“Some projects know what they are instantly,” Lola Stephen, lead vocalist and guitarist of Hank, tells BEST FIT. Her other commitments include Pearl2, and the running of the popular Talking Heads/Robert Burns tribute act David Byrne’s Night. Two facts are clear: Hank is a band; Hank is a band from London. One of these has been elevated to T-shirt status. Yet, with two well-received EP releases, notable recognition in the London DIY scene, and a slew of revered live shows home and abroad, the group remain shrouded in an air of mystery.

This mystery was, in ways, deliberate. “Some take a bit more time. Hank’s definitely taken a bit more time,” Stephen mulls. Working out who or what you are isn’t a concept that’s exclusive to the singular human. It possesses collectives in the same intensity; the length of time it takes to reach the point of satisfaction is not a universally defined measure.

Hank built their reputation from their invigorating performances that frequently changed, the lineup known to alter from show-to-show. They played alongside Pollyfromthedirt this year, and made their debut at Primavera Sound in Barcelona, before headlining The George Tavern in London and Supersonic in Paris. their debut LP out 27 November, was recorded with Jamie Neville (PVA, Mark William Lewis), and marks a new beginning for the band. One rising atop four, solidified pillars in Stephen, Ash Cooper (drums), George Frederick (vocals, guitar) and Claryn Chong (vocals, bass).

Sitting down to discuss their newest single, “Tell The Leaves Not To Turn”, “I think I always envisioned Hank as really collaborative”, Stephen remarks. The work began a mere month-and-a-bit after Frederick and Chong found their place in the band. Material quickly took shape after their addition, and using the live stage, the four-piece moulded the track to its final form.

While Hank is no stranger to collaboration, having previously featured guests from Warmduscher and Sorry, they now take a different approach. One best heard through the three voices present on the track. Consciously avoiding a singular voice, Stephen steps back and lets Frederick and Chong speak their own truths throughout.

In contrast, the songwriting process is solitary. Each member pens their vulnerabilities individually before bringing them to the collective. Though created in isolation, Hank ride the same wavelength, resulting in three alternating perspectives. Laden in desperation and frustration, lyrics tackle inevitability, desire, and life’s never-ending churn; themes that repeat throughout the wider album.

Sonically, there’s an urgency. Not in a demanding fashion, but in the way that a city is always running. With the capital as their backdrop, it feels inevitable. Discussing the differences between London and Stephen’s sleepier home of Dundee, she reflects on the importance of seeing it both ways. “London is such a huge backdrop to our music… it’s just always at the forefront of everything because it’s so big, there’s so many people, it’s so loud.” Upon escaping the noise, something special can be found in the quiet. A balance the quartet strike hard.

Layered beneath distorted volumes of coarse guitar, and harsh clouds of bass, there’s a pondering drum rhythm drawing focus to the voices, offering space to dwell before accelerating into another crashing truth. An enmeshment of the group’s influences, the abrasiveness of the track derives from their love for acts like My Bloody Valentine and Swirlies.

It’s not all noise though, the title drawing attention to a lighter formative taste, a phrase Stephen will take no credit for. “Shout out Madonna for that one,” referring to a lyric from the queen of pop’s “Don’t Tell Me”. Madonna isn’t alone in her role, lining-up with today’s superstars Tate McRae and Katseye in soundtracking shared car journeys, inspiring the group's output.

Somehow there’s room for more, with an obscurity growing in prominence as the song gains momentum. When questioned on this, Stephen reveals the repetitive sound stems from the sample of a sigh, pitched and arranged to fall constantly on beat. Uncovered on an Ensoniq and accompanying floppy disks, introduced to the group by producer Jamie Neville, Stephen regards the tool as “the secret to Hank”. The process clashing with modernity, unleashing something “raw and real” as opposed to the perfect output of a synth in its current sense.

This rawness is what keeps the band grounded, leaving them, in Stephen’s words, “more realised” as they lift the fog, turn a new leaf and move into their next season. A process likely to repeat again and again. “We have an ethos to always be moving”, Stephen explains, an innate drive propelling Hank forward. “When you’re an artist, you just have that desire and that want to create. So, why wouldn't you just do it?”