Leisure (stylized as LEISURE) are a New Zealand electronic music project from Auckland, formed in Muriwai in 2015.[1] The group's current lineup consists of Djeisan Suskov, Jaden Parkes, Josh Fountain, Tom Young, Jordan Arts and Paul Roper, all established musicians and producers who have performed in the Auckland's music scene since the early 2000s.[2] Due to each members commercial success and association to their previous musical acts, the project could be loosely referred to as a supergroup.
Leisure | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Labels | Nettwerk |
| Spinoff of | |
| Members |
|
| Website | www |
They are currently signed to Nettwerk Records and to date, have self-produced and released four studio albums: Leisure (2016),[3] Twister (2019),[4] Sunsetter (2021)[5] and their fourth and most recent, Leisurevision on 29 September 2023 [6]
Background
editEach member of the group, individually established themselves in New Zealand's music industry during the early 2000s, performing in their respective bands or projects. Suskov is best known for his psych-indie pop act, Cool Rainbows while Parkes initially gained recognition as the drummer for Auckland pop punk band, Goodnight Nurse, whose 2006 debut album Always and Never was certified gold shortly after its release.
Following Goodnight Nurse's breakup in 2010, the band's guitarist Sam McCarthy would go on to focus on his new wave project, Kids of 88 with his longtime friend, Arts. The two would go on to release their debut album Sugarpills on 16 August 2010 via Sony Music, which stemmed hits such as "My House", "Just a Little Bit" and "Downtown" which all broke into the Top 20 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart.
Fountain made his name as a member of EDM, hip-hop group, Kidz in Space before becoming an in-demand producer, most notably for Auckland alternative pop singer/songwriter, Benee.
The initial formation of the group took place in 2015, after members had casual writing sessions during a spontaneous holiday at a bach in Muriwai, a West Coast region of Auckland.[7] The group has described their sound as an unusual melting-pot of contributions, having influences from funk, 1990s boom bap and R&B, and dance-pop from the early 2000s.[8]
The group released their debut single, "Got It Bad" on 23 April, 2015 via Soundcloud to immediate acclaim and coverage, partly due to not revealing their identities during the initial release to garner mystery and intrigue about the project. [9] The song was also featured in the American television drama You.[10]
Members
edit- Djeisan Suskov – lead guitar, vocals, production (2015–present)
- Tom Young – bass, vocals, production (2015–present)
- Jaden Parkes – rhythm guitar, vocals, production (2015–present)
- Josh Fountain – keyboards, rhodes, sampler, vocals, production (2015–present)
- Jordan Arts – percussion, synthesizer, sampler, vocals, production (2015–present)
- Paul Roper – drums (2023–present; touring member 2017–2022)
- Touring
- Alex Freer – drums (2015-2016)
Discography
edit- Albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Leisure |
|
| Twister |
|
| Sunsetter |
|
| Leisurevision |
|
- EPs
| Title | EP details |
|---|---|
| Side A |
|
| Side B |
|
- Singles
| Title | Year | Album |
|---|---|---|
| "Hot Love" | 2015 | Leisure |
| "Take It To The Top" | ||
| "All Over You" | ||
| "Nobody" (featuring Goldlink) |
2016 | |
| "Control Myself" | ||
| "Moonbeam" | ||
| "Alone Together" | 2017 | Twister |
| "Money" | ||
| "Feeling Free" | 2018 | |
| "Falling" | ||
| "The Hype / Tied Up" | 2019 | |
| "On My Mind" | ||
| "Too Much Of A Good Thing" | ||
| "Slipping Away" | 2020 | Sunsetter |
| "Spark It Up" | ||
| "Lonely Nights" | ||
| "Take You Higher" | 2021 | |
| "Mesmerised" | ||
| "Summer Season" (featuring Muroki) |
2022 | Leisurevision |
| "Always" | 2023 | |
| "All the Good Times Never Die (featuring Night Tapes) | ||
| "Back In Love" | ||
| "Above Me" |
References
edit- ^ "LEISURE prioritise good vibes first, music second". Beat Magazine. 24 July 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ "Concert review: LEISURE, at Crystal Palace". NZ Herald. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ Saw, Yadana (21 October 2016). "Leisure: yacht rockers set sail". RNZ. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ "What To Listen To: Leisure get down and deep on sophomore album". Stuff. 20 July 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
- ^ "LEISURE closes out the year with their fantastic new album Sunsetter". Variance Magazine. 3 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
- ^ "Album Review: LEISURE – Leisurevision". Recordspin. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
- ^ "LEISURE Discuss Their Fourth Album, Leisurevision". 9 October 2023.
- ^ "Leisure". www.thevogue.com. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ "Leisure - AudioCulture".
- ^ "At your Leisure: The Auckland band with more listeners in New York and Paris than NZ". www.metromag.co.nz. Retrieved 27 January 2021.