Leatherette have released their third album ‘Ritmo Lento‘ through Bronson Recordings.
‘Ritmo Lento’ is a record born from the need to slow down, switch off the autopilot, and rediscover the essence of songs without worrying about fitting them into a genre: “it was born from the desire to reimagine ourselves,” the band explains. “After years of relentless touring, we took a pause and decided to put the focus back on the music and the songs, without worrying too much about labels or sounds. With this album, we chose a freer approach, taking care not only of the writing but also of the production and arrangements in a more personal way”.
The record is a mosaic of everyday gestures: notes scribbled in bars and late-night vocal drafts. For the first time, Leatherette decided to write everything from scratch, without digging up old material. They worked as a shared laboratory, where every idea was dismantled, transformed, and rebuilt together.
If Leatherette’s roots are in punk, today they choose to step away from it without denying it. Because punk, they explain, is above all freedom.A record of atmospheres that perfectly balances catchy melodies, sing-along choruses, fuzzy cavalcades, and reflective haunted moments.
‘Ritmo Lento’ is split evenly in two parts, to represent the different directions the band is exploring. One is more frenetic and adrenaline-driven; the other more haunted, like a slowed-down vinyl, animated by a timeless, almost crooner-like spirit. This is not just two different musical approaches, but two sides of the coin underlining the inner evolution of Leatherette. “Musically, we tried to bring out the songs’ essence. We imagine it as a journey through consciousness, between fears and desires, where abstract and dreamlike atmospheres meet consistent electric rock vibes,” the band continues.
The very title of the album, Ritmo Lento (“Slow Rhythm” in Italian), speaks of this dialectic: the constant tension between frenzy and pause, neurosis and breath, the desire to accelerate and the need to stop. The vinyl is divided into two distinct sides: six impetuous and catchy tracks and six denser, more meditative ones, like an inner diary of contrasts. “It’s a journey through fullness and voids. That’s why the record is perfectly divided into two parts. Like a concept where opposites meet.”
The soul of the album lies in its ability to embrace contradiction. The lyrics are simple and repetitive, almost childlike, but within that apparent innocence, mysterious openings appear: words arriving from the subconscious, cryptic images the band has learned not to reject. Love, anger, sadness, and hope coexist without order.
Ritmo Lento is a living record, unafraid to show fragility and contradiction. A collective painting made of drips, stains, and overlapping colors. A journey that leads from the feverish energy of punk toward a wider, more multifaceted, more mature yet still restless language. An album that invites listeners to get lost.
TRACKLISTING:
1. Magic Things
2. Lovers Drifters Foreigners
3. Hey There
4. Anyway
5. Panic Attack
6. You Never Go Outside
7. Sorry
8. Cold Hands
9. Ritmo Lento
10. New Bay
11. Situationship
12. Get Stuck
LISTEN TO ‘RITMO LENTO’ HERE