She Dreams 'Purple'
Wunderhorse have become one of the best bands in Britain over the last few years. Rising from Jacob Slater's introspective lockdown project, into one of the UK's most important and authentic guitar bands. Blending unguarded lyrics, ragged intensity and heart on sleeve emotions. It has struck a chord, the audiences have gotten bigger, they've worked their way up festival line-ups, and with two exceptional records. The only way is up for Wunderhorse.
Origins
Wunderhorse was not Jacob Slater's first foray into music. He'd previously been the frontman of punk trio Dead Pretties.
Dead Pretties were chaotic and burned bright and fast. Releasing just three singles. The band, and in particular Slater, gained a reputation in London for their live shows. Gaining a small but loyal cult following.
In an NME post, the band were described as "derranged" with most of the comments being directed at Slater. "Frontman Jacob Slater is a wild-eyed, unpredictable presence – magnetic, unhinged and chaotic as his face contorts into unnatural expressions while he bundles around (and off of) whatever stage the London trio are gracing, be that the intimate comforts of venues like Brixton Windmill or opening for bands like The Orwells or Drenge in spaces far bigger. "
Known for their ramshackle on-stage persona (picture a fist fight ending in bloody noses and broken guitars) and screaming “fuck off!” to conformity, Dead Pretties quickly rose out of the legendary Brixton Windmill scene in south London alongside the likes of Shame and Goat Girl. But the trio’s raucous, breakneck lifestyle couldn’t go on forever: after three years together and with just three singles out in the world, Dead Pretties called it a day in 2017.
Jacob left London and headed South to Newquay in Cornwall. He spent his days surfing, embedding himself in the local community and picking up odd jobs as a labourer. He also began to write songs, moving away from the fury and angst of Dead Pretties, for more melodic reflection. Drawing from Neil Young and Joni Mitchell rather than the Sex Pistols.
Alongside his songwriting and surfing, Slater auditioned for his first acting role. Paul Cook, the Sex Pistols drummer, in Danny Boyle's biopic Pistol. This reinvigorated Slater, and with the songs he'd begun to write, he headed into the studio to record an album.
Cub
Armed with a collection of songs, Slater headed into the studio. 'Leader of the Pack' and '17' had lingered with Slater since Dead Pretties; they were worlds away from his previous band's material. Songs that had once been discarded became two cornerstones of his new musical direction. Wunderhorse.
Asked about the band's name, Slater told Hero: "There's this old TV show from the 50s or 60s called Champion the Wonder Horse... I started using the name as a joke, and it was one of those things that stuck"
Despite being the oldest track on the record, ‘17’, named after Slater’s age at the time of writing the song, stands the test of time. Its lo-fi tenderness tussles with a strong sense of imposter syndrome (“Do I look pretty in your pictures? / Did I fool you with a laugh? / Don’t be the clown who lets his armour down / Just take the photograph”). It marks itself as one of the album's centrepieces.
'Leader of the Pack' borrows a guitar line or two, but it was a ready-made arena and festival anthem. Leaning into Americana blues, and dare I say Led Zeppelin. It's more musically advanced than his previous efforts. He's also done one of the most difficult things to do when writing a song: write a huge chorus. 'Leader of the Pack' is just one of many on this record.
These songs were written about Slater's surroundings and the people close to him. Saying to the NME, ‘Cub’ is a complete tale of growth, acting as “a retrospective on what brought me to this point,”
“I found it more interesting to write about other people than me. A lot of these songs were written in my late-teens and early-20s, and I wasn’t sure if I had a specific voice to tell those stories. I thought it’d be better to look at people around me who’d impacted my life rather than running the risk of sounding up my own arse, or looking back and not being happy with what I said.” He pauses, then laughs: “I don’t know what my feelings are half the time.”
It's a record full of vulnerability. The heartbreak lullaby of ‘Mantis’, offering Radiohead-style eeriness fused with surf-rock euphoria, mellows the second half of the record, while ‘Poppy’ brings dirty psych-rock into the modern day and ‘Morphine’ provides a brooding haze. Not a million miles away from The Brian Jonestown Massacre’s grunged-up, head-rushing freak-beats.
'Purple' is one of the record's strongest tracks and showcases two of Slater's biggest talents: amazing guitar playing and his voice. The voice that becomes the dynamic setter throughout the song, in the verses, Slater carries the listener through his sentiments with a mellow, melancholic delivery and in the choruses it becomes a stadium anthem, with more than a touch of Springsteen. It's one of the best songs of the last decade,e nevermind one of the best Wunderhorse songs.
'Teal' is another album highlight, fueled by emotion and a beautifully curated anthem that explodes into life. A well-crafted piece of storytelling that carries the listener through everything Jacob is going through.
Lyrically, this is still one of his best songs. There are so many iconic lines.
“It was the light of a candle, in the depths of the dark/And there was a fire, it danced in your eyes”
"And all of your friends, they say that they need you/When you need them, they just get up and leave you"
"You gotta gift man, go and be something/If I was in your shoes, I would be jumping"
The album closes with 'Epilogue,' which revisits the punk roots we’ve seen earlier, with a powerful vocal and guitar crescendo that may take the listener by surprise. It’s a snarling, emotional masterpiece. While 'Cub' is an album about Jacob Slater finding himself and embracing new sounds, it ends by looking back to his punk past.
There are some obvious influences on this record, 'Poppy' is prog, 'Mantis' makes nods to Radiohead and of course Bob Dylan and Neil Young, as mentioned by Slater himself. However, you can hear so much more; there are nods to Britpop, early Verve, Pixies, Slowdive, Ride and Nirvana.
DIY Magazine describe 'Cub' as sounding "more the work of a wizened troubadour than a twenty-something’s debut album. If it were to be revealed as an unreleased work from the post-Britpop comedown in the late ‘90s, it's doubtful anyone would bat a solitary eyelid"
There's an accomplished nature to the songs on this record, and, of course, the influences are evident. However, Slater's own identity is not expelled; this sound is firmly Wunderhorse. The chaotic sounds and reflective lyrics become Wunderhorse's print. Slater had already dealt with the music industry; it had eaten him up and spat him out again. Using the lessons he'd learnt and some brilliant, bold songwriting, he addressed the monsters of his and millions of others' youth. How he wrestled with early relationships, broken friendships and his mistakes.
'Cub' gained fans quickly. Including other musicians. Sam Fender, Foals, and Fontaines D.C. all took Wunderhorse out on the road.
The album would also receive critical acclaim. 'Cub' was named one of the best albums of 2022 by NME, Riot and Far Out. Critics described the album as "a warming blues/garage/indie fire... an album best enjoyed in its entirety and at high volume", "some of the most well-crafted and interesting rock songs of this decade", a brilliant catalogue of teenage life - ill-fated love, drugs, self-destruction, depression as well as youthful joy - all to a rousing soundtrack that harks back to the 1990s", and "melodic reflection from a man growing into himself".
Despite being thankful for being taken on these tours, Slater himself knew how good the record and songs were. Saying “You do feel humbled [to be playing on big stages], but also there’s a part of you that wants to step up to the plate and think, ‘OK, we fucking deserve to be here and we’ve earned this spot,’” he says with a smirk, clearly ready for the challenge. “I like feeling out of my comfort zone. I like walking out and seeing a whole sea of faces that are like, ‘Well, come on, what have you got for us?’”
Slater changed with 'Cub' the antics of Dead Pretties, the drink and drugs were hit on the head. For the most part, moving out of London and down to Newquay did that for him.
Saying to Rolling Stone UK, “It got to the point in my late teens where what was sparking the creative cogs in my head ended up just slowing me down,” he confesses. But that existence must still, somehow, find a way to make thundering guitar music hold water. Where does the buzz come from now? “It’s maybe more nerve-racking at first to be stone-cold sober, but if you let it take you over, it can actually help you because it’s totally real,” Slater says. “There are no synthesised emotions. I’m full of adrenaline, and I’ve got to go out there and deliver. I think once you get used to it, it’s a massive help.”
Wunderhorse would become a full band when taking 'Cub' out on the road with Slater (vocals, guitar) being joined by Harry Fowler (guitar), Pete Woodin (bass) and Jamie Staples (drums).
Alongside the support slots with Foals, Sam Fende and Fontaines D.C., Wunderhorse would tour the UK & Ireland, including a show at London's Electric Ballroom.
The tour also saw Slater return to Cornwall with shows in Newquay and Falmouth. Wunderhorse had risen from a lockdown project into one of the best new bands in Britain. This tour also saw Wunderhorse debut some new songs, which would feature on album number two.
Midas
Wunderhorse began their second album cycle with the release of 'Midas' in April 2024. A blues-driven guitar anthem, with Slater really embracing Bob Dylan. In a hybrid of speaking and singing, the songs' ambiguous lyrics.
“The voice inside the suit came crawling through the telephone / Somewhere between the cheeseboard and a nursery rhyme / I heard the rattlesnake shaking in his invitation / And the whites of his knuckles on the other end of the line”
Speaking about the creation of the song in a press release, Slater said: “The song was written in a bathtub in Paris, and forgotten about until it resurfaced in Minnesota. Midas is the guy who makes you feel like a pencil stub, all used up and nothing to show for it, but it’s always just business as far as he’s concerned.”
The song became the title track for the band's second album and the lead single for the band's second chapter.
A follow-up single, 'July', arrived in May 2024, and it's comfortably the heaviest thing they have ever done. It's a song that is very raw and sounds like your face is pushed up against the amplifiers. A sound that Slater and the band were going for.
Speaking about the creation of the album in a press release, frontman and guitarist Jacob Slater said: “When we first went into the studio to make this record, the only thing we were sure about is how we wanted it to sound; very imperfect, very live, very raw; no frills. We wanted it to sound like your face is pressed up against the amplifiers, like you’ve been locked inside the bass drum.”
It's a blistering rock performance, but in my opinion is the weakest thing that the band have ever recorded. The song becomes a wall of noise that blindsides the listener. One of the biggest strengths, Jacob's songwriting, is virtually ignored on this song. This song was designed for the live environment and is a far cry from some of the material on 'Cub'.
Three more singles followed 'Silver', 'Rain' and 'Arizona', and they all show the strengths of Wunderhorse, enriching the frontman's exceptional lyrics and strong storytelling with the chaotic energy of his bandmates. There's strength in their unity, and it makes for three brilliant singles.
'Silver' starts as a generic indie guitar anthem before building into something more roaring and anthemic. Until it reaches its climactic peak, when Jacob screams “You’re mine, bluebird!” in a scratching tone. The significance of “bluebird” is varied – it both indicates wanting to be freed, but also that the object of the song is rare and in need of protection. Here, Slater sings of something that needs to be let go, but that is vulnerable at the same time.
'Arizona' gives 'Teal' and 'Purple' some competition in being one of the best things Slater has ever written. It's comfortably the best song on the album, and is where Slater lets his emotions out more than ever.
At first glance, ‘Arizona’ feels simple, a soft, almost folk-leaning ballad, but the weight of the lyrics tells another story. The song opens with a stark image: "There’s space that’s always empty / There’s a ghost without a name.
Right from the beginning, Slater places us in the presence of absence. It’s grief that doesn’t have a face, a name, or a place to land. There’s a suggestion here of a life that never fully arrived, perhaps a child lost before birth. This interpretation is supported by the recurring theme among fans that ‘Arizona’ may be about abortion or miscarriage, a quietly devastating grief that society often leaves unspoken.
The repeated question that threads through the entire song, “Where do you go to, my love?” is heartbreakingly simple but endlessly loaded. It’s the question that haunts anyone who has lost someone. It’s not a question that expects an answer; it’s a looping ache, circling again and again in search of peace.
The second verse paints a more expansive, poetic scene: “When it rains in Arizona / And the desert flowers bloom / There’s a wind that blows to Boston / And it sings the saddest tune”
The rare rain in the Arizona desert feels symbolic grief or memory returning unexpectedly, bringing sudden life to something you thought was gone. The wind carrying sorrow across continents suggests that grief is not limited by geography. It follows you. It lives with you. Small, delicate details like “Your mama she’s a beauty / And your daddy’s eyes are blue” are incredibly tender.
When sung live, Slater adds a little extra to this line: “Your mama she’s a beauty / And your daddy’s eyes are blue”, he adds, "just like mine"
But the most devastating lines come when Slater sings: “I never meant to hurt you / Or to tear you from this life / And I’m sorry if you suffered / When they turned out all the lights” There’s a crushing sense of guilt here, an apology that feels like it’s been carried in silence for a long time. Whether this is about the painful decision of abortion, an accidental loss, or a metaphor for any life prematurely cut off, the sincerity in these lines is palpable.
The album was released in August 2024 and received critical acclaim. Recorded live at the legendary Pachyderm Studio in Minnesota (birthplace of Nirvana’s In Utero), the record has the feel of a band with now-telepathic energy rolling straight off the tour bus and being captured at their most unfiltered.
It took what Slater had learnt from 'Cub', and from his stints out on the road with Sam Fender and Fontaines D.C.
'Rain' is firmly rooted in Fontaines D.C., with a bassline that sounds very similar to 'A Hero's Death', and from Fender, he learnt how to lay his vulnerabilities bare, with no apologies. Gritty guitars and thunderous drums are all over ‘Emily’, with lyrics that detail the scenes tormenting Slater’s mind: “Deadlines, no sleep / This job is killing me slowly / Oh well, I’ll keep quiet counting sheep.”
'Superman' is a palete cleanser, that slows the pace down, and contrasts with the album's darker moments. It's a moment where Slater finds time to share the belief he has in himself, and ultimately the belief he has in Wunderhorse. “I wish I could show them the power inside me / I wish I could show them all the things I can do, and I’ll save the world,” he sings passionately.
'Cathedrals' is Slater's arena-ready anthem, with one of the biggest choruses he's ever written. It has already found its place early on in the Wunderhorse set, and I can't see it leaving their set anytime soon.
'Aeroplane' ends the record, and it's the most grandiose Wunderhorse song yet, a neat 9-minute epic that sees guitars combined with a recurring piano rhythm. This song steals the listener's heart with an uncomfortable rawness and honesty. A moment of reflection for Slater, where he contemplates how he got here.
Dead Pretties saw Slater dial up the intensity one too many notches, and 'Cub' saw him working himself out slowly. 'Midas' is the arrival of a band that could become generational.
Although this is Wunderhorse's second album, the band and many fans believed it was a rebirth. It had previously been a solo endeavour, with Slater at the helm. His live band were hired hands who were there to help out.
However, they soon began to build a natural chemistry. Saying to the NME, “The more we played together and did the hard yards doing the gigs and stuff,” Jacob explains, “a natural chemistry sort of came about.”
Guitarist Harry Fowler, drummer Jamie Staples and bassist Pete Woodin saddled up to embark on the Wunderhorse journey.
Slater said to the NME, “I feel stronger being part of a sort of strange dysfunctional family going up onstage, rather than that dynamic of: ‘Oh, here I am and here’s the session guys.’ That always felt wrong. I never saw them as that, anyway, because they’re my friends.”
'Midas' took Wunderhorse up another level. 'Cub' had already taken Slater from pub gigs to selling out Kentish Town Forum and appearing at the 2023 edition of Glastonbury. 'Midas' took him to another level again.
The Brixton Academy show, in particular, was the blue touch paper. People had started to take notice, and the cult following was growing. He'd sold out one of the biggest rooms in the capital, and it had happened quickly.
In a Loud Than War review of the Brixton show, they describe the impact of Wunderhorse and just how quickly things had changed for the band.
"When Jacob Slater and the other three members of Wunderhorse walk out onto the hallowed boards at London’s Brixton Academy, they spare a moment to pause and take it all in. You can’t really blame them. They’re faced with a sell-out crowd at their biggest headline show to date, and the audience is going nuts. And if they could have hung a big telly on the outside of the venue, there’d probably be a similar number holding up buses on Stockwell Road too. "
The show received critical acclaim. Wunderhorse were being marked as the ones to watch, with some saying they were Britain's next great band.d
Despite the quick rise, Wunderhorse have not had anything handed to them; they've had a relentless work ethic and have gigged constantly. This was one of the most important nights in Wunderhorse's career.
The wider music press and British music-buying public now knew who they were. Wunderhorse's next London show was in a room twice the size, Alexandra Palace.
Before Ally Pally, though, Wunderhorse were asked to support Sam Fender again, this time on the UK and Ireland leg of his 2024 'People Watching' tour, which would see the band step into arenas for the first time.
Sam Fender fans who'd been following Sam for a long time were already aware of Wunderhorse. However, Sam Fender had grown a lot in stature since his Castlefield Bowl shows in 2022. He'd become one of the biggest artists in the world, and Wunderhorse had now been exposed to a whole new fan base; plenty of people now had a new favourite band following these shows.
2025 was the biggest year for Wunderhorse to date. With the sold-out Ally Pally show, academy venues feeling far too small for the band of the moment and two stellar performances at Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds.
The Brixton Academy felt like a special moment for the band; Alexandra Palace was an inevitable leap of faith. Wunderhorse were always destined to play the biggest rooms.
Ally Pally saw the band stake their claim to headline arenas, but headline arenas on their terms. The change in room size had not compromised their live show; in fact, it has gotten better. The scope and ambition of Jacob Slatter and co cannot be questioned; they know how good they are and they know where they are going.
It's a moment that they earned, though, having grafted for this moment and facing all the setbacks any band faces. Wunderhorse earned where they are, but even their belief in themselves couldn't have quite predicted what was to happen.
Kids were covering songs that weren’t even out yet. Sam Fender invited them to open his UK arena tour. They pulled the biggest crowd in the history of the BBC Introducing stage at Leeds Festival, and they sold out 10,000 tickets at Ally Pally like it was a pub gig. The fanbase that Wunderhorse have garnered is a young one, a young audience no longer interested in commercial pop, or even the more interesting grime, who instead want to hear snarling guitars, stunning storytelling and who have become enamoured by one of the finest frontmen of a generation.
Just before the show at Ally Pally, bassist Pete Woodin left Wunderhorse and was replaced by Sun King singer Seb Byford, son of Saxon lead vocalist Biff Byford.
'The Rope' was then released as a standalone single on June 2nd 2025. It reached Number 1 in the UK Official Singles Sales chart, Physical Singles chart, and Vinyl releases chart
Later in that month, Wunderhorse would play one of their best performances to date, an electrifying set on the park stage at Glastonbury. Which saw them ride the momentum they'd created in advance.
The crowd at the Park Stage was huge, for a Friday afternoon slot, Wunderhorse pulled one of the largest crowds that stage has ever seen. Playing for just under an hour, the band managed to meet the pre-show expectations with a set that showed the best of both albums, as well as a potential nod to the future with an airing of the latest single, 'The Rope'
The set was nearly an even split of 'Midas' and 'Cub', with the second album getting six songs from the twelve-song set, 'Cub' getting five, with the new single 'The Rope' also featuring. 'Purple' garnered one of the best sing-alongs of the weekend so far, and set up the second half of the band's set perfectly.
That's not to say that the first half wasn't special, from the opening note of 'Midas' through to the hauntingly beautiful 'Butterflies' and the breakneck ferocity of 'Leader of the Pack', with the band effortlessly transitioning into the songs, updating intros, and extending outros. Live Wunderhorse are a different beast.
The second half upped the ante; 'The Rope', set off by green flares in the audience, feels like it's been around for years. The Glastonbury faithful sing every word. You wouldn't think it's the band's latest single. 'Teal' may just be one of the best songs of the decade, and again, live, it becomes a whole lot more visceral and raw. The roar from the Glastonbury crowd, proclaiming from the opening chords, is something biblical. Wunderhorse are having a Glastonbury moment - notice I said "a" and not "the"-these boys will headline one day.
'Arizona' provides a respite, showcasing Jacob Slater, the songwriter. The lyrics of this song are among his most meaningful and beautiful. I recently read about the meaning of this song, and it's added a whole new sense of brilliance to it. Go and listen to the lyrics again.
The whole performance is a special one. If Wunderhorse can continue in this form, we might have to start calling them the best band in Britain.
Later that summer, Wunderhorse took to the Chevron Stage at Reading & Leeds, reserved mostly hip-hop, grime and dance and went off like a rocket. Last year, the band drew the biggest crowd ever seen in the BBC Introducing Tent. A bigger stage was necessary for this performance. I was looking forward to this one, the band's set at Glastonbury was one for the ages, but the rest of the summer had been a mad one for Jacob Slater and band, cancelled shows, broken equipment and chaos on stage. Thankfully, they let the songs do the talking. 10 songs in total. Opening with 'Midas' and closing with 'Rain'. Featuring the best songs from both 'Cub' and 'Midas' from the punk-tinged Americana of 'Leader Of The Pack' to the emotional catharsis of 'Arizona.'
'Purple' garners the biggest singalong of the whole show, though. Not only one of the band's best efforts, but one of the best songs of the decade.
Wunderhorse proved why they are one of the brightest sparks in British music at the moment and managed to regain control of what has been a turbulent summer.
Wunderhorse have already cemented themselves as one of the most important bands in Britain, but after this year, I think they need a moment to take stock. The questions now are, where do they go next?
Will the next chapter push further into heavy, grungy territory, or lean back into the delicate introspection of ‘Cub’? Will their songwriting widen in scope, or stay rooted in Slater’s stark honesty? Whichever path they take, one thing is certain: they’re doing it their way.
Wunderhorse stand poised to become not just a band of the moment, but one for the ages.
Thank you for reading
Jack.