Oh Wonder

In an era in which pop careers require careful planning, Oh Wonder are an anomaly. They’re a band formed by accident not design. Classically-trained pianist and violinist Josephine, met Anthony, a producer and former member of a rock band, in a south London studio. He offered to produce some of her songs, but the moment they started working together, something clicked. Or as Anthony recalls it, “stars collided”. Ultralife is both Oh Wonder’s extraordinary second album and their debut proper. It takes the hallmarks of the band’s experimental debut – its hypnotic dual vocals, its exposed, emotional lyrics, its bewitching, ethereal beauty – and adds the weight of experience, the confidence of success and the coherence that comes from forward planning. Rather than rely on computers, Ultralife boasts lots of live instrumentation, including drums and bass, as well as Anthony’s collection of analogue synths, which are central to the songs’ warm, sensual sound.