The moody and bright alt-pop of Oh Wonder had its beginnings in a collaborative creative challenge. Kicking things off in late 2014, London-based songwriters/producers Anthony West and Josephine Vander Gucht set themselves a task: for an entire year, they would write, record and release one song every month. The teamwork resulted in their self-titled 2015 album, which is a largely chill affair, but one brimming with quiet tension. “Technicolour Beat”, for instance, glides on sedate synth vibes, but its chord progressions are all melancholy; “Lose It” swings with a bit more of a pop beat, but keeps things sophisticated and aloof. The commercial success of Oh Wonder laid the groundwork for their 2017 follow-up, Ultralife, which boosted both the energy and the production value with ethereal, symphonic elements (the title track), boisterous pop blitzes (“Lifetimes”) and even spacey, R&B-imbued jams (“Heavy”). In 2020, West and Vander Gucht released the deeply intimate No One Else Can Wear Your Crown, which explored their relationship not only as bandmates but romantic partners, tackling harsh realities through dreamy atmospheres; “Hallelujah”, a track that explores the fears and doubts inherent in the act of pursuing a dream, bursts with undeniable, defiant triumph.