LEISURE Return with 'Oh Why' Single Feat. Two Another

On Friday, Auckland’s soul-electronic collective LEISURE shared their new single, “Oh Why.” The track is a collaboration with Two Another, and the first release since their acclaimed fourth album, Leisurevision, was released last fall.

In a world fraught with uncertainty, “Oh Why” is a tribute to the human desire for connection and authenticity. This poignant track delves into the complexities of early-stage relationships and the universal desire/dichotomy of longing and love. Explaining, “The song is about the indecision of an early part of a relationship, wondering ‘should I stay or should I go.’ The pitched down ‘give me life, everlasting love’ acting as an inner monologue desire to wanting something real that will last.”

The vibey single originally began in a session in Australia, traveling the globe between New Zealand and Europe before finding its full flight. It was originally conceived with Two Another’s long-time collaborators, bassist Jarrol Renaud and keyboardist Danny Pliner, who add, “From the beginning, the track had a laid-back, soulful vibe that needed the right vocal to bring it to life. We could never land on the right idea so when we started speaking to Leisure about a potential collab it immediately came to mind.”

 LEISURE expounds, “Two Another was a name we’d seen pop up alongside ours from early Soundcloud days. We were fans and had begun to notice a cross pollination amongst our fan bases.  When they reached out with the idea to work on something, we didn’t hesitate, and the ideas started bouncing back and forth with ease. ‘Oh Why’ was born the first time we dug through a folder of the instrumental ideas they sent over. The bass was almost talking to us; faces scrunched, heads nodding as the melodies started flowing.”

Following their album Leisurevision and sold-out fall tour, the band will return stateside this summer to perform on the main stage at Lollapalooza and Outside Lands Festivals and will headline Music Hall Of Williamsburg in NYC on July 31st, the Majestic Theatre in Madison, WI on August 4th and The Fonda in Los Angeles on August 8th. Tickets are on-sale now.

In a world preoccupied with instant gratification and overnight success, LEISURE have been taking the scenic route. The five members - and mates - came together in 2015 on a spontaneous trip up New Zealand’s rugged west coast. At that stage, they’d independently spent years churning through the music machine’s tight jaws. Individually, the five are award-winning songwriters, producers, and creatives. Together, they resolved to carve out a new musical paradigm: cut the crap, enjoy the ride, and above all, keep it LEISURE.

400+ million streams later and sold-out dates throughout NZ, Australia, the UK, Europe and the US, they’re doing something right. Their fourth album Leisurevision, released in 2023, ushered in a new season encapsulated by the color green - symbolic of growth, renewal, and rebirth - a calming and harmonious color, representing balance, peace and tranquility. Musically, the album takes inspiration from various eras — seventies soul, early eighties post-disco, mid-nineties hip-hop drum programming and blends it together with the signature lush guitar sound heard across their discography. It was praised by tastemakers like the BBC, Rolling Stone, KCRW, WFUV, Wonderland, and more.

North American Tour Dates:

7/31 // Brooklyn, NY // Music Hall of Williamsburg

8/3 // Chicago, IL // Lollapalooza

8/4 // Madison, WI // Majestic Theatre
8/8 // Los Angeles, CA // Fonda Theatre

8/10 // San Francisco, CA // Outside Lands Festival

Photo Credits: Frances Carter and Walid Labri

To post a comment, you must register and login.