Israeli singer-songwriter Adar Alfandari wears his heart on his sleeve. His words resemble poetry but have the directness of prose. His songwriting style is impactful, creative, and honest. It is clear he has something to say and has all the skills to say it. In his new single, “Wonder,” Alfandari offers an introspective, tender, and personal expression of love and invitation to self-exploration.
Beginning in a rollicking triple meter waltz carried by guitar and percussion, the sonorous chords are punctuated with bass and a resounding chord on the piano. As soon as his silvery voice enters, it is clear that Alfandari knows his way around a melody. His tune is full of contrast between vocal leaps and catchy scalar melodies that result in elegant melodic contours. The occasional dramatic pause draws the ear back into the music, but your attention is unlikely to wander from his compelling and expressive songwriting.
Suddenly, after one such pause, clouds gather, the mood darkens, and the musical atmosphere becomes electrified. In the distance, an electric guitar screams in its high register. It is hard to imagine that you are even listening to the same song. However, with a return to the strumming of the acoustic guitar, the clouds disperse. The song exhales as it ends, and with it, you do, too.
Directed by Yaniv Brenner, the song’s animated stop-motion music video is a worthy supplement to Alfandari’s soulful ballad. You cannot help but to be enchanted by both hearing and seeing the song’s bright colors and vivid imagery.
“Wonder” is available on all major streaming platforms.
Written by Jacob Jahiel
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