[5] The arrangements of Hawaii incorporate more electronic sounds than its predecessor Gideon Gaye (1994),[6] while its lyrics loosely address themes of nomadism, nostalgia, film and musical theatre, and the effects of colonialism.

[6] Academic Theodore Gracyk characterized the majority of Hawaii as "pay[ing] unmistakable homage to Brian Wilson's arrangements on the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds (1966).

More specifically, they recall Pet Sounds' distinctive wash of background vocal harmonies, lush but wordless, against piano, melodic bass punctuation, drum fills, and sleigh bells.

"[9] On the album's influences, music critic Tim Page writes: "Here, in no particular order, we find flashes of Wilson, Henry Mancini, harpsichord flourishes, 'Ramona'-style Mexican American music (complete with mariachi pulses and firefly strings), melodies that would sound just right around a campfire, swooning Hawaiian guitars, long trumpet solos that would have done Bunny Berigan proud, and just about everything else -- layer upon layer.

"[10] Online publication Treblezine listed it as one of the 10 most essential chamber pop albums, with staff writer Paul Pearson elaborating: "For all its precise pastiche, Hawaii is still a maverick work existing entirely on its own.

"[15] Spin's Erik Himmelsbach wrote: "Supposedly a 'concept' record, the album's Hawaiian theme is merely an excuse for O'Hagan's orchestral maneuvers and precious melodies—folky, tropical, eccentric—which swirl and whirl like a psychedelic summit of Lawrence Welk and Don Ho.