PleasureInc.

“These guys are just great…nods in their musical DNA to Blur and Beastie Boys…so many influences you can hear throughout their music - hip-hop, psych, pop - and it’s all sandwiched together..it’s quite infectious the energy they give off. I love when artists aren’t afraid to use blueprints from the past, take it apart, piece it all back together to make their own individual sound. And that’s what PleasureInc. do so well.” Radio 1’s Future Artists

“Choppy, deeply alternative pop…larger than life” Clash

“Dastardly familiar, yet hip-swingingly fresh…rolls up the echoes of early 10’s indie nostalgia inside an urgent, sugary burst of NOW” Hard of Hearing

“Danceable, groovy and slick - listening to PleasureInc feels very pleasurable indeed…This is party music, add it to your Sesh Tunez playlist” The Most Radicalist

Amongst a string of their biggest European festival and support dates yet, PleasureInc. unveil the cheeky strut of their new single ‘Fool’, out 17th October. The track is the lead single of upcoming EP ‘How to Fool Yourself’ (out 13th February), accompanied by their biggest hometown show to date at The Waterfront, Norwich on 14th December; and two Dutch headline shows as part of a full UK/EU Spring 2025 tour (to be announced 25th October).

Whilst lyrically dealing with the mental tug-of-war between healthy relaxation and disciplined productivity, the song hides any indication of seriousness behind its party vibes, hip hop swagger and irresistible sing-a-long chorus. As we emerge from its dreamy soundscape introduction, we are thrust straight into the debauchery of a PleasureInc. party, with Jonny Silver playfully delivering a half-rapped verse that can’t quite decide if it’s part of the party, stuck in the TV, or guiltily reflecting on its lack of progress.

This is PleasureInc. wearing pop on their sleeve more brazenly than ever before, brought to life by producer/engineer Dom Kirtley (Talk Show, Mandrake Handshake, Wyldest) at South East London’s Press Play Studios. The fusion of indie, hip hop and pop nods towards Neptunes-era Justin Timberlake, with Prince-inspired edgy guitars propelling into a chorus that could easily sit next to 19-2000 on Gorillaz self-titled debut. The stylish fun of the band’s overall aesthetic brings to mind Confidence Man, Faux Real and Peace, with the single’s accompanying video leaning into the surreal, self-aware DIY feel of the Mighty Boosh. Speaking on the development of the band’s alt-pop sound, singer and songwriter Jonny Silver gives insight to the track’s inception: 

“I was feeling very inspired after watching Talking Heads’ ‘Stop Making Sense’ at the cinema. I started learning all the tunes on guitar and applying them to random drum loops. I must have listened to Pharrell’s ‘Frontin’’ everyday for about a year at this point too, so instrumentally ‘Fool’ was a direct nod to both of them. Lyrically, it addresses the difficulties of exercising self control on a daily basis. This became a recurring theme of the EP, as it kept revealing itself in the other songs.”

“I love the way Jonny’s lyrics reflect the way our brains often work.” adds brother and writing partner, Kenny Pleasures. “It’s kind of scatty… it jumps from one image to another, constantly distracted, appearing satisfied with a ‘ya mama’ joke one minute and yearning for discipline the next.”

Founded in 2021 by Norwich-native brothers Jonny Silver and Kenny Pleasures, PleasureInc.’s unique take on the ‘indie rock band’ has made a splash with an audience of all ages; with young fans addicted to their infectious pop energy; and older fans appreciative of a devilishly tight young band ambitious enough to explore moments of psych-tinged jazz. Boasting sold out shows in Norwich, London and Brighton in their first few months of existence, the band’s live show has led them to appearances at The Great Escape and Down the Rabbit Hole, as well as a full UK/EU tour supporting Friday Pilots Club in 2024.The release of their debut EP ‘Plastic People’ in April 2024 has garnered the attention of BBC Radio 1 and 6Music, Clash, Hard of Hearing, Wonderland and Earmilk, and 3 upcoming appearances at Left of the Dial paves the way for another exciting year.

Flaunting their love for indie, hip hop, dance music, fashion, 90s wrestling and comedy in their music and visuals, PleasureInc. are a band with bags of personality that everyone and their Mum wants to party with. ‘Join the cooperation’ they say. The ‘How to Fool Yourself’ EP gives us a window into their world, so sneak out, spend a night with the gang.

More about PleasureInc. and How to Fool Yourself EP

Emerging in 2021, PleasureInc.’s mission has been to take the most joyous elements from their widespread influences and channel them into work that genuinely represents their multifaceted personalities. “Personality is absolutely key to what we do” explains drummer, singer and songwriter Kenny Pleasures. “As long as the things we are making feel like they represent who we are, they have a chance of genuinely connecting.” 

This couldn’t ring truer in the band’s sophomore EP. In just 4 tracks, the ambitious work takes us through a myriad of sounds, feelings and ideas; all the while underpinned by the brothers’ trading vocals and the band’s tight groove. Opting to expand the creative process outside of the tight knit brotherly duo of Silver and Pleasures, it seems this collaborative approach has helped the outfit translate the energy of their live show into their songwriting better than ever before. “For Jonny and I, it was important for us to open up and relinquish some creative control to allow Babyface (keyboards and percussion) and Burger (bass) to put their mark on these songs” says Pleasures. “This collaborative process represents quite a shift for us with the writing of this EP, and I think makes the whole thing feel more organic, and adds real depth to the arrangements”.

This is particularly noticeable on the EP’s second and third tracks, ‘Fake Pockets, Why?’ and ‘Chew My Mouth’. Whilst ‘Pockets’ continues the groovy pop feel of its predecessor ‘Fool’ in its opening verses and choruses, its bridge section presents a beautiful rare moment of melancholy, evoking Wilco and Blood Orange. 

You can feel this is a band playing live, bouncing off each other, and opening up in a moment of vulnerability. For Pleasures, “This is probably my favourite moment of the EP. The guitars and keys are so lush, and the way the vocal melodies weave in and out of each other is super satisfying… Burger has his wicked way binding all the parts together on the bass… knowing how naturally it all formed, it feels like such an open, vulnerable moment.”

‘Chew’ shares similar origins of a demo expanded upon by the full band, but this time taking a foray into the cinematic sonics of Air and Kendrick Lamar. Going toe to toe with verses steeped in pure tongue-in-cheek, uncensored braggadocio, you can’t help but feel the flamboyance of 90s wrestling shine through the brothers’ delivery, once again opening the door for their audience to join their world. “It’s fun to make a character out of yourself: just explore the mind of a disillusioned egomaniac scumbag. I think a tiny one lives inside all of us”, explains Pleasures. “I wanted to channel some of that hip hop escapism and turn myself into King Kenny, the self professed ruler of all who lives in a tower up in space. In the end, the crown is too heavy, the ego so inflated, that he falls head first off his tower, only to be replaced by dick swinger no.2, Jonny Silver, and so the cycle continues”. 

Reflected in its three-part instrumental, ‘Chew’ sums up the EP’s ambitious, multifaceted nature. “This is us taking the ambitions of an album and condensing it into four songs” states Pleasures. Akin to the likes of ‘Demon Dayz’ by Gorillaz, PleasureInc. manage to take musical ideas from all over the place and bind them together using a combination of musical personality, world building and lyrical themes. Whilst not exactly a ‘concept record’, the EP does present a through line of the ‘fool’ throughout the EP, representing the internal monologue we all have that can convince us of almost anything. “That voice in our head fools us every day. One day we’re in disarray, but that’s just our nature… the next we’re convinced we can suddenly change that nature to fix a toxic relationship… then we disregard our relationships in blind pursuit of the top spot… finally we reach that target we never thought possible, only to eventually stray from the path and find ourselves at the beginning again.” 

Whilst it could be viewed in a negative light, it seems PleasureInc. find optimism in the acceptance of the ‘fool’. The EP’s closer ‘Walk The Line’ provides a moment of reflection amongst its sparse, piano led introduction, as Silver searches for “a hand to guide // To show me how // How to be”. Perhaps upon finding self control, we lose a hint of the child-like recklessness that can provide some of the most unbridled joy we experience in our life. The type of joy that oozes out of PleasureInc. in everything they present. “There is beauty in the chaos. That’s life. It’s foolish, but it’s fun, so fuck it.”

Founded in 2021 by Norwich-based brothers Jonny Silver (guitar/vox) and Kenny Pleasures (drums/vox), PleasureInc. take the blueprint of the ‘indie rock band’ and subvert expectations. Armed with the Babyface Killa (keys/percussion) and Burger (bass), their ‘genre fluid’ approach incorporates hip hop, indie, dance, fashion, 90s wrestling and comedy in their music and visuals, prioritising vibes, crease and character over genre norms. 

Boasting sold out shows in Norwich, London and Brighton in their first few months of existence, the band’s live show has led them to appearances at The Great Escape and Down the Rabbit Hole, as well as a full UK/EU tour supporting Friday Pilots Club in 2024. The release of their debut EP ‘Plastic People’ in April 2024 has garnered the attention of BBC Radio 1 and 6Music, Clash, Hard of Hearing, Wonderland and Earmilk, and 3 appearances at Left of the Dial paves the way for another exciting year for the band.

"Join the cooperation" they say. Due February 13th 2025, their sophomore EP ‘How to Fool Yourself’ gives us a window into the world of PleasureInc. - so sneak out, spend a night with the gang.

“These guys are just great…nods in their musical DNA to Blur and Beastie Boys…so many influences you can hear throughout their music - hip-hop, psych, pop - and it’s all sandwiched together..it’s quite infectious the energy they give off. I love when artists aren’t afraid to use blueprints from the past, take it apart, piece it all back together to make their own individual sound. And that’s what PleasureInc. do so well.” Radio 1’s Future Artists

“Choppy, deeply alternative pop…larger than life” Clash

“Dastardly familiar, yet hip-swingingly fresh…rolls up the echoes of early 10’s indie nostalgia inside an urgent, sugary burst of NOW” Hard of Hearing

“Danceable, groovy and slick - listening to PleasureInc feels very pleasurable indeed…This is party music, add it to your Sesh Tunez playlist” The Most Radicalist