“Binge was written in no more than 25 minutes during rehearsals for a tour in January,” says Deadletter frontman Zac Lawrence of the band’s latest track. Intuitive and energetic – these are the core tenets that root the five-piece’s pulsing, rhythmic sound. Living up to its name, the song is incredibly moreish, full of pinging riffs – à la Talking Heads – droll vocals, cowbell beats and chanting harmonies. It’s Max’s Kansas City in SE15, it’s Gang of Four with an extra member.

The track follows a stellar beginning for the band, between previous superb track releases – Hero, Fit For Work, Line The Cows – and sell-out tour dates, and even an appearance at Hedi Slimane‘s Celine SS23 afterparty alongside Gustaf and Cumgirl8 (check out the band’s HERO Instagram takeover from the front row). Currently, the band are somewhere between Leicester and Margate as part of an extensive UK and EU tour that culminates in a performance at Rotterdam’s Left Of The Dial festival in late-October. On the road, frontman Zac found the time to run us through five points of inspiration: Deadletter-certified.

Rum Sodomy & The Lash by The Pogues, 1985

“The frenzy and fury that The Pogues embodied and Shane Macgowan’s ability to cram more syllables into a line than you’d think possible are all traits I try to display in my own music.”

Good Bye Lenin! by Wolfgang Becker, 2003

“Watching the film as a young teenager I was compelled not only by the beautiful storytelling, but by the political themes; politics being a subject I had little interest in before then.”

Grapes Of Wrath by John Steinbeck, 1939

“The description in the opening pages made my hairs stand on end – for the first time with literature. It was this book that inspired me to rethink the way I might weave words to create mesmerising imagery.”

Home

“During the pandemic, having to move back to the small town where I grew up instilled a drive in me to create like never before, due to the repetitiveness and mundanity of day-to-day life. I suppose, as well, all of my ideas began here.”

Thinking About Death by Frida Kahlo, 1943

“I was shown this painting when I was quite young and didn’t come across it again for quite a long time, however I have found myself thinking about it throughout my adolescence at random intervals. I like how literal the painting is, and I think it helped me to see that sometimes being figurative isn’t necessarily imperative to a strong statement.”

Deadletter are currently on tour – full dates here.