8/10

After releasing both his debut album 'Yonder' and subsequent reimagining of it 'Yonder (After Midnight)' back in 2018, Dutch singer-songwriter Sean Christopher quickly made a name for himself as an artist with a strong imagination. While his songs were kept deeply personal and usually represented an outlet for his close and heartfelt emotions, the back-to-back releases showed that he was an uncertain soul, usually feeling like he could have showcased himself in a different way. So as he releases his eagerly-awaited follow-up 'WANDER', it is clear that he has explored a far more diverse aesthetic on his comeback.

While he has always been a humbled human being, usually finding the right hook in those most minimal of circumstances, 'WANDER' feels like a more adventurous development than what we would have expected. While his voice and acoustic guitar or piano remain the focus of this record's sound, there is this rich and atmospheric texture to the overall production this time around, breathing a new source of life into his work. It feels as though Sean Christopher is beginning to see that his personal tales are just one side to his songs, and that his true majesty lies in the warming and ethereal way in which he performs them.

From the very start, 'WANDER' feels like a bold step forward from his debut full-length. While there are still plenty of moments that see him in a more vulnerable and solace persona, his general aura fills this 11-track collection with a broad and vibrant direction, leaving the listener very fulfilled throughout.