Skip to main content

Single Review: Ebony Buckle - 'Wonder'

by Ilana Hawdon

"Hello, where’s your signal?"

Singing into the void, crying out into the vastness of the ocean and never knowing if your call will ever be heard. This is the heartbreaking feeling perfectly captured by Ebony Buckle in her new single, 'Wonder'. Inspired by "the world’s loneliest whale", the song tells the strangely relatable story of a whale whose high-frequency call is believed to be inaudible to others in the Pacific. The London-based musician has been blessing our ears with her dulcet tones since her debut single 'Dark Place' was released in 2018. Her discography highlights her true gift for storytelling, and 'Wonder' is her most captivating tale yet.


"Hello, are you out there?"

'Wonder' connects the magnitude of the ocean with that of space, awakening a sense of anxiety, as well as curiosity and, well, wonder towards these otherworldly, unexplored spaces. Luke Taylor’s music video sees Buckle navigating through space in her futuristic ship - a gargantuan blue whale. Is it space? Or is it the ocean? The two become indistinguishable as the cetaceous vessel plunges into blackness, gliding through infinite nothingness. Reminiscent of Bowie’s Space Oddity, both Major Tom and the nameless whale have accepted their fate as lone travellers, cut off, stripped of their ability to communicate and left to fend for themselves. 


"Hello, where’s the sound of you?"

Creating an unfamiliar but strangely comforting atmosphere, Buckle layers samples of the 52Hz whale call with ethereal organs and intoxicating strings, her haunting, melancholic vocals piercing through the swelling tones. The song is overflowing with luscious sounds but still somehow evokes a heart-wrenching feeling of perpetual emptiness; her lyrics beg, "please get back to me", "I need to let you know I survived", pleading for an end to the isolation. But is there beauty in being alone? As the song reaches its crescendo, Buckle makes the revelation that solitude provides ample opportunity to appreciate the world around you without distraction. And maybe this is the message we need to hear - loneliness is bittersweet; it shouldn’t be feared, but used as a chance to relish in our own company and take in the wonders of our surroundings.

Watch the 'Wonder' Video Below:

Edited by Emily Duff


Most Popular

Fashion For a Cause: Brands That Stand with Palestine and the history of fashion as a form of Activism

by Oana-Maria Moldovan For over two months, there has been an ongoing genocide war in Gaza. To simplify a long and horrific issue, the situation that started, on a larger scale, around one hundred years ago, and has only become amplified since October 7th 2023. Taking place around the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and Israel–Lebanon border, the armed conflict is between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups.  The problem is about “stolen” land. Said land is seen as an important holy part of both religions involved. But really, how holy can we consider a land to be, if people kill other people for it? It’s important to remember that this genocide is about three things: forced occupation, zionism, and religion. It’s also important to remember what ethnic erasure is. This terrible expresion, also known as cultural or ethnic assimilation, refers to the process by which the distinct cultural or ethnic identity of a particular group is gradually diminished or erased, often due to ext
Read more

‘Make Tattooing Safe Again’: Sheffield Based Tattoo Artist Exposed for Indecent Behaviour

 by Emily Fletcher TW: SA, Animal Abuse, Transphobia Photo Credit: @ meiko_akiz uki Recently, an  Instagram account  has been created to provide a  ‘space to safely give a voice to those who want to speak out about the behaviour of one, Sheffield based tattoo artist’. A  total of 40+ posts have been made by the above social media account regarding  one of Sheffield's most popular tattoo artists .  Thankfully, all posts are prefaced with a Content Warning prior to sharing screenshots of the messages that have been sent anonymously to the page. The majority of Content Warnings refer to sexual behaviour, abuse, and sexual assault. It is clear that there is a reoccurring theme within each submission, as many clients appear to have had the same experiences with the tattoo artist. Women, mostly, are being made to feel uncomfortable while being tattooed. One of the most vulnerable positions anyone can be in, tattoo artists should make their clients feel comfortable and safe during the pro
Read more

Now What? The Aftermath of the 'Manic Pixie Dream Girl'

by Susan Moore Here is a bit about me: I am an open, excitable, creative AFAB who is also moderately attractive. I have a unique sense of personal style and a personality that on the surface can only be described as “bubbly” and “quirky”. For this reason, dating is a nightmare. To be sure, I do not have a hard time finding dates or potential suitors. The problems arise when said dates spend some time with me and decide that I am a rare specimen, and the connection they feel with me is “unlike anything they have felt before”. Then, things go one of two ways.  Either a) they decide I am too high maintenance and no longer palatable, or  b) they choose to never look further than the surface and are content to date the idea of me rather than the real me. There is something rather interesting, perhaps funny, about my situation. It is in no way unique. I have met so many people who constantly dealt with the same problem. Even funnier still, is the fact that there is a trope that simultaneousl
Read more