PLTS on the lessons learned recording their new EP, Lonely Leaves

Last week marked the arrival of Lonely Leaves, the long-awaited returning EP of Byron Bay indie-rockers PLTS that if nothing else, is a brilliant reminder as to why the band are one you should have on your radars. Out through Same Skin Recordings, the EP sees the three-piece ensemble flesh out the many sides of their catchy, guitar-backed sound, layering tones of everything from indie to punk to tall-standing stadium rock with lyrics that encompass the band's growth both in music and personality, plus the changes and losses that have come to define them and how they work over the years gone by.

The end result is a seven-track collection of the many facets their sound can take. The EP-opening Without You is a moment of sonic restraint, layering raw, country-laden guitars with soaring vocals that rise over the top, while Young Ones - which immediately follows - sees PLTS reflect on themselves individually and together as a band, doing so over a sound which straddles between sombre indie and larger-than-life rock. August, meanwhile, tells the story of a broken relationship over thick percussion and tight riffs, while elsewhere, their sound morphs into moments more ruckus-inducing and punk-rock-esque.

Across Lonely Leaves, PLTS tackle a variety of sounds and beneath them, a variety of lyrical themes that grasp at something bigger, signifying that the EP was one built upon lessons learnt in the past. To celebrate the release of the band's long-awaited EP and to give further insight, we got the band to break this down a little more, sharing takeaways from the EP's writing and recording. Dive into them while you stream the EP below, then catch them at dates across June which you can find right HERE.

PLTS: Five takeaways from recording our new EP, Lonely Leaves

1. Let go. Tracking the majority of the record live, as a whole band – sometimes you’ve got to let go of that chord change, drum fill or vocal take and just accept that the take felt great as a whole and the minor details don’t quite matter. Nobody but you will notice that drum fill that ‘could have been’ or that tiny out of time bass note. Perfectionists, take note.

2. Trust the producer. Forget the big names, discographies or artists they’ve worked on – the producer is the humble, middle ground between the band and the song, and they’re there to act as a neutral power. Trust in their judgement and their position as the common ground, especially when things are getting heated. Given we write as a pretty collaborative unit, this was an integral part of achieving anything on this record.

3. Sleeping in your own bed is a luxury. Given we always travel interstate to record, we chose to record this EP in Byron Bay and be close to home. Routine was our saviour and eating good food, getting good sleep and being close to the ocean allowed us to work longer days, be more productive and balance the creative process with some elements of normality. It made for a more enjoyable (and cost-effective) time and nobody had to share a tiny couch in the lounge room of a horrible tiny Airbnb.

4. NO mobile phones – whatsoever. Self-explanatory, creativity killer.

5. Honesty is key. The themes of this record go hand in hand with the life of this band over the last 18 months. Growth, change, loss and nostalgia. We’ve taken a long arduous journey to arrive at this place, but we feel this record is the most honest representation of our music to date. The process, struggles and rollercoaster of the last 18 months is boiled down to these seven tracks and we couldn’t be more proud to be finally releasing a body of work. Enjoy x

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