One of Australia’s most celebrated indie artists, DOPE LEMON, has just revealed his carefree fourth record, ‘Kimosabè’ – produced by the artist himself. It’s the first DOPE LEMON album that reveals the face of Angus Stone, the project’s brainchild, on its cover.
‘Kimosabè’ is a divine and open-armed universe, boasting ethereal and mesmerising soundscapes, that transcends the status quo. Led by Angus‘ charmingly sedative voice, the record boasts seamless arrangements, dreamy choruses, and waves of sun-soaked guitars that float effortlessly into the horizon. Charismatic, toe-tapping bass guides the listener as balmy percussion soothes the senses with joyous tranquillity.
Angus comments on the record: “This record is everything that’s me. In the past, the artwork has been anonymous in a way because I was trying to explore these styles, and having this shield in front of me was beautiful – I could sort of slink around in the shadows and wouldn’t have the public make judgement on the person behind it. This record, I had moments of clarity reflecting on my childhood, and I was able to see where I want to be in the future. So, putting myself on the cover just felt right.”
‘Kimosabè’ glides across genres, from grouse indie-rock into psychedelic-infused jaunts, but always with Angus’ resplendent songwriting at its centre. The titular single even boasts samples from the cult classic film Step Brothers (2008), with Will Ferrell credited as a co-writer.
Effervescent road trip Derby Raceway injects chugging guitars into the album, and the strut of Golden God and its reverberating maracas create a golden sunset in the listeners’ minds. Miami Baby shows off its unique style of steezy indie-rock, while the large reverberating snares of Blue Moon Fox produce a sense of jubilant nostalgia.
Rock n’ roll number Broke Down Casino swings in with abandon, and Slinging Dimes sits back in its sombre reflection. This push and pull is felt across the record before the closer Lemon Tree, a grand haze of experimentation, finishes the album aptly by sampling another Judd Apatow production, Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008).
In October, DOPE LEMON will perform at Texas’ Austin City Limits before debuting at Australia’s iconic Laneway Festival in 2024. This adds to a massive 2023 for the project with recent performances at international festivals Lollapalooza, Rock Werchter, Best Kept Secret and Outside Lands, as well as two headline shows at The Forum in Melbourne and the Sydney Opera House.
He sold out every date on his 2022 Australian and New Zealand tour and has previously been booked on mainstay events such as Splendour in the Grass, Falls Festival, Yours & Owls, Bass in the Grass, Rolling Sets and Day on the Lawn.
Previous album ‘Rose Pink Cadillac’ peaked at #1 on the ARIA Vinyl Chart and ARIA Album Chart and was crowned as triple j‘s Feature Album in 2022. The record’s title track placed at #27 in triple j’s Hottest 100 (2021).
DOPE LEMON has garnered over 635 million streams and counting across all platforms. Over the past three years, he has sold over 50, 000 vinyl, 12,000 CDs and accumulated over 30, 000 album and track downloads. He has gained extensive support from Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, Atwood Magazine (USA), DIY Magazine (UK), Harper’s Bazaar, Rolling Stone, NME, Life Without Andy, The AU Review and Sydney Morning Herald.
DOPE LEMON‘s discography has been Shazammed over 550, 000 times in the past three years and has received over 16, 000 radio spins across the globe, with support from triple j, Double J, iHeart Australia and KCRW (USA), amongst a plethora of others.
‘Kimosabè’ is out now via BMG
BUY / STREAM HERE
With thanks to Good Intent
