At the start of the year, we introduced you to Chas Leman, the proudly working-class musician whose honest storytelling relays the everyday mundanity, struggle and oppression of the UK class system. Following the release of his ironically titled ‘THE GOOD LIFE?’, the London-based artist has completed more of his pseudo-dystopian visions with a four-track EP. These songs are the result of years of songwriting in the underground, overcoming self-doubt and grinding as a touring guitarist. Throughout every step of Leman‘s journey thus far, he’s come up against obstacles and that’s given him a sharply perceptive view on the world. REPETITIVE STRAIN isn’t about escapism or avoidance, it’s about capturing the reality of low-income work, making ends meet and the bubbling undercurrent of stress and anxiety. You can feel this raw tension in the sharp guitar structures, ’00s synth textures, pulsing drum machines, and yet there’s also a glimmer of joy hinted at by the dance-inducing rhythms. Like life, this EP isn’t straight-forward or simple, rather it brings together nostalgia, melancholia, vulnerability and confidence. For On The Record, we spoke with Chas Leman about releasing his EP, being a late bloomer and why documenting ordinary lives is such a vital act in music.
Welcome to Unrecorded! For those who aren’t already familiar with Chas Leman, can you introduce yourself?
I am an independent artist who writes heartfelt and emotive songs, told from a working class perspective.
I have been writing songs for over 20 years since I was 14, but suffered hugely from self doubt and so refrained from releasing any until 2024. But I’ve played guitar in lots of touring bands for the last 15 years . I am a husband and a father to two children and I have a bulldog and a tortoise.
Congratulations on the recent release of your new EP! The title evokes a physical sensation, with a touch of pain, so how does this relate to the track’s overall theme?
So the the record is all about life as a low income worker as well as the constant doom we all seem to be facing globally day after day. Repetitive Strain is a common injury caught by people who do repetitive work with their hands, decorators, typists, hairdressers etc. I just think it sums up the record perfectly.
The EP tackles low-income work, AI anxiety and looming geopolitical dread, so what role do you think that music has in shining a light on these bigger issues?
Well as artists we have the luxury of being able to write, draw or sing whatever we want. And I think at this moment in time, where the human race is, artists need to share their hopes and their fears for the world more than ever. Nothing connects with people more than artistic expression and I think our role on this earth is to make peoples lives that little bit more bearable, but also to let them know they’re not alone in their worries or their dreams.
‘WASHING MACHINE WEEK’ feels nostalgic but weary at the same time, so what’s the story behind that one?
I wanted to start the record with a song that set the theme straight away and with no mystery around it.
It might not be the cleverest of metaphors but I choose the constant spinning of the washing machine to symbolise the working week.
And in the chorus, I used dancing to the beat of the leaky tap, singing to sound of the draft through the doors, to show that through hardship and disrepair people still manage to make their house a home.
You’ve cited Gorillaz and Hot Chip as big touchstones, so what is it about that ’00s golden era that you’re drawn towards?
Well I was 12 in the year 2000 so that decade was my era, I owe everything I am now to the albums that came out in the noughties..from the streets to Franz Ferdinand to everything in between.
Are there specific recording tricks, limitations or happy accidents that ended up defining the sound of this EP?
To be honest, even though this was my first time making a more electronic record, the recording process was really enjoyable and care free. That’s all down to a.charles who produced the songs. He is really good at programming drums and getting the sounds that I have in my head onto the computer screen. I learned a lot everyday, but we still did a lot of ‘human’ work on the record. We did loads of layers of vocals, I did lots and lots of guitar and bass tracks, and all the synths are played organically. One of the best things I got out of the experience was messing around with vocal tuning. We really went to town with it on THE REAL WORLD where we used it as an effect rather than to mask bad singing. I really loved doing that because it really suited the song.
How did working with a producer change your process compared to self-producing your debut track?
Well there’s absolutely no way I could have made this record on my own because my computer skills are almost as bad as an orangutan’s. So I needed a really hands on producer and A.Charles is every bit of that.
Closing track ‘THIS IS LIFE.’ leads listeners out with a big, anthemic and oddly optimistic sound, so what’s the lasting impression you wanted to leave with this track?
I hope that it comes across that I am celebrating the endurance, the resilience and the adaptability of the modern day shop floor worker. I am one myself and I believe that without us the entire world would collapse in the blink of an eye. I really hope that my intention of celebrating the masses who often get overlooked comes through.
What else do you hope that listeners will take away from these songs?
I don’t know really….I guess I hope they appreciate that Im not just a one trick pony and that this record makes them wonder what I’ll do next …
Following the release of the EP, what will be next on the horizon for you?
I have two small shows on 27 and 28 march at the bees mouth in Brighton and the Battersea barge in London to promote the record. I’m really looking forward to them. But as for new music, I’m not sure. It’s really expensive making and releasing music. And I’ve done a lot of it over the last two years, so I think maybe I should cool it down a little, whilst I think long and hard about what I want the next project to say and sound like.
You can listen to ‘WASHING MACHINE WEEK.’ in our Shades of Pop playlist.
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