Bleach Lab’s new EP, ‘Close To The Flame’, arrives with the sting of something newly unearthed. Not a pivot, exactly, but a shedding: of softness, of second-guessing, of anything that might blur the edges.
It’s their first self-produced release, the first with new guitarist Louis Takooree, and the first to feel this fully claimed. Across five tracks, they offer quiet devastation and clear-eyed reckoning, delivered with the composure of a band no longer asking for permission. Where earlier work lingered in the fog, this one walks straight into the fire, tracing the fault lines of toxic relationships and the way self-doubt doesn’t always announce itself but settles in like damp. The emotional terrain is raw, but never chaotic; each song moves with a sense of control, unafraid to look directly at the things that unravel us. Bleach Lab don’t shout. They tighten the frame, turn up the contrast, and let the intensity speak for itself.
With a UK headline tour locked in for November, including a stop at London’s Bush Hall, this is Bleach Lab at their most assured - sharper, braver, and striking out on their own terms. Frontwoman Jenna Kyle talks creative leaps, elemental metaphors, and what it really means to take the reins.
Jenna, hello! It’s been a little while since we heard from you guys, what have you been up to since your debut album?
We’ve been busy writing and self-producing our upcoming EP (which I’m sure we’ll discuss!). It’s totally DIY, even down to the artwork, so it’s taken up a fair bit of our time, but so worth it.
We wanted to make sure that after our debut album, we didn’t rush into releasing again. People always talk about the difficult second album, and with a change of band member in the mix too, I think we felt the pressure quite early on. It was important for us that we took the time to figure out what the next chapter of Bleach Lab looked like, rather than rushing into doing the same thing again.
How has the band evolved since your last lot of music, do you think?
A lot has changed since the album! We’ve introduced a new band member, Louis. He’s an incredible guitarist and producer, so he has been a real asset to the band.
After the debut album, we knew we wanted to work on developing our sound a little more, and having a new pair of eyes and ears onboard has really helped bring a breath of fresh air to that process.
You’re back now with a new EP, tell us about ‘Close To The Flame’ – what’s it about, where did it come from? It covers some pretty deep topics, right?
Some of the tracks on this release we began work on around this time last year. So it’s been a reasonably long time in the making. We spent a lot of time in the studio as a band just writing, experimenting with demos, and finally decided we had a collection of tracks that we think fit really well into a body of work. As with most of our previous releases, the lyrics on this EP are very much based on past personal experiences. Touching on topics like obsessive love, lust, toxic relationships and unrequited feelings.
The EP title ‘Close To The Flame’ comes from one of the tracks on it. It was actually one of the last tracks we gave a title to, and we realised it summarised some of the themes of the EP quite well. Whilst they can keep you warm, if you get too close to a flame, they can burn, which we thought was quite symbolic of a toxic relationship, which is a theme throughout the record.
This is your first self-produced EP – what made you decide to take that leap now, and how did it change your approach to crafting these songs compared to working with external producers?
Self-producing is something we’ve always kind of wanted to do, but it’s never previously been the right time. We’ve worked with some incredible producers over the years, who all had such a big impact on our music, and working with some of those names was just too good an opportunity to pass up. Looking back, it’s probably a good thing we didn’t take the leap before! Kieran has always had a big hand in that side of things, but since having Louis join, we’ve been able to take that next step. He’s bought a whole lot of knowledge, filled all the gaps, and came with a nice little studio for us to call home. It was really a case of ‘if not now, when?’.
"It was really a case of, ‘If not now, when?’"
Has taking on production yourselves changed the way you think about your older material?
Interesting question. We’ve always said that every new release needs to feel like an evolution. We’ve said in interviews from the start that ‘we don’t want to do the same stuff again and again’ – so in a way, every release changes the way we think about our older material. I think we’re all super proud of what came before, not least our debut album, but equally looking forward to releasing something new!
We’re lucky to have Louis’ studio, which is very near to where both Kieran and Louis live, so it’s much easier to allow ourselves to get lost in the process and see what happens. Where before we would have been worried about time constraints and just getting something done in time, we’re now spending late nights playing with synth sounds, for example, until we stumble on ‘the one’. I guess looking back, we’ve not had that freedom, so we’re really grateful for it now!
Was there anything specific you set out to achieve with the EP?
We just wanted this to be authentic. We really took creative control with this one – from production, to artwork, to music videos… This was our chance to really showcase what we are about and to let our creativity really shine through.
The response to the new music has been great so far, and we never take that for granted! Coming back after the album with a self-produced and self-released EP could have gone either way, and we’re so incredibly grateful for the support. It’s been great to reconnect with fans after so long, which is what we’ve all missed and craved. I think with this release, we all just wanted to announce that we haven’t gone anywhere and come back stronger than ever.
We’ve all definitely got the bug back for releasing, which is only a good thing for the band!
Were there any unexpected influences or inspirations that shaped this EP?
There are so many influences to what we do, and with Kieran in the band, plenty of artists that we wouldn’t care to share in an interview for fear of ruining our street cred. We took a lot of inspiration from slightly heavier bands for this EP, which isn’t something we’ve often done. Bands like Nirvana, and Taylor Hawkins’ drumming came into play a lot when we were writing in the early stages. The ‘Nirvana Chord’, as we like to call it, was probably the most-used word during writing.
What do you most like writing songs about at the moment? Are there any themes or vibes you’re drawn to?
I’m not entirely sure why, but there are a fair few references to fire, flames and burning in the EP. It definitely wasn’t intentional, and of course, ended up being included in the EP title. Previously, we’ve had a lot of references to water, waves and drowning. I suppose you could say we’re inspired by the elements; they make for the best metaphors.
And what about when you’re listening to others’ music?
As I say, I’m definitely one for a metaphor. I’m inspired by vivid storytelling, like artists such as Elena Tonra of Daughter. A huge inspiration of mine from the early teen years. Her method of storytelling always fascinated and gripped me with her music.
What else are you working on right now?
We’re back to writing, back in the studio and getting ready for whatever’s next!
We’ve got a tour coming up in November and want to make sure we come back with something exciting for fans. It’s been a while since we were last on the road, so you can expect plenty of new material and hopefully a show that reflects the growth of the band over the last year. Exciting times ahead!
What feels most exciting about this next chapter for Bleach Lab?
We really are in the best place as a band right now. Creatively, everything is coming together really easily, and we are all really aligned on our creative direction. I think the most exciting part of that is that we, ourselves, are really excited to see what we come out with next haha!
Is there anything else you’d like us to know?
We’ve missed releasing music so much and we’re so glad to be back! Thanks for sticking by us, Dork. ■
Taken from the August 2025 issue of Dork. Bleach Lab’s EP ‘Close To The Flame’ is out now.
