"Kisses is a mature gaze into how Mosquito Coast have grown - and a must-listen from one of Perth's best bands who, despite the rapid-changing shifts of the WA music scene, remain ahead of the curve." Hayden Davies, Pilerats
"For a debut album, it’s very polished, it’s very professional. It’s something you might expect from a third or fourth studio album..." Incubator Music
Mosquito Coast's dreamy debut album Kisses is out now via The Orchard.
With an exclusive album premiere on Pilerats earlier this week, third single Scorpio (which follows on from Skipping Girl and hit Sweet Talking) has already had some early radio love with spins on FBi Sydney, 4ZZZ Brisbane, Three D Radio Adelaide; 88.3 Southern FM Melbourne, and has been added to rotation on 897FM Perth.
A lover's kiss, a goodbye kiss, or une bise (‘a kiss on the cheek’) Kisses is about intimate relationships. The crushing and worrying about reciprocity, heartbreak, guilt, and learning to accept the fleetingness of some romances – and it's available now on all good digital platforms.
Mosquito Coast (aka Naomi Robinson and Conor Barton) from Perth, Western Australia were fast-tracked into the Aus music scene in 2015 with the first song they’d ever recorded – Call My Name, which won Triple J’s Unearthed High and reached 101 in the Hottest 100. What followed were singles Commotion, Let’s Be Friends, the Television Love EP, numerous national tours and high profile festival appearances.
Naomi and Conor recorded the album in New York City with renowned French producer Nicolas Vernhes, who’s worked with some of the world’s most inspired artists including Moodoïd, The War On Drugs, Animal Collective, Dirty Projectors and Deerhunter.
Nicholas and his Rare Book Room studio in Brooklyn – (Mosquito Coast were one of the last bands to record in this legendary space before it closed) – had a huge influence on the album’s sound, with most of the tracks developing in the studio from Naomi's initial loop recordings - lo-fi bedroom pop morphing into a lush album loaded with slick production.
Standout tracks include:
Paris, Texas: an 80s-inspired synth ballad with mysterious vocals, deep basslines and disco-tinged percussion. By the end, it breaks out into full psychedelia, channelling Grizzly Bear and Beach House.
Scorpio: Confronts an intimidating experience head on, depicting a threatening scene through menacing basslines, angular guitar and eerie synths. The jagged changes of the chorus inspired by Omni and Gang of Four with omnichord flourishes referencing Deerhunter.
Lonnie Liston: Mosquito Coast's first proper break-up ballad describing the relatable feeling of being unable to listen to a certain song because it conjures too many memories. Warm padded synths are teamed with arena-style drums and live piano.
Rouge: A quintessential slice of upbeat dream pop, evoking feelings of crushing and nostalgia. Its sweet lyrics act as a diary entry - a story of nervously approaching a love interest. The doowop harmonies and glittering synths are the cherry on top.
“Kisses is quite vulnerable and intimate... kind of like being in our bedrooms, but not quite close enough to read our diaries,” Conor & Naomi says.
It’s an ode to every person they’ve kissed; a warm and dreamy coming-of-age story designed to be listened to from start to finish.