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Jaden Parkes and Jordan Arts from Auckland five-piece Leisure Debut self-titled album, released today Album launch party tonight at Crystal Palace in Auckland Performing at Wellington’s Meow on Sunday and chilling out is exactly what they like to do. They make their music at their own pace, refuse to overexpose themselves, rarely tour and keep out- side influences to a minimum.

They don’t stress the small stuff, or the big stuff, says Parkes.

“We’re not in a rush to do anything. The goal is not to become this big famous band,” he says. “We want to keep on doing what we’re doing for as long as we can, and have control over what we’re doing.”

That laid-back approach sees the band — Parkes, Arts, Tom Young, Djeisan Suskov and Josh Fountain — fit music-making around their personal lives and day jobs.

It is, in part, a reaction of Parkes’ and Arts’ previous experiences in the music industry: Parkes was drummer for fiery pop-punkers Goodnight Nurse, while Arts was one half of pop duo Kids of 88.

“When you know the reality of how it all works, there’s a lot of bullshit, there’s a lot of smoke and mirrors, talking up to get you excited,” says Parkes. “We’ve been there, we know the realities of it . . . The main thing is to keep it exciting and fun for us, and in order to do that you’ve got to protect yourself from those external things.”

Along with a short overseas showcase, they’ve only played three New Zealand shows. Tonight’s album launch at Crystal Palace in Auckland will be just their fourth.

Yes, Leisure are taking their sweet time doing things.

In fact, they’re already planning their next weekend away — and it might not involve any kind of musicmaking.

“We just sit around and hang out. It’s cool. It’s a good time,” says Parkes. “[We’re] just keeping everything leisure.”