Oh Well is a one-piece progressive EDM project based in Chicago, Illinois. Introduced into the music world via the debut 3-track EP, “Forging a False Reality”, project leader Ryan Oswald now drops the brand new single “Insomnia”, supported by an official video clip. Centered around the lyrics: “In the middle of the night / Can’t sleep about it / Can’t get one wink / Keep blinking about it,” the track captures the frustration and anxiety of struggling to sleep at night. Is this disc as good as the debut? Is that even possible? My anticipation for this track was huge. Was Oh Well going to change its sound, what direction would it go in? The most important thing to me about Oh Well is that it has soul, and that’s what makes the music connect with listeners. “Insomnia” definitely has soul. With the great singing how could it not?
The beat, the bass, the lush strings arrangements, the vocals; everything here is blissfully effortless…except the sleep of course. The divine orchestral arrangement and chord progressions of “Insomnia” are a joy to listen to. When I listened to this track all the way through for the first time I was very impressed, and after multiple listens, I still am.
Oh Well has some of the best male vocals that underground electronica music has to offer. The voice and the music mix perfectly together to create an amazing atmospheric feel that is impacting. This song shows how much this project has matured musically in the short space of a few months.
“Insomnia” is a garden of rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic wonders, each being the centerpiece of this complex arrangement. The aforementioned elements prowl through the thick and heavy abundance of thumping percussion. If you have trouble sleeping, this track certainly won’t help you, instead it will provoke your brain and torment your soul.
You can tell that Oh Well is passionate about his production, which flows out into the recording studio, through this song. Ryan Oswald literally puts the most intensity and power into “Insomnia”, really making it the dynamic song that it is.
So, is this the place to start if you want to begin listening to Oh Well? In truth, there may be no better place to start. “Insomnia” is filled with soulful, impacting vocals, interesting instrumentation, and awesome overall craftsmanship.
Moreover, the project’s music is going in an incredible direction, where the simple term EDM, may even seem reductive. The sound on “Insomnia” is bursting across the boundaries of EDM and spilling into friendly neighborhoods, where radios and mainstream charts begin to take serious notice.
Every now and then a track will jump out at me and grab me by the throat due its fine combination of melodic hooks, intense production aesthetics and overall feel. “Insomnia” is one of those tracks.
