BLACKLISTERS ANNOUNCE "LEISURE CENTRE" EP + SHARE TITLE TRACK

Posted on October 17th, 2022

[as seen on FLOOD]

Since Blacklisters knocked themselves—and everyone within earshot—out with 2015’s noise-rock carnival Adult, the international market has been flooded with the UK’s growing export of witty hardcore the band perfected with that release, with groups like Gilla Band even achieving some crossover success with their take on the formula. But no one quite does squealing meltdowns quite like Billy Mason-Wood and his backing band, who most recently honed their craft on their late-summer 2020 full-length Fantastic Man.

On November 18, the group is returning with an EP comprising their first new material since then, with the four-song Leisure Centre serving as their first record released in the US through Exploding in Sound since Adult. Preceding that release, the band is previewing the project with the characteristically sludgy lead single and title track, which takes a sardonic dig at the ludicrous concepts of “leisure” we continue to find ourselves in as our society evolves while channeling the lo-fi hardcore sounds of late-’00s groups like Condominium.

"Every generation that comes by, human beings find different ideal for the perfect society,” Mason-Wood shares. “These days there’s a bunch of rich people saying that we all want to hang out in a virtual living room with a bunch of WiiMii’s that look a bit like Mark Zuckerberg. Back when I was a kid it was the leisure centre. I know it’s bad, but I’m not sure if badminton is any better than the metaverse, as much as I wish it was.”

Check out their leisure centre–centric video for the track below, and pre-order the EP here.