Cedarsmoke have never been content to stay still, and on their new single 'Kicking Drugs', they break stride completely by stepping into something looser, brighter, and more surreal than ever before.
Right from the off, 'Kicking Drugs' embraces the wistful whimsy of artists like Bright Eyes and The War On Drugs. There’s something comfortingly familiar in the acoustic strums and warm analogue textures, but it’s the off-kilter synths, hazy electronics, and buoyant rhythms that twist the track into new territory.
Lyrically, it’s a toast to escape from stagnation. There’s a gentle euphoria in its celebration of reinvention, of letting old vices fall away so something new can take root. As frontman Jon Cloumassis leads the charge alongside Tamala Wright and Matt Cloumassis, there’s an undeniable energy to this incarnation of the band. It’s less solo project, more psychic band huddle, complete with spacey detours and shared epiphanies.
'Kicking Drugs' tends to flirt with ‘70s psych, bedroom pop, and experimental rock without ever fully settling into one box. It’s that refusal to sit still that makes Cedarsmoke feel so vital right now. If this track is the compass point for what’s to come on their upcoming third album, then we’re not just along for the ride, we’re already strapped in.
Listen to 'Kicking Drugs' in the player below.
