Lemondaze today release new EP 'subtext' via Venn Records (Meryl Streek, High Vis, Bob Vylan) - ahead of their UK headline tour later this month.
Heralding a new chapter for the Cambridge four-piece, Lemondaze’s immersive blend of post-rock, shoegaze and grungy emotional weight has quietly earned them a cult following across the UK underground. Their return earlier this year has drawn major attention, with support from Stereogum (“A tidal wave of sound… weightless shoegaze euphoria”), Kerrang! Magazine, CLASH Magazine (“The four-piece sit at the cusp of the emerging alt and shoegaze crossover”), The Line of Best Fit, Under the Radar Magazine and God Is In The TV (“Cavernous”), alongside consistent airplay from Emily Pilbeam on BBC 6 Music.
'polari' is both a brutal and beautiful opening to the new EP. Its thunderous low-end, rich harmonic layers, and moments of fragile clarity echoing the influence of Curve and Deftones, while doing something entirely its own. Beneath the distortion lies a vivid sense of nostalgia, with the band drawing on memories of sun-kissed euphoria and summer recklessness, written shortly after the band’s performance at Green Man Festival in 2022.
'c=bain' channels a sense of devotional awe through waves of dissonant post-rock and wistful shoegaze, blurring the line between human and mythic presence, carried by lyrics that frame love as something ethereal and otherworldly. 'o(type)' follows with a haunted tenderness that sits between ache and aggression. Described by the band as “an unconventional love song”, it unfolds with cascading guitars before building to a crushing and cathartic finale.
'Gravemind' begins in serene fashion before erupting into bursts of restless grungegaze. Its title nods to the Halo universe, referencing a vast hive-like intelligence. 'Terra' closes the EP with motion and release, shifting between solitude, noise, ferocity and fluidity in a way that distils the emotional world of Lemondaze.
Produced and mixed by Matt Glasbey (Sorry, Alt-J), 'subtext' was recorded between sessions in London and Brighton throughout 2024. It represents a revitalised incarnation of Lemondaze and their first body of work since their thrilling yet raw 2021 debut EP 'Celestial Bodies'.
In the years between releases, Lemondaze have been quietly shaping their identity through constant gigging, sonic experimentation and a deeper understanding of who they are together. They describe a stark contrast between their day-to-day selves and the version that emerges when they make music.
“In waking life we’re pretty quiet and reserved, but on stage we can be free,” they explain. “It’s become a therapeutic outlet where we can express ourselves properly. It turns into a kind of flow state where you’re just going at it to excise all the shit. A big part of it is being seen and heard. We aren’t little quiet mice even if we come across that way, which is maybe why our mascot is a rat. When we get together we form this feral hive mind. We exist as one, thoughts forming simultaneously.”
That sense of unity also shapes what they hope to challenge in the wider industry. “We’re tired of the inequality that’s still everywhere, whether that’s gender, race or sexuality. It affects us and other artists we know, and we want to be open about it. We also want to push back against the idea that music needs to be explained to be good. You should judge it by how it makes you feel, not because someone tells you what it means.”
Signing to Venn Records marks a clear statement of intent, joining a label known for launching some of the UK’s most cutting-edge punk, hardcore, and alt-rock artists in recent years, including High Vis, Meryl Streek, Witch Fever and Bob Vylan.
With a sound rooted in shoegaze and post-rock but unafraid of breakbeat, grunge, or pop structure, they've earned praise from legends like Miki Berenyi (Lush) and Andy Bell (Ride, Oasis), shared stages with Fat Dog, bdrmm, Just Mustard, Ride, deathcrash and more, with further festival appearances at ArcTanGent and Left Of The Dial this year.
With new EP 'subtext', Lemondaze are no longer waiting in the wings, standing both as a striking re-introduction and a reclamation. As the band put it: “This is Lemondaze at our rawest and most pure. A single brain cell shared.”
Lemondaze's new EP 'subtext' is out now, released 5th December on Venn Records. The band tour the UK this month and headline The George Tavern in London on 15th January.