Why The 1975 Scared Everyone With Their Social Media Disappearance

"It is quite creepy!" Healy laughs. "It wasn't not supposed to be creepy! I like the fact that it's pretentious and creepy at the same time because I don't think there's enough pretentious and creepy album titles out there. I think the sentiment of that statement doesn't represent the album very well, but then again, I don't think anything could represent this album very well. It's ridiculously emo, it's ridiculously over-romantic and sentimental... a bit like me."

Healy is quiet, self-reflective and well spoken, having woken up in London to assess the damage his eight-week old bull mastiff puppy Allen may have inflicted on the house overnight. Boasting a melting pot of genres and instruments (funk, gospel, brooding electronica, a theremin, cowbells, acoustic guitar, you name it), Healy says it's difficult to pinpoint a highlight nor a consistent theme on their new album, I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It.

"It's such a dynamic record, it's really difficult to pick..." he says, his voice curling into a yawn. Finally succumbing to the early morning blues, he continues, "a favourite song, y'know, because it goes from songs about frivolity and fun and sex to songs about post-natal depression and death, d'you know what I mean? It's horses for courses depending on how I feel on the day".

Despite the myriad of genres the quartet has tapped into, Healy maintains that rhythm has always been a "paramount" focus and this has always helped their fans connect with their music.

"Sometimes I like looking like a girl, sometimes I like looking like a boy, that's kind of it."

"Rhythm and syncopation transcends any kind of stylistic elements. An infectious groove can exist within traditional funk music, pop music, modern hip hop — I think the relatability of it comes from the music itself.

"I think we represent a generation with iPods that are so full of different things, and because we have this idea of creating the way that we consume, I think that kids understand our references because they consume music the same way that we create it."

Anyone that has attended the Manchester-bred band's show can testify that Healy is an uncontrollable force on stage, tossing his unruly curls about as a saxophonist pours out a sleazy solo. Then when you get past the screaming of a thousand girls, one will note Healy has taken to donning the brightest make-up he can find. Healy has a refreshing attitude on it.

"I mean, make-up is MERELY an accessory for an outfit. I wince at the idea of people thinking that I think that if I go out wearing make-up I'm being, like, controversial or y'know, people like saying stuff about gender roles. I mean, it's wearing make-up in 2016 ... I just like make-up sometimes! Sometimes I like looking like a girl, sometimes I like looking like a boy, that's kind of it," he finishes.

The band made waves late last year when overnight, their socials disappeared off the face of the internet. Most had a panic attack, thinking the band had called it quits, others wondered if the band had been hacked. The 1975 just enjoy the chase, though.

"I've always believed in the idea that desirability is far more potent than obtaining something. Once you've got something, you've got it. I like the idea of taking things away as opposed to putting things there, so we just removed everything so people started talking about the fact that we weren't there instead of that something new was there."

When everything returned — glazed over in a sickly sweet neon pink — fans breathed a sigh of relief as the band announced the brand new album, accompanied by numerous typewritten notes, comic strips and mysterious neon signs.

"The misconception about how much money or how big the team is behind our marketing is probably one of the only things that wind me up. Not because I really care that much, but because our artwork starts from an idea that I have, and then Sam [Burgess-Johnson] who's my mate who's with me now, he's the guy that does all of our artwork and has since day one.

"So we don't really have a marketing team, we have me and Sam and Jamie [Oborne, manager] and that's where everything comes from. I'm quite proud of our marketing because it's so succinct. [Sam's] the one who directed all the neon stuff, shot all of the signs, did all that kind of stuff."

And if you're wondering — the signs aren't digitally doctored, all the neon signs are sitting in a room somewhere, quietly buzzing, waiting to be auctioned off to charity. Time to save our pennies for that huge 'UGH!' sign.