Noosa turned some heads two years ago with her self-titled EP, Noosa, which featured sounds that not only captured imaginations, but also served as a welcome respite for those who were tired of the cookie-cutter pop that dominated the radio waves. Songs like "Walk On By" and "Sail" were just as recognizable as any mainstream offering, but they also had a rare sense of authenticity that both elevated Noosa's brand, and carved out a fanbase which would provide the catalyst for the warm response she's gotten so far on this second project, Wonderland. Some of the songs on it you'll recognize, including the aforementioned single "Walk On By", but with nine tracks in total, you're bound to come across some new material; and if you were at all a fan of her older work, then the new stuff will not disappoint. After listening to the whole project, it's apparent Wonderland hasn't wholly embraced the type of beat-driven indie-pop that's making the rounds at the moment; and with a lot of the synth work and production textures devoted to creating panoramic soundscapes, Noosa seems to have pulled a lot more inspiration from the soft-rock genre than most of her contemporaries. Songs like "Golden One" and "Stranger" represent a good balance of grandeur and intimacy, and when the tracks transition from quiet singing to big choruses, she uses string sections to evoke a sense of antiquity. It makes her work both impressive and much less susceptible to the ever-increasing threat of obsolescence in such a quickly evolving music community, and we've to thank the rather mysterious Mickey Valen (Noosa's producer) for that. This is all just the beginning for Noosa, mind you, and now that she's got a formidable catalog to work with, expect a steady stream of exposure for this New York-native in the coming year. Her music has resonated with pop aficionados all over the world already, but her true victory will be to captivate those who are strangers the lighter side of the genre. Wonderland has only just been released, so time will tell if she accomplishes this with the project, but if the success of her first work is any indicator, her future as a recording artist looks very promising indeed. You can find our favorites from the project below, purchase it all HERE on iTunes, or stream whatever you'd like HERE on SoundCloud.
Noosa