LEISURE

‘Dominoes’ captures the cyclical nature of love — how did that theme first emerge during the writing process, and how do you personally connect with it?
We’ve always been drawn to writing about relationships in a way that feels real. “Dominoes” came from reflecting on how love isn’t linear. There are highs and lows, moments you fall and moments you rebuild. Instead of those falls being an ending, they’re part of what brings you closer. That cycle felt like the right metaphor, and musically we wanted to capture both the fragility and inevitability of love.

The music videos were filmed at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West. What impact did that space have on your creative process, and how do you see parallels between architecture and music?
Filming at Taliesin West was a trip. The space still feels futuristic even though it was built almost a century ago, but at the same time it carries this nostalgic warmth. That duality is exactly what we chase in our music. Being in those rooms, surrounded by Wright’s vision, reminded us how architecture and music both shape how people feel in a space. Architecture is structure, light, and flow. Music is structure, tone, and mood. Both can transport you, both can connect people, and both balance technical craft with emotional resonance.

On Welcome To The Mood, you’ve leaned more into live instrumentation and organic recording. How did bringing in strings, brass and backing vocalists shift the way you approach arranging songs?
It pushed us to think bigger. In the past we leaned more on samples or loops, but this time we wanted to stretch ourselves and hear what happens when you get real players in the room. When you bring in strings or brass, you can’t just throw parts on top of each other, you have to consider space, dynamics, and how things breathe. It opened up new textures, and gave us the confidence to step back sometimes and let the music feel alive. And it was nice to let other musicians bring their own energy into the songs – it made the record feel wider than just the six of us.

You’ve said this album was written in remote hideaways. How did that sense of escape shape the sound and the emotional core of the record?
Getting away is a big part of how we write. From the very beginning of the band, we’ve gone off to a house by the beach or up in the hills and just lived in the music. When you’re removed from your routine, there’s no pressure or distractions, just space to listen and respond. The quiet gets into the songs. You can hear it in the pacing, the openness, the way the lyrics feel more reflective. That sense of escape gave the record a tranquillity and a clarity we might not have found in a city studio. LEISURE has always blended nostalgia with futurism.

Was there a particular track on the new album where you felt you achieved that balance most clearly?
That balance has always been our guiding light. If there’s one track that really captures it I’d say “One in a Million.” For us the goal is always to create music that feels timeless, something that drifts between genres and stands on the strength of the song itself rather than being tied to a particular style or scene.

You’ve been together since 2015, building steadily without chasing overnight success. Looking back now, how has that slow-burn approach shaped your identity as a band and your bond as friends?
From the beginning, we never set out to chase a hit. It all started with a group of friends on a trip, making music purely for the love of it, and that energy has stayed with us ever since. Taking the slower path has given us room to discover who we are without outside pressure, and to build alongside our audience rather than forcing things overnight. At the heart of it all we’re still mates. We hold a deep respect for each other’s creativity and make sure there’s space for everyone’s process to unfold in its own way. That steady, deliberate pace has kept us grounded and made our friendship the foundation of everything we do.