《學而篇》曾子曰：「吾日三省吾身：為人謀而不忠乎？與朋友交而不信乎？傳不習乎？」意指每日提醒自己工作是否敬業？交友是否守信？知識是否用於實踐？此次專輯的主要概念圍繞著上述的「三省」為主題，以10首歌串聯起失眠男子深夜一路到天明的思緒脈絡。把工作、交友、學業等諸多面向做為過往年輕歲月的主軸，藉此反思那些回望時顯得可笑可悲抑或可愛的青春，如今也過眼雲煙了。

此專輯特色是以「反省」為中心思想。自青少年時期開始，沈重入學、入伍當兵、初出社會乃至考公職等，針對諸多事務的省思。和聲以主唱與鼓手兩者真假音的轉換達成諷刺笑果。曲風柔雜民謠、搖滾和些許古典的味道。全輯將以10首依序道出心境的轉變。

An Awesome Wave is the debut studio album by English indie rock band alt-J, released on 25 May 2012 by Infectious Records. The album includes the singles "Matilda"/"Fitzpleasure", "Breezeblocks" and "Tessellate". It peaked at number thirteen on the UK Albums Chart, and also charted in Belgium, France, Netherlands and Switzerland. An Awesome Wave won the 2012 British Barclaycard Mercury Prize, and in 2013 was named Album of the Year at the Ivor Novello Awards.