is? This isAbsolute drivel,; a mixture of whiney synth pop and mediocre melodia ....transient rock? get a grip do you even know what rock is? This is peurile. People love to give tags to things, "nerdy", "warbly", "insecure". No, this is silly voices, and whining over simple beats and "layering" is not a few chords. Jesus, is this what popular musis is becoming, different just for the sake of it with not even a nod to talent? X factor may be **** but at least it knows what it is, and winning a music prize does not make a band earth-shatteringly original or flawless. I guess i gave it 3 because a bit like Damien Hirst, they have fooled a lot of people who love to think they are all rather clever. If it were dinner i'd feed it to my dog.… Full Review »
  3. schreckenheimer
    Apr 15, 2014
    10
    From Ars Nova to Dubstep in one album. Alt-J offers a very refreshing approach to music.
    Firmly roted in european musical tradition at the    From Ars Nova to Dubstep in one album. Alt-J offers a very refreshing approach to music.
    Firmly roted in european musical tradition at the same time exploring brand new territories.
    Yet "An Awesome Wave" doesn't feel weird at all, I simply can't get enough of it.    … Full Review »
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