The Wombats – that’s Matthew Murphy, Tord Øverland Knudsen, and Dan Haggis – have, rather remarkably, been prolific since breaking through the proverbial hype with2007 debut, ‘A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation’, home to the smash hits ‘Moving To New York’ and ‘Let’s Dance To Joy Division’. Almost two decades on, the Liverpool trio return with their first LP since 2022 – their sixth collection, ‘Oh! The Ocean’.

Opener, ‘Sorry I’m Late, I Didn’t Want To Come’, sets things up in fine fashion with a bass-driven intro inviting a fierce groove. It has all the wry lyricism and fun we’ve come to associate with the band, showing they’ve lost none of their affinity for social commentary and escapism. ‘Can’t Say No’, has more of an electronic feel to it, once again incorporating Matthew Murphy’s distinct delivery: as with the opener he reaches for a higher vocal register. The band veer into an electronic terrain again with ‘Kate Moss’, a sonic pivot from other parts of the LP but a successful shift nonetheless.

‘Blood on The Hospital Floor’ feels like a return to the group’s roots, its guitar riff intro recalling indie acts of the early ’00s. ‘My Head Is Not My Friend’, which preceded the album, is all deadpan observations about buying into all the trends, and having whisky in a bubble bath. Certainly absurdist but finding a way to resonate anyway, The Wombats’ wider sonic palette feels familiar yet forward-facing and malleable – a key theme of the album. ‘I Love America’ and ‘She Hates Me’ shows the group at their most playful and instinctive; meanwhile ‘The World’s Not Out To Get’ maintains the lyrical gymnastics, adding oomph and heavier guitars in a post-punk dreamscape.

Experienced in its entirety, ‘Oh! The Ocean’ feels like a nod to The Wombats’s origin story while paving a new direction into a more genre-blurring future. It’s a welcome return from the marquee indie act, who thread moments of humour, aspiration and joy across the album’s twelve tracks. Their sound is coated in a new varnish which leaves the listener feeling as rejuvenated as the band.

8/10

Words: Christopher Connor

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‘Oh! The Ocean’ is out this Friday.

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