Pink Floyd’s cosmic soundscapes, Wim Wenders’ storybuilding and the spiritual teachings of Eckhart Tolle – it makes sense that when we asked sibling duo Wasia Project to name five influences, they came back with references that step through worlds. Formed by Will Gao and Olivia Hardy in 2019 as an outlet for them to mix and blend, their highly-accomplished sound is an articulation of their British-East Asian heritage, a background in classical training, a love of lo-fi dreampop, and their other creative talents – Will is an actor known for his role as Tao Xu in Netflix hit Heartstopper. In August this year, they released their highly acclaimed EP, Isotope, marked by sweeping orchestration, emotive introspection, and Olivia’s tender yet devastating vocals, alongside a cinematic short film. Below, Wasia Project talk us through five things that inspired Isotope.

Album
The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd, 1973
“This album is iconic and influenced our idea of a concept EP. It’s psychedelic, grand and timeless, it really pulls you into a dark and dramatic sonic world.”

Film
Paris, Texas by Wim Winders, 1984
“A neo-western classic, Wim Winders’ timeless film follows a man through a desert as he tries to figure out who he is and how he got there. It’s enthralling to the eye and the picture had a big influence on the visual world of Isotope. Like the film, we really wanted to place emphasis on exploring a character’s emotions and feelings, as opposed to telling a specific story.”

Book
A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle, 2005
“A spiritual perspective and guide on the way to live your life. Eckhart’s teachings focus on living life in the present, abandonment of the ego, and meditation. With themes of mental health and self-acceptance in the EP, this book is a beautiful guide to getting through the dark times and seeing light.”

Artwork
Anthony McCall’s Solid Light works
“An Immersive piece of sculptural light that feels futuristic in a way. It relates to the ambition and new direction of our sound for the EP. Also playing with the concept of light and dark, it feels very Isotope-y.”

Place
Lower East Side, Manhattan
“It has a very specific atmosphere and undercurrent of energy, I think it matches the tone of Isotope and the sense of momentum that drives through it. Also Lower East Side is a vibe, we love hanging out there.”

Wasia Project’s EP, Isotope, is out now.