It’s been a time for reflection for Bombay Bicycle Club. Their five-year hiatus came as a surprise, but given how they sound on their invigorating new album, it was an essential moment for one of the UK’s most beloved indie bands.

“Yes I’ve found my peace again and yes I’ve found my second wind” sings lead singer Jack Steadman on the title track to this comeback album; the band’s first project since 2014’s So Long, See You Tomorrow. That is an album name that seems all the more poignant given what followed for Bombay Bicycle Club, but the journey has brought them back to their roots on latest effort Everything Else Has Gone Wrong.

The signs were promising when the band brought out Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You) in August 2019; in fact, they were more than promising, they soared anticipation through the roof. The progressive builds and gorgeous vocal harmonies provided musical nectar for the ears and cemented the song as a truly stellar lead single. This was followed with the groovy title track Everything Else Has Gone Wrong and I Can Hardly Speak, a song that sounds very much like a continuation of their aforementioned previous album.

Bombay’s music has always been rich with glittery nostalgia and harmonic reminiscence, but they outdo even themselves with the stunning qualities demonstrated on Everything Else Has Gone Wrong. Is It Real looks at the intriguing prospect of growing up and looking at how great childhood was, before questioning how many of those memories were real and how many are fabricated.

Much of this album is deeply emotive and lyrically impactful while also remaining instrumentally warm and fuzzy. From the frantic but heroic opener Get Up to the raw, stripped back finale Racing Stripes, Everything Else Has Gone Wrong is a rollercoaster of emotions; a candid reflection of life’s experiences. There are one or two loose moments here and there, whether that be a chorus that doesn’t quite stick to you or an instrumental that lacks an essential punch; but as a whole, it’s a welcome return for Bombay Bicycle Club.

Where Bombay had the fruitful iconic indie sound of I Had The Blues But I Shook Them Loose, the sweet serenity of A Different Kind Of Fix, and the experimental bop of So Long, See You Tomorrow; Everything Else Has Gone Wrong opts for an all-encompassing concept. Speaking on the importance of growth and inner peace it is as meditative as music can get; serving as the perfect antidote for the band’s joyous revival.