Quick-fire Questions: 10 minutes with Life Aquatic Band
For their new EP, Stuck in the Mud, Sheffield’s Life Aquatic Band takes the chaos of the world around them and finds positivity in the most surprising places.
“It’s about feeling stuck and frustrated, but also discovering relief in unexpected ways, probably inspired by learning different types of therapy,” the band explains. “We’ve always wanted to make positive music that helps people find happiness, and this time we explored a darker palette while making sure there’s still plenty of light and release running through it.”
This was clear from the lead single, ‘Summer Rain’ – written by synth-player and vocalist Jazmine Kelly during monsoon season in Japan, the song captures the trepidation and excitement of navigating through unpredictable scenarios and finding respite amid the haze, “There’s nothing in the world that I wouldn’t do/ To feel your fingertips on my skin/ No umbrella, just sweet summer rain.”
Within this intimacy is the undercurrent of the unknown, and as with most exhilarating moments in life, the song anchors the exuberance of pure joy, even when it’s underscored by something darker or less certain, leading us into places we might not be prepared to face, but by the time we get there, we’re more ready for any onset of turbulence because we’re armed with energy and enthusiasm.
With the title track, there’s a broader sense of finding relief amid claustrophobia and entrapment, specifically with repetition and being stuck in the same cycle, which continues into ‘Buggin’ Out’, stepping into the unease of a chaotic night out and pushing you into a hypnotic rhythm that feels like joy and disorientation wrapped into one.
Bringing a little much-needed joy to life’s ups and downs, Stuck in the Mud is the exact moment of respite we all need in today’s disjointed climate. Its multitude of high-energy, sun-soaked disco pop rhythms cast those dreamy orange embers onto gloomy days, allowing you to recalibrate with yourself even if you don’t have it all figured out yet. Even if some questions linger – like the ones below, which the band were kind enough to provide some much-needed answers to.
Quick-fire Questions: 10 minutes with Life Aquatic Band
1. What album changed your life?
Ben A: “The Long Goodbye by LCD Soundsystem. This and Stop Making Sense by Talking Heads are the best live dance albums. Absolutely mastery, hard not to dance to, so so so much energy!”
Ben E: “Voodoo – D’Angelo.”
Will: “Koma Saxo – Koma Saxo.”
Jaz: “The Kick Inside – Kate Bush.”
2. Describe your new EP in three words?
Ben A: “Spanky, beatsy, wobbly.”
3. What is the best thing about Sheffield?
Ben A: “The friendly people and the nature. Lots of really good beer. Lots of really good music and music history. Everyone who knows someone in Sheffield loves it – you’ve kind of got to have an in as to where to go and what to do. I wouldn’t blame anyone for turning up in the city centre and hating it – the high street really is dying a death right now. But honestly, Sheffield is amazing, just come and check out some cool artsy events at Gut Level, at Site Gallery, at Hatch, go for a beer at Alder, or see some shows at Sidney’s and that’s your in. Chat to people and find out what’s happening in Sheffield.”
4. How do you find light in the dark?
Ben A: “Get a headtorch! No, seriously, I’m a keen gardener, and this year I got a headtorch so I could do some landscaping outside after work in the dark and the rain. It sounds miserable, but actually just being outside and in nature keeps me positive and an optimist. Just get outside!”
Ben E: “Reading.”
Will: “Running, particularly in the dark through the peaks.”
Jaz: “Yoga and spending time outside – ideally with my little seedlings.”
5. Who are your dream dinner party guests?
Ben A: “Ohh big question! David Bowie, Rosalia, Kate Bush, Questlove, Wayne Rooney, MF Doom. We think that is a pretty good spread of people there – no idea what they would talk about. Maybe we should add Louis Theroux in or Stacey Dooley to elicit the conversation and keep it flowing.”
6. Which is your favourite song you’ve ever recorded?
Ben A: “Maybe ‘Buggin’ Out’. We recorded it with Shuta Shinoda, Ben and Will were playing live – we love recording as ‘live’ as possible to try and capture the energy we feel when we play together – and it was the first time we’d recorded onto tape (a tape that Ghostpoet, Hot Chip & Spiritualised recorded on) so it felt really cool knowing that we were recording in the same way that some of the artists we really look up to have recorded. It went so smoothly, and Shuta is a master engineer, so it really was a pleasure.”
7. What’s the best venue in the world?
Ben A: “We’ve been so fortunate to play so many incredible small independent venues that have built communities like Cobalt in Newcastle, The New Adelphi in Hull (Paul and his greyhound Clive are so lovely), the Artisan Tap in Stoke, and of course our local favourite Sidney & Matilda in Sheffield.”
8. What’s your most controversial music opinion?
Ben A: “Neil Diamond is fantastic and has much better songs than ‘Sweet Caroline’ – check out ‘I am, I said’ and ‘Crunchy Granola Suite’. All English speakers should listen to music that isn’t just in English. Maybe this isn’t controversial enough? Bad Bunny really made a case for this recently.”
Ben E: “Coldplay’s first three albums are so good. A Rush of Blood to the Head has the best opening six tracks of any album ever.” (The rest of the band does not agree on this)
Ben A: “Anyone can sing. Some of the ‘worst’ singers are the best singers. Really, it’s just about grabbing someone’s attention. Can Mark E Smith sing? No, not really, but yes, absolutely.”
9. Describe ‘Summer Rain’ in one word?
Ben A: “Ibiza. Nostalgia. Bubbly.”
10. Who is the best Beatle?
Ben A: I think we all became Paul converts after ‘Get Back’. He’s been so experimental, but maybe doesn’t get the credit for it in the same way some of the other Beatles do. He gets a lot of stick for writing some of the sillier songs… but we think he’s fab. But no, he’s not underrated really, is he?”
11. What is your favourite album of 2026 so far?
Ben A: “We’re still listening to our favourites from the back end of 2025. The EP Run by Mad Mad Mad. It’s really weird, fancy electronics with a lot of strange synth sounds with live drums and cool sampling – a lot of energy and fun. Check them out, they deserve the love.”
Ben E: “URGH – Mandy Indiana: It’s just a little bit all over the place in the best kind of way, abrasive and noisy.”
12. What film could you recite the entire script from memory?
Ben A: “Probably none because collectively our memory is shocking, but Jaz’s favourite is The Science of Sleep, Will could have a good go at The Matrix. We could also do quite a few soundbites from The Lord of the Rings, but no, definitely not the whole thing. ‘PO-TA-TOES!’”
13. Who is the best vocalist in music history?
Ben A: “Nina Simone just had the best way of emoting, her range of expressing emotions was crazy. Her live album at the jazz festival in Montreux is just sublime. Jeff Buckley, of course, oh and Björk – there’s no one else who can sing like her, she’s so unique and infinitely cool, Ella Fitzgerald too. These are all amazing singers.“
14. If you could time-travel, where are you going?
Ben A: “Now that’s tricky. I have absolutely no idea, but maybe it would have been cool to see what the parties at Studio 54 were like in the ‘70s.”
15. Who are some of your favourite artists right now?
Ben A:” KOKOKO! And Sextile are the bands I most want to see live. I’m really enjoying Rozi Plain right now. Laura Marling is a constant. A special mention to some Sheffield artists – Vera Sacra, Birdhouse, Mishra.”
