Music / Premieres
Premiere:
Lemonbait - Nocturne Noir
Words by James Lynch
Wednesday 18th September, 2019
Ahead of their single launch this Friday, Warrnambool alt-rockers Lemonbait have just dropped ‘Nocturne Noir’ - a dose of uncanny psychedelia that plays like the soundtrack to a warped espionage film.
Having only released their debut self-titled album earlier this year, Lemonbait have wasted no time at getting back to business with their new single ‘Nocturne Noir’ out today. Picking up where the previous release left off, the track is a blast of gripping rock 'n' roll, which draws on the elements that made their debut so interesting, and match them with a new steely-eyed focus.

Almost instantly, ‘Nocturne Noir’ catapults into a careening groove, a freaked-out guitar lead immediately snatching our attention as an unruly bassline chugs underneath. While the track obviously references film noir, Lemonbait have done well to recreate the sinister vibe of the cinematic style in a rock band formation, without feeling dismissive to the restless jazz that originally dominated the genre.

A large part of this has to be attributed to frontman Sam Pyers’ enigmatic vocals - half sung, half spoken, and delivered in an effected, breathy voice, he weaves a sprawling tale that perfectly mirrors the track’s dark atmosphere. They’re also clearly a band that know their way around a jam, as they sink right into the immersive groove and almost let the track steer itself - through searing guitar breaks, frenetic percussion breakdowns, and even a fiery shoot-out.

Have a listen to 'Nocturne Noir' above, and catch Lemonbait launching the single at The Cactus Room this Friday, September 20th.