Introducing Other People's Leisure

Other People's Lesiure came to my attention towards the end of 2025 via Instagram. A video of two people with a bank of electronic equipment, rainbow coloured lights and a silhouetted singer was captivating. The synth sounds were sublime and I found myself playing it a few times in a row.

The song was 1.30 AM Again, their debut single, the first in a trilogy that the band released in quick succession in October and November. Check them out on all the usual streaming/download sites.

A quick review of their singles to date;

1.30 AM Again is dreamy and hypnotic electro for the opening 60-seconds, with a banging beat, vocals and new synth sounds introduced at the 1-minute mark. It's a gem.

Na Lap feels beautifully chemical and clubby. At times there is a lot going on, at other times elements are dropped to leave the song floating, before synths, vocals and beats kick back in. Rather gorgeous. I'd have loved this in my clubbing days!  

Brevis Lux reminds me of Underworld - psychedelic and even a bit of a shoegaze element coming across in the effects on the vocals. I love the feel and production on this song. Trippy!

Other People's Leisure take their name from the legendary Trainspotting scene where Spud is encouraged by Renton to take a dab of speed before attending a job interview. The friends debate the dilemma of (a) not trying enough and getting his Giro taken off him, or (b) trying too hard and actually getting the job. The dab of speed does the trick!

Watch the incredible scene HERE

Enough about Trainspotting. I was keen to learn more about Other People's Leisure so fired them off a few questions. Check their answers below.

Other People's Leisure play Leith Depot on 5th March and The Hug & Pint on 13th March.

1. Who are you? Where are you from? And how and when did you form Other People’s Leisure?

Other People’s Leisure is Craig A. and Craig P. We’re based in Rosyth. We’ve known each other for about 15 years. Craig P. was in an indie band, The Draymin, with one of my (Craig A.’s) good mates. 

We started OPL properly in March 2024 after years of sharing music we love, gigging, and bouncing ideas off one another through various solo projects.

2. How do you create your songs and sounds? Do you jam or bounce ideas off each other? Or come with near finished songs?

It’s a mixture of approaches. We both use Ableton and are always coming up with new ideas. Craig P.’s ideas tend to arrive more polished than mine. We’ve got similar musical taste and tend to follow the feeling of something rather than forcing structure early on, then strip it back once we know what it wants to be. A lot gets removed rather than added. Craig P. is our lyricist, so he normally takes the lead on words. Since developing the live show, we’re planning to write the next batch of tunes on hardware rather than in Ableton.

3. Was there a moment when you both thought ‘yeah, we’ve got something here’?

From the moment we started working together it felt like it could be something special. The music, visuals and sound all seem to be landing emotionally with people, which has been really encouraging.

4. What kind of music are you listening to at present? Have any bands/artists in particular influenced you?

It changes constantly. I’ve been loving 1-800 Girls and a lot of lo-fi-leaning stuff recently. We both listen pretty broadly, but we’re drawn to music with melody that strikes an emotional chord. Anything that balances mood, rhythm and space tends to stick. Influences include Junior Boys, Bicep, Four Tet, Young Fathers, Ross From Friends and Maribou State.

5. When you think of Glasgow/Scotland and music, what comes to mind?

A strong tradition of people doing things their own way. Life was historically tough, and that’s shaped a certain resilience and honesty. We value that mindset and a strong work ethic, and we carry it into how we approach the band. I lived in the old Gorbals as a teenager, so Glasgow helped shape who I am, and that’s fully intertwined with music for me. Scotland’s music scene has always punched well above its weight internationally, and I’m proud of that.

6. You released a trilogy of singles in quick succession. What was your thinking behind that and do you have plans to keep releasing singles? Or are you working towards an album?

The trilogy changed a few times, and we had quite a bit of input from Red Jerry at Hooj Choons. He suggested adding vocals, which definitely elevated the tracks. We plan to experiment with different vocalists, and using Craig P. on Na Lap felt like a good way of showcasing another side to us. We’ve got around ten tracks at an almost-finished stage. They took a back seat while we prepped the live show, but we’ll start releasing those early next year.

7. You’re playing two shows in March. What can we expect from them?

A live set that’s very much its own thing rather than a direct playback of the records. Hardware, live vocals, visuals, and room for things to move. We love to jam, so if the room responds well, people might even get a 30-minute version of 1:30am Again. We’re playing on the bill with Glasgow’s PRZDNT. Two of his tracks made my Spotify Wrapped this year, so I’m really looking forward to his set as well.

8. Any other plans at present?

More releases, more live shows, and continuing to build things steadily. Hopefully some festivals lined up which we’ll be announcing in the new year.