Bristolian indie group Adult Leisure have released their second EP Present State of Joy and Grief, produced by Ollie Searle at Humm Studios.
The band came together to form Adult Leisure following a “thirst to create” during the pandemic, formed via video calls during the heart of the 2020 lockdown.
The four-track EP sees Adult Leisure blend their blend of jangly guitar lines and disco beats to explore “unhealthy relationships, heartbreak, loss, change and self-reflection”.
Discussing the EP, the band say: “When we began working on what would become Present State, we set out to create a cohesive body of work that felt true to the band we are now and the place that we’re at in our lives. Lathered in waves of self reflection and acceptance of life’s heavy hands, our sophomore EP is drenched in honesty, whilst full of groove and fury in equal measure.”
The heartbreak is evident throughout the entire EP, with lyrics such as: “Did I break your heart, dear? / Did I hurt the only one / To have another run and You weren’t there when needed” matching the shoegaze guitars reminiscent of 2010-era Kings of Leon. This is an EP made for post-breakup sadness, something to put on to sing along to when the heartbreak is too much.
Selling out headline shows, Adult Leisure are clearly striking a chord with their fanbase. When they played their EP release show at Bristol’s the Exchange, the crowd was immediately taken by the band’s finessed live show, singing along to the chorus and dancing to the more upbeat tracks. Adult Leisure play a tight set and clearly know how to capture their audience. They are definitely not messing around, and definitely not to be slept on either.
Words: Clara Bullock // Photo: Jay Parker
‘Present State of Joy and Grief’ is out now. Stream the EP here.