BLEACH LAB: “I’M ALMOST ALWAYS REFERRING TO VERY PERSONAL SITUATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS”
VOCAL GIRLS gets to know Bleach Lab, the band fusing modernism and nostalgia to make retro-inspired songs which are a feast for the ears.
Photo Credits: Kieran Weston (Exclusive to VOCAL GIRLS)
Meet Bleach Lab, the South London based four-piece made up of Jenna Kyle (vocals), Josh Longman (bass), Frank Wates (guitar), and Kieran Weston (drums). Formed in 2017 as a duo, the band were complete after the later addition of Jenna and Kieran. They released their debut EP ‘A Calm Sense of Surrounding’ last year, quickly followed by their second, ‘Nothing Feels Real.’ After making waves with their sophomore EP, the quartet are back with number three, ‘If You Only Feel It Once’, which spotlights nostalgia-infused lyrics about love, life and longing against dream-pop/indie instrumentals. Vocal Girls had a chat with lead singer Jenna to find out more about them, the upcoming EP, and what’s next for the band.
How did Bleach Lab form, and what’s the idea behind the name?
We go quite a way back now: originally, Josh and I studied music at college together and stayed friends when we went off to uni. Then Frank and Josh met each other over a different project and were searching for a lead vocalist, which is where I came in. We recruited Kieran as our drummer in early 2021 and he made up the final form of Bleach Lab.
The name itself really doesn’t mean a lot. It’s an amalgamation of the band names Stereolab and Beach House. Although we’d like to say there’s some deeper, philosophical meaning, I think we just thought it sounded like a band name and went with it!
How would you describe your sound?
We’re still discovering how to define our sound specifically - I'm not sure we know ourselves. However, I describe our sound as a combination of dream-pop, indie/alt-rock, hints of shoegaze, and a nostalgic 80s/90s influence… all with a modern twist!
Who are your inspirations and how does it feed into your music?
As a band we have a wide variety of influences and some of them are quite different. Stylistically and lyrically, I’m influenced by the likes of Daughter (Elena Tonra), Joni Mitchell, and Stevie Nicks. I’ve always tried to achieve the same level of emotion and tell stories with my lyrics in the same way as these amazing artists.
What was the recording and writing process like for ‘If You Only Feel It Once’? How did it differ from the last EP?
We actually didn’t have too different a process for writing and recording this EP. We’ve consistently had the same sort of writing process since the early days, in that we tend to write our own parts separately from each other. For example, Frank or Kieran will put forward an instrumental idea and either Josh or myself will work on vocals and lyrics separately.
You worked with renowned producer Stephen Street on your second EP, ‘Nothing Feels Real’ - what was that like?
It was really great! Obviously we were apprehensive and a little overwhelmed as we know he’s worked with some incredible names [The Smiths, Blur, The Maccabees]. However, it was a really rewarding experience and I think we got some of our best sounds to date out of those sessions.
Thematically, romantic relationships and longing tend to be a common thread across your material. Do you find it easier to write about past experiences, however personal?
Absolutely - I’m almost always referring to very personal situations and relationships. I find it very cathartic to have a creative outlet for it all. The level of personality to the lyrics doesn’t really concern me until our tracks are released, and then I'm suddenly aware that thousands of people know my innermost thoughts and feelings. But equally, I’m grateful to even have a platform to express that.
What’s next for Bleach Lab? Is a full length album on the horizon?
All we can say is that we’ve definitely been busy! Next year is looking to be a lively one - we can’t wait!
‘If You Only Feel It Once’ is out now via Nettwerk Records