Stab Magazine | Stab Recommends: Lime Cordiale, Two Surfy Brothers Who Make Breezy, Intricate Pop Music

The site will undergo maintenance on Monday, 23rd June from 3 AM to 3:30 AM CST.

Live Now — 1-Week Premium Peek — Episode 2 Of Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico

1061 Views

Stab Recommends: Lime Cordiale, Two Surfy Brothers Who Make Breezy, Intricate Pop Music

A new album to nurse you towards summer.

style // Jul 8, 2020
Words by Stab
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Whilst fully aware of the fortunate situation that we as a country have found ourselves in during lockdown, Morning of the Earth take II has begun to wear a tad thin.

There’s only so much surfing, fishing and yoga that one can take, and even though the pubs are technically open, there’s a gaping hole in the after hour meanderings, and that’s live music. Lime Cordiale, a Sydney two piece consisting of Northern Beaches brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach, are about to drop a new album (the latest single, Screw Loose you can listen to up top) of breezy summer anthems, and admit that, whilst the time to breathe throughout lockdown was welcome, now they’re itching to get out there and play the songs as they were intended: live and loud.

stab mag lime cordiale 2

The brothers Leimbach exploring with space and time.

“It’s been pretty nice to be full domesticated humans for a while,” Louis tells me over the phone from their beaches HQ. “We haven’t been home for this long in six or seven years, but yeah, it would be awesome to be playing shows right now. We’ve had two American tours and a European tour cancelled, but everyone’s in the same boat.” The boys have been riding a wave of momentum from the release of their debut album Permanent Vacation in 2017 up to the time that the world shut down, perhaps most significantly, signing with Aussie industry heavy weights Chugg Music, and London Cowboys, Post Malone’s music management company.

stab mag lime cordiale

Hard to fault a pair of Sydney lads who’ve survived a night at Coffs Harbour’s notorious Hoey Moey,

Despite currently having the music industry swooning, Louis’s voice lights up when we start talking surf. The brothers live together, and after growing up in Avalon, have re-located to the Narrabeen area. I mention that the locals aren’t renowned for being the most welcoming mob north of the bridge (North Narrabeen Boardriders’s infamous tagline is/was the brilliant: “Narrabeen Hates YOU”) and Louis laughs. “Yeah I’ve got pretty bad surfer’s ear and have to wear earplugs,” he says. “I sit away from everyone, shove those deep and pretend I’m deaf.”

stab mag lime cordiale 3

Beaches brothers Louis (left), and Oli (Right).

Lime Cordiale’s sophomore album 14 Steps to A Better You (an admittedly tongue in cheek nod to self help, which Louis admits “we need as much as anyone”) was slated for release at the end of last year, but as it’s panned out, has only begun to be seeped out now. Louis says that the extra time to work on dotting i’s and crossing t’s has been welcome, avoiding the usual release deadline stress. “It got pushed back six months, and it was a blessing that we could get all this material, clips and singles ready to go,” he says. Before adding, “And, it’s not all songs about isolation.”

stab mag lime cordiale2

A familiar scene up and down the coast during the new normal.

You have to feel for a band who’ve had all the hard work they’ve put into building up to something put on hold, but Louis remains philosophical about their future. When we speak they’re on the verge of playing 16 shows in one week at Oxford Arts Factory. But instead of playing to 400+ a night, it’ll be a sit down, 80 heads at a time affair. Thus the ludicrous number of gigs in seven days. “We’re hoping it’ll be a New York jazz club kind of vibe, but it might be really awkward,” he says. “Still, playing in the future looks pretty bright. There’s word of festivals happening later in the year. And, we’ve just bought this boat for 500 bucks so we can whip over and surf (insert northern beaches/central coast badly kept secret spot here).”

Lime Cordiale’s second album 14 Steps to a Better You will be released on July 10, available at all the regular places.

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 2

Our seven surviving surfers confront an oddly large California beach break.

Jun 19, 2025

Why Is One Of The World’s Longest Lefts Being Bulldozed?

Pavones residents displaced as excavators move in.

Jun 19, 2025

The Seven Surfing Conspiracies

Inside surfing’s shadow government: what they don’t want you to know.

Jun 18, 2025

Mongrels Flood The Mondrian, Doped Youth Resurfaces in Versace

An autopsy of the Solento Surf Film Festival — and a breakdown of the biggest…

Jun 18, 2025

The Billion Dollar Hole Behind Lakey Peak: Should Surfers Be Worried?

A massive gold mine is being excavated behind the Indonesian surf village, fueled by foreign…

Jun 17, 2025

Record-Smashing Surf Coach Eyes Off His Next Victim: Sydney Olympic Park

Blakey Johnson’s July plans: survive 108+ hours in the cool, recirculated waters of URBNSURF. 

Jun 17, 2025

Watch: Milk & Honey, Presented By YETI & Sun Bum

A surf film starring Stephanie Gilmore, Caity Simmers, Coco Ho, and Frankie Harrer.

Jun 17, 2025

Stab Interview: WSL Tour President Graham Stapelberg On The Changes And Challenge(r)s Of The Post-Cut Era

Maxing Pipe, Triple Crown realities, Jordy Smith, sponsors up the yin-yang, and more.

Jun 16, 2025

Was That The Best Day Of Performance Surfing In 2025?

Kerrupt flips, double airs, and a cornucopia of 9 point waves.

Jun 15, 2025

Watch: Albee Layer Drops His Second Stab Edit Of The Year In 4 Months

And we dare say "Less Than Easy" is even better than the former.

Jun 13, 2025

Surf100 Challenge Series Presented By Pacifico: Episode 1

Our first loser goes home in this "king of the hill" showdown.

Jun 12, 2025

How To Convince A Bunch Of Small Town Floridians That They Need A Wavepool

Warren Smith is creatively diversifying the tourism portfolio of his hometown.

Jun 12, 2025

Italo And Filipe Lost, But Surfing Won Today

No shortage of excellence on Day Two at Lowers.

Jun 11, 2025

Opinion: Griffin vs Filipe Was A Masterclass In Surfing & Judging

And the exact reason Lowers is on tour.

Jun 11, 2025

How Politics Canceled A WSL Pro Junior Event In The Basque Country

The Israel-Palestine conflict hits surfing.

Jun 11, 2025

Wait, Is Lowers A Left?

Day One of the Lexus June Gloom Pro is wrapped, and Kelly's free for drinks.

Jun 11, 2025

Stab Interview: The Secret Lives Of Keith Malloy

On surf films, big waves, sibling bonds, and stunt-doubling for Matthew McConaughey.

Jun 9, 2025

Why Kelly Slater’s Favorite Wave Isn’t Producing More Pro Surfers

A critical analysis of the Soup Bowl surf community.

Jun 8, 2025
Advertisement