Wander/Wonder
2011 studio album by Balam Acab
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Wander/Wonder is the debut studio album by American record producer Alec Koone under the pseudonym Balam Acab.[2] It was released on August 29, 2011, through Tri Angle.[3] It received generally favorable reviews from critics.[4]
| Wander/Wonder | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 29, 2011 | |||
| Genre | Electronic[1] | |||
| Length | 36:44 | |||
| Label | Tri Angle | |||
| Producer | Alec Koone | |||
| Balam Acab chronology | ||||
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Background
Balam Acab's Alec Koone recorded Wander/Wonder in the house where he grew up.[5] The album includes Creative Commons-licensed recordings that he found online.[5] He mixed the album with Sam Haar of Blondes.[6]
Critical reception
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 76/100[4] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Beats Per Minute | 87%[8] |
| Cokemachineglow | 72%[9] |
| Fact | [10] |
| The Phoenix | [11] |
| Pitchfork | 8.2/10[12] |
| Resident Advisor | 4/5[13] |
| Slant Magazine |  [14] |
| Tiny Mix Tapes | [15] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Wander/Wonder received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 from 14 critic scores.[4]
Andrew Graham of The Phoenix described the album as "a fully fleshed-out record, with enticing dimension and its own subtle meanings."[11] Mark Richardson of Pitchfork commented that "its primary concern is simple aesthetic beauty, the way a small and specific combination of sounds, carefully arranged but given room to breathe, can have a deep emotional impact."[12] Heather Phares of AllMusic stated, "See Birds was just five songs long, but it covered more musical territory; by contrast, Wander/Wonder is an exercise in depth, a flowing suite of mermaid's lullabies that turn seductive."[7] She added, "Though it's a very different journey than See Birds, Wander/Wonder is another testament to Koone's abilities as a sensitive and evocative producer."[7]
Kevin Liedel of Slant Magazine commented that "Any abiding temptation to throw Wander/Wonder into the witch-house pile stems directly from Koone's reliance on chunky, creeping drum machines, but drowsy percussion is where the similarities end."[14] He added, "Balam Acab's sound is more dream than dread, a patchwork of sleepy instrumentation, elfin vocal samples, and sound effects meant to evoke the watery clockwork of a seafloor vista."[14] Will Ryan of Beats Per Minute stated, "Vocal fragments are turned into helium-voiced singers and the movements and peaks in the tracks push Acab's emotional affect to a startling degree, not to mention well beyond simple melodic proficiency."[8] Andrew Ryce of Resident Advisor described the album as "the kind of record that can pull you into its emotional undertow from the minute those helium angels start singing."[13]
Accolades
Track listing
All tracks are written by Alec Koone.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Welcome" | 5:10 |
| 2. | "Apart" | 3:00 |
| 3. | "Motion" | 4:03 |
| 4. | "Expect" | 4:46 |
| 5. | "Now Time" | 4:07 |
| 6. | "Oh, Why" | 4:11 |
| 7. | "Await" | 4:46 |
| 8. | "Fragile Hope" | 6:31 |
| Total length: | 36:44 | |
Personnel
Credits adapted from liner notes.[20]
- Alec Koone – production, mixing
- Sam Haar – mixing
- Emmette Murkett – photography
Charts
| Chart (2011) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[21] | 20 |