On us against the universe, nickwuh presents a vision that is eclectic, inspired, and driven by killer pop songwriting.
Reviewed by Ash
AUTHOR'S NOTE: As always, before reading this review, please support nickwuh by streaming or purchasing the album! The project can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music, and in limited form on Soundcloud. Please also consider checking out the Genius page for this album, which contains lyrics and comments from nickwuh; I will be referring to this page regularly throughout this review.
An earlier version of this article misidentified the Collegium listening session at which Nick had presented his music; this has now been corrected.
IF YOU WERE TO CROSS the pop songwriting sensibilities of Taylor Swift, Sufjan Stevens, Porter Robinson, and Keshi with the production talents of Clarence Clarity, Travis Barker, and A.G. Cook, you might end up somewhere close to the niche which nickwuh has carved himself. I was first introduced to Nick Wu's music via a track he presented in the September Collegium listening session, which merged math rock and hyperpop aesthetics into a well-rounded and interesting package. The resulting song caught my ear, and I found myself excited to hear what else Nick's back catalogue had to offer, so when I heard there was a new album from him, I eagerly pulled it up and started working on this review.
As a freshman in the MTech program, Nick has emerged from the pandemic with a fully-realized artistic vision with his third full-length LP, us against the universe. The sheer ambition and scope of this project is obvious right away; boasting 17 tracks, supported by six singles, featuring an entire CMS class's worth of featured artists, and clocking in at a hefty one hour and fourteen minutes, us against the universe is an impressive, gargantuan effort that showcases Nick's seasoned expertise in production and songwriting. Especially when compared to more typical MTech student projects, which tend to be smaller in scale and on the shorter side in general, the huge scope and sprawling vision of this LP is obvious. The music reflects this ambition as well, as Nick sinks his teeth into a variety of sounds drawn from a wide body of artistic influences to create a truly eclectic body of work that seamlessly slides from hyperpop to EDM to pop punk with ease. The lyrics deal with
relationships, growing up, and the difficulties of life in the pandemic,
as Nick bares his soul to create a massively compelling coming-of-age
story that synergizes perfectly with his production choices. In short, us against the universe is a masterful showcase of eclectic production, pop songwriting, and tasteful genre crossovers coming together to create an album experience that feels fresh, futuristic, and heartfelt all at once.
In my own personal opinion, I believe that the opening track is one of the most important parts of an album; as the first taste of the entire tracklist, the opening track establishes the listener's expectations for the entire LP. With this in mind, "celeste", the first track and lead single from the album, does its job remarkably well. The track opens with a long intro, propelled by huge, epic synthesizers that slowly increase in tempo, backed by cinematic hits and heavy synth bass; the resulting sense of anticipation makes the entrance of the first verse almost a full minute into the song all the more pleasing. We get nicely doubled vocals from Nick and the featured artist, fayling, over a beat that lands somewhere between trap and soft hyperpop. Nick and fayling have remarkable vocal chemistry together, and their voices blend together seamlessly. The beat boasts thick 808 bass and a sparse drum pattern behind simple acoustic guitar arpeggios, making for a nice pop vibe, while Nick's consistently catchy vocal melodies continually elevate the song. The second verse's first half sees fayling's vocals take the lead, and they sound amazing, delivering a heartfelt, tender take on Nick's melody that simultaneously exudes confidence and conviction. Nick himself brings a smooth, soaring falsetto during the song's bridge. Overall, "celeste" makes for a promising opening to the record, with its earworm melodies, tasteful production, and strong performances providing the listener with a solid taste of what we can expect from the sixteen tracks ahead.
The next track and second single from the album, "life story", opens with an upbeat, major key synth riff over drums that straddle the line between 808-style electronic drums and punchy, compressed Travis Barker-esque acoustic drum samples. As the track builds to its chorus, we get huge saw chords mixed with tasteful guitar melodies; the overall vibe lands somewhere between hyperpop and pop punk, which makes for an entertaining and catchy listen. We also get a short instrumental break led by a synth solo before the track's second chorus, which is a pleasing switch-up that deviates from the typical verse-chorus pattern in a tasteful and well-executed way. The halftime break in the song's last chorus is another example of a production curveball that subverts the listener's expectations in a nice way. Nick's lyricism shines especially brightly on this track, as he discusses heartbreak and the hopelessness of love in the context of the pandemic with earnest vulnerability. I found this track especially relatable, and I thought it perfectly captured the frustration of searching for love amidst the loneliness of the pandemic-era directionless spiral that defined our lives during those years. In reference to the song's lyrics, Nick explains, "I had this mindset of, 'what's even the point in getting to know this person if all that's gonna result from this is pain and discomfort for both of us?'"—a sentiment that the song's presentation communicates loud and clear (source: Genius).
For the third track, "dying to see you", we slow down a little. This track dates from "a few days into the pandemic", so it "dates way back", in Nick's own words (source: Genius). I never would have guessed that this track was over two years old, since the execution is just as polished as everything we've seen so far. The track opens with moody vocals over a sad acoustic guitar riff and nicely-arranged strings, which calls back to the deep, raw pathos of artists like Sufjan Stevens for me. Despite the sadder atmosphere, this song's chorus is just as catchy as its predecessors, and the drums crashing in make for a welcome addition. The song also serves as a great opportunity for Nick to show off his vocals. The harmonies on this track are really nice, with some nice harmonic moments cropping up during the verses; the choruses have some beautiful octave doubling as well. During the last couple of choruses, Nick introduces this lovely flat second chord that sounds great in context; Nick has a real penchant for introducing the occasional non-diatonic chord as extra flavor, which is something I really admire. He also turns in a captivating lead vocal performance, as he gives us these stunning high notes during the last chorus that convincingly cement him as a skilled vocalist in addition to his production and songwriting talents.
"amber" opens with a crazy, swung synth pattern backed by equally groovy drums. The result ends up feeling like Nick's take on early '90s new jack swing through a hyperpop lens—a mix which he manages to make feel impressively natural. The chorus boasts a call-and-response between Nick's third-octave lead vocals and a falsetto backing vocal, which adds a great sense of movement and dynamism to the chorus. The track goes full EDM during its last chorus, introducing a huge synth saw lead as Nick's lead vocals soar into the upper fourth octave. I'm not sure I love the EDM elements of the last chorus, since it takes the song into territory that makes it feel a little overproduced for me, but as per usual, the songwriting and underlying tune remain great either way. Nick writes, "that idea of meeting your life partner at an early age feels so precious to me, so I wrote this song about that", and the themes of innocence and uncertainty inherent in young adult romance shine through the EDM presentation of this song to give it an endearing atmosphere underneath the maximalist production (source: Genius).
"the painter" is one of the more musically complex tracks on the album, and it took me a few listens to wrap my head around it fully. Subtle, crackling Rhodes keyboards open this track as Nick croons softly over some really nice backing harmonies; his opening line ("Technicolor reverie, acrylic-laden dreams/Retrospective pondering at four in the morning") instantly paints (haha) a vivid and sharply-realized picture in just a couple short lines. By the first pre-chorus, understated acoustic guitars enter the mix as the track begins a quiet storm-style, subtle buildup. Soon after, we get a crazy tempo switch that somehow works perfectly with the established 12/8 groove. As the choruses continue, the track builds to include a huge kick drum and heavy, sidechained synth bass before eventually segueing into a pseudo-orchestral break chracterized by staccato string chords and marching snares. As a listener, I felt like I was getting whiplash from the many switch-ups and stylistic changes in this track, but it didn't take too much away from my enjoyment of the track. On the Genius page for this song, Nick explains that the track is, in part, about dementia and memory loss, which works amazingly well with the disorienting & rapidly shifting production. I definitely wouldn't pull up this track looking for a straightforward pop song, but as a meaningful piece of concept art that borders on the avant-garde, I respect it tremendously.
The following track, "my everest", is a huge standout track from the album for me. The track opens with ethereal, sparkling synth arpeggios over a four-on-the-floor kick drum and warm electric guitars, making for another track that feels very pop punk to me. I really love the drum work on this track; the electronic 808 drums are mashed up seamlessly with acoustic drum samples in a way that never feels unnatural. The pattern constantly shifts and always gives the listener something new to grab onto. A deep bass and driving rhythm under one of Nick's best vocal melodies so far make this one of my favorite choruses on the record. The verses are interestingly assembled, consisting mostly of Nick trading lines back and forth with the various features (Jason Solo in the first verse, and lil slav in the second). Jason takes the lead vocals during the bridge, turning in a tender and heartfelt vocal performance with a nicely-textured timbre to his voice. The track also gets a huge beat switch in its final act, when the tempo slows down and the electronic drums are entirely replaced with acoustic drums for a moment that fully leans into the track's pop punk influences. I catch some Sum 41 and New Found Glory in the song's presentation, which I really love; the faithful stylistic rendering of pop punk maps remarkably well over Nick's established style. The vocalist during this final act, Izomii, has a voice that really reminds me of Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low, which suits the pop punk presentation perfectly. The production on this track is killer and the contributions of the numerous assembled features combine for an absolutely outstanding result. Nick used every feature smartly, and no one feels out of place on the song. This track is indisputably one of my favorites on the record and the mishmash of styles works perfectly here.
In sharp contrast to the preceding track, "worry me" opens with soft vocals, downtempo drums, acoustic bass, and low-key, shimmering electric guitars that create a vibe significantly more indebted to R&B than we've heard previously. I catch some stylistic flourishes reminiscent of Trey Songz and Usher coming through in the pop/R&B crossover mixture that this song presents. The second verse shakes up the established formula, with some nicely-performed piano parts giving way to a tasteful, retro '70s clav sound, and later, acoustic guitar arpeggios. The two featured artists, haz and raddydydy, are utilized perfectly as well, performing some really nice duet parts and backing vocals together.
Nick gets a chance to show off his excellent falsetto during the slow burn verses on "dream journal", delivering angelic, soaring melodies over shimmering production. The vocal harmonies sound great on this track, thanks in part to stvphn's excellent performance during the song's choruses, and it's obvious that a lot of effort went into the sound selection on this track. We get ethereal synth bells, mournful piano, soaring strings, cavernous synth pads, and subtle but distinctive reverb-soaked drums, resulting in a lush soundscape that suits this track's more contemplative and dreamy (get it? …okay I promise I'll stop) mood perfectly. nothenri takes over lead vocals on the bridge, delivering vocals that sound influenced by R&B with a decidedly folksy edge. "worry me" and "dream journal" together make for an excellent contemplative moment in the middle of the tracklist, and constitute a nice break from the full-force pop songs that define much of the rest of the record.
Panning staccato string chords introduce "all it costs is your love", giving this track an almost-Taylor Swift kind of feel—though Nick himself credits the 1975 as an inspiration for this particular element (source: Genius). This is an aesthetic paralleled by the vocal performance of Luoe, who sings the intro, and JerFlor, who takes the first verse. By the time Pikoyin takes over to sing the chorus, we get crashing claps, towering risers, and EDM synths that make this track feel like it was made for the dance floor. This track admittedly isn't my favorite; I don't feel like the EDM aesthetic maps over Nick's style quite as well as the pop punk, singer-songwriter, and hyperpop styles with which Nick has already successfully experimented. Nevertheless, the second chorus is admittedly a pretty cool listen, as Pikoyin's vocals get mangled and manipulated in increasingly interesting ways, which was definitely cool to experience. Even though I didn't love this track, it's undeniably a very strong showcase for Nick's talents as a producer.
Surreal, reverb-heavy vocal chops open "spring day", floating on a bed of trap drums and otherworldly, heady synthesizer arpeggios. As the track builds, we get choppy, flickering synth chords and angelic falsetto backing vocals, imbuing the track with a soaring, heavenly feeling that I found quite infectious. Nick's lyrics also shine here, and the ideas of wanting to stop growing up and risk losing those around you come through beautifully in the plaintive request, "Just forget that the seasons change". We get a more overt switch to EDM in the track's final act, as Nick throws us a four-on-the-floor kick pattern along with some huge, sidechained saw chords. I feel that this is a much better EDM crossover song than its immediate predecessor, riding on production that straddles the line between electronica and trap, bolstered by a strong, catchy pop chorus. The halftime break at the end of the song where the intro beat returns is also really cool, and Aston's performance on the second verse is quite well-done. "spring day" definitely stands out as a super unique vibe amongst the rest of the tracks, with its psychedelic and otherworldly production making it one of your favorite instrumentals on the LP. It captures the "inching inevitability of college" and communicates the fear of growing up and losing touch before the lyrics even kick in (source: Genius). I found this to be a very relatable track, and Nick presents it in such a vulnerable and endearing way that I can't help but empathize with it.
"stickaround" returns to a hyperpop aesthetic, flaunting a pop punk lead vocal performance over big saw chords and heavy trap drums. Nick gives us a rap verse where he brings the heat, showcasing rapid-fire flows in a performance filled with heartfelt intensity. The final choruses sees him really let the vocals rip, letting out some metal-ish screams as he climbs into his upper register. I really dig the more overtly rock-influenced vocals on this track, and I catch some shades of Derek DiScanio and Jon Lundin in this vocal performance as Nick once again proves he can hold his own vocally in a wide variety of different styles.
As for the following track, "blush", a four-chord piano melody solidifies this track's more straightforward pop feel. When the chorus hits, we get huge, choral backing vocals under an anthemic melody. This track really made me respect Nick's versatility as a vocal performer; he switches back and forth between laconic pop punk singing and tender, expressive crooning effortlessly, with primarily the latter style on display in this track. Nick's vocals and songwriting shine especially brightly here. His vocals feel a little more raw and a little more natural, so his performance absolutely works in this context. About the lyrical content, Nick explains, "it's about regretful timing, and so all you can do is wish them the best in life", and his regret and pining absolutely sells this song for me (source: Genius). He sounds remarkably heartfelt and emotional as he delivers his serenade, and this performance pairs perfectly with the production, showing us that he can excel in a stripped-back, straight-up love song like this one.
"anastasia" is an acoustic guitar ballad with a DIY singer-songwriter feel. The mixing isn't super polished or professional-sounding during the first verse, but I find that that decision adds a lot to the vibe; the rustling noise and lo-fi static give the track an endearing and organic presentation. Nick wastes no time returning us to familiar places, though, as we soon transition back to a synthy beat with trap drums. At this point, I started to worry a little that the sound of the album would begin to grow old, but the crashing, thick power chords that entered during the chorus were a really nice touch and proved me thoroughly wrong. The second verse brings cool guitar arpeggios that are variously chopped up and reversed to create a rhythmically complex and deep soundscape. After the second chorus, we get a sick curveball transition into a drum & bass break, which was definitely super unexpected and added a lot to my enjoyment of the track. We then transition further into a steady pop punk final chorus with pounding acoustic drums and thick guitar chords. The track's final act returns us to the DIY feeling of the track's opening, with Nick performing falsetto runs over crackling, reverb-heavy piano and lush harmonies. The diverse, shifting production and wide variety of styles explored in this track make it a wild journey from start to finish; I love the way that everything is executed, and the cyclical nature of the song's presentation returning us to a lo-fi aesthetic makes for quite a pleasing listen. I absolutely love this track and Nick deserves all the props for pulling off such a rhapsodian mismash of styles in a manner that feels this cohesive and grounded.
On the following track, "standstill", acoustic guitar riffs become bolstered by filtered synths over a sparse drum groove to open the track. The second verse brings pseudo-choral backing vocals that back up Nick's lead vocal in beautiful fashion. The track constantly shifts between light, downtempo trap and peppy, guitar-driven power pop. Nick even gives us a rap verse before the track's climactic final chorus, when the guitars swell and mix with the synth chords in an overpowering wall of sound. The breakdown at the end of this last chorus is absolutely insane and points to more unhinged, maximalist, Dorian Electra-style hyperpop than Nick has gone for on the whole album. Arpeggiated bass and aggressive, swarming synthesizers give this track a decidedly memorable outro.
Swung percussion makes for another techno/new jack swing style crossover on "cherish". The chorus melody soars, and the background vocals during the second verse are very nicely done. Mangled vocals characterize the song's bridge, and the vocals from mollywithawhy are a nice touch; she delivers a beautifully cutting line in the form of, "You mean the world, I'd give up my soul/To quiet your nerves and steady your heartbeat", wracked with palpable emotion. We go full EDM during the song's instrumental break, with a big lead synth coming to the front and skittering up and down its upper register over sidechained chords. I'm not the biggest fan of this track, though it may just be lingering ear fatigue since we're fifteen tracks deep by this point. The track boasts a solid chorus and eclectic production; I just wish it stood out a little more from the other songs in the tracklist.
Nick, in the process of tracking vocals.
As we near the end of the album, in spite of my feeling a little worn out as a listener, "ecstasy" quite firmly wrenched me away from my ear fatigue with its endearing DIY spirit. The nicely layered vocals and passionate vocal performance once again call back to the stylistic leanings of Sufjan Stevens. The guitar work on this track is truly aces; the soft and expressive playing perfectly communicates the tender emotion of this track, which makes for a meditative and warm penultimate track. The piano and guitar-driven instrumental is sparse and tastefully restrained, and this stripped-back style suits Nick really well. "I hope you learn to love yourself again" has to be one of my favorite lines on the record… so simple, and yet it says so much and cuts so deep that I can't help but resonate with Nick's increasingly emotional performance. Unlike many of the other songs, whose Genius pages generally have longer-form descriptions that sometimes span multiple paragraphs, "ecstasy" has a page that simply reads: "I wrote 'ecstasy' for someone who meant a lot to me for a short while", which I feel is perfect; nothing more needed to be said about it (source: Genius). This is absolutely a standout track, with pathos and feeling practically oozing from it. Something tells me I wouldn't complain too much if Nick were to release a whole album like this.
The record goes out with a bang in the form of the eight-minute, wonderfully ambitious "breathing colors". The song opens with a swung groove and a chord progression that sounds rather indebted to indie pop, despite the distinctly hyperpop-esque heavy synth chords, autotuned vocals (courtesy of k_m), and blippy leads that define the opening act. The moment where everything drops out minus the lead vocal and a lush, textured vocoder is so good it shouldn't even be allowed (I am definitely biased, since I always love a good vocoder break). Soon enough, though, the vocoder goes the way of the dodo, and we get a chorus defined by absolutely massive guitar chords that transition us into a more trap-influenced second verse that calls back to the sound palette of the album's opening tracks, albeit this time with a more introspective slant, and poetic verses delivered by featured chazles and evz. A long middle break with a narration from koen eventually builds to a huge, crashing chorus; Nick climbs the ladder into his crystal-clear upper register, and later, into metal screams, as he asks "can I stop to breathe?" amidst rising synths. The pop punk aesthetics of some of the earlier tracks make a triumphant return as we break into 6/8 time and the drums slam into focus amidst heavy, hard-edged power chords. The climactic final section of the track uses piano and strings under k_m's lightly textured vocals. As strange as it feels to end the album on a voice that's not Nick's, the track carries so much emotion that I don't really feel bothered by it. At the end of this long album, the track feels very much like a cathartic release of all the pent-up heartbreak, pandemic miasma, and pervasive self-doubt we've spent the last hour and fourteen minutes exploring. I was utterly emotionally spent by the end of it. The ambition of this track is truly stunning—though to be honest, I don't see myself listening to it much, unless I'm prepared to be a little sad for a while after I'm finished listening. I suppose that's a sign of an artistic vision, clearly conceptualized and executed with surgical precision and heartfelt conviction.
nickwuh, performing live in Washington Square Park.
My overall thoughts on this album can perhaps best be summarized by articulating the jealousy I feel when listening to us against the universe, chiefly because I definitely wasn't making anything as polished, focused, or inspired as this when I was a freshman! Nick's consistently catchy songwriting and vocal melodies anchor this record, pairing with his diverse production to create a one-two punch that together forms the album's biggest strength. He has a great sense for writing interesting pop songs, relying on catchy chord progressions while throwing in the occasional non-diatonic chord and melody switch-up to keep things interesting. His songwriting choices almost invariably feel earned and natural, and all of the bridge sections scattered throughout the LP show off his innate ability to manage the emotional flow of each song. The production is also truly wonderful, showcasing a real feel for sound selection and design. Nick's instrumentals never feel static, and the constantly evolving soundscape of each track pairs with crazy, left-field switch-ups and various crossgenre combinations to create a record that is at once nostalgic and indebted to the enduring familiarity of pop music as it is unpredictable, thrilling, and futuristic in its determination to keep pushing the envelope forward.
Nick also cements himself as a smart curator of features on this record, as he pulls from a sizable pool of featured artists and distributes them amongst the tracklist in ways that almost always serve the song and add to the overall experience. None of the features stood out as being particularly misplaced, which I think speaks to the strength of Nick's creative vision, as well as the musical talents of all involved. My one gripe with the features, especially the more masculine performers, is that I wish the performances and the mixes made the features sound more distinct as compared to Nick; without the help of the Genius lyric pages, which clearly delineate who is singing at any given time, I would have had a difficult time determining where all the features were actually placed. Nonetheless, I found the features to be another defining strength of this project, and some of the more stylistically distinct features (Izomii on "my everest" and Aston on "spring day" are particular standouts) added a lot to my enjoyment of the songs. While not every stylistic crossover experiment on the LP yielded results that I fell in love with, the album as a whole is an impressive display of eclecticism that unquestionably speaks to Nick's abilities as a true musical chameleon. I very much enjoyed us against the universe, and I am especially intrigued to see how nickwuh follows up this record and its universe-sized artistic vision.
Personal enjoyment score: 8.5 out of 10
Standout tracks: "celeste", "dying to see you", "my everest", "dream journal", "spring day", "blush", "anastasia", "ecstasy", "breathing colors"
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