Returning with their highly-anticipated sophomore album, Midas, released on Friday 30 August via Communion, Wunderhorse capture the unfiltered power which has set them apart as one of the most formidable live acts in recent years. With rugged hooks, fierce melodies, and an unpolished edge, Midas breaks the mould of traditional second albums, establishing Wunderhorse as an addictive and generational talent.
After their 2022 debut Cub put singles like ‘Purple’ and ‘Leader of the Pack’ on heavy radio rotation, Wunderhorse quickly gained recognition. What started as frontman Jacob Slater’s solo project in 2021 has since grown into a cohesive band, with guitarist Harry Fowler, drummer Jamie Staples, and bassist Peter Woodin joining Slater to form a tight-knit unit that brings a new depth to their sound.
Recording Midas at Pachyderm Studio in Minnesota, the same space where Nirvana’s In Utero was born, the band worked with Grammy-winning producer Craig Silvey to push themselves out of their comfort zones. Silvey encouraged them to lean into the rawness of their live performances, capturing the fire and fury of their sound without over-polishing it. The result is an album that feels instinctual and alive, with songs like the cacophonous ‘Cathedrals’ and the wild ‘July’ serving as potent examples.
Rejecting the often-overproduced nature of second albums, Wunderhorse aimed to capture their gut instinct and emotion. The goal was to make listeners feel as if their faces were pressed right up against the speaker, a sensation mirrored in the claustrophobic and intense recording process. By switching off their phones and immersing themselves fully in the creative process, the band tapped into a more traditional form of artistry, with influences like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles guiding their morning listening sessions.
Lyrically, Midas reflects this disillusionment with modernity, with Slater grappling with the uncertainty of the future and the erosion of what it means to be human. While these themes emerged organically, the album’s immediacy and instinctual writing process ensured that every track feels like a snapshot of a moment in time. The closing track, ‘Aeroplane’, a near-nine-minute epic, encapsulates the raw and unpolished ethos of the album, with a fragmented guitar solo that gains its power from its imperfections.
The band didn’t want the record to sound perfect or polished – they didn’t even want it to sound musically proficient or well-rehearsed. This album isn’t made to impress anyone in that sense, but this is what makes it so impressive in itself. They have avoided succumbing to any of the frills which are often enforced on bands who are recording their sophomore album, following a successful debut. Many bands strive for perfection under the pressure, often to the detriment of the appeal of their music, since while the quality is flawless, the heart and soul can become erased from the mix. But by keeping things raw and natural, Wunderhorse have avoided losing themselves in the process.
As Slater puts it, “I want it to feel like you’re right there in the room with us,” and over the course of ten songs and 40 minutes, Midas accomplishes just that. It’s not perfect, but that’s exactly the point – it’s a snapshot of a band in their most honest and powerful form.
