New LP explores the unconscious

LOCAL artist Kate Lucas, performing under the name Coda Chroma, is preparing to release her third album titled Dream-self later this month.

Following on from her 2017 self-titled debut and her 2019 release Inside the Still Life, she said her latest effort refuses to settle into one style.

“I try not to worry about genre,” she said. “I move around and play with different musical styles.

“The album opens with a dark synth pop track called I’m Not Fighting It. From there it heads into alternative indie rock.

“Then there’s more mellow acoustic folk and psychedelic rock with nearly the final track on the album, Frankenstein, which is quite swirly and intense

“There’s all that and everything in-between. The songs are a play on abstract representations of my own personal experiences.”

The album’s 10 songs were written during COVID lockdowns and chosen out of 60 potential tracks with an additional 10 to be released in a companion album next year.

Like her previous LPs, Dream-self was produced by Damien Charles who has worked with artists like Hiatus Kaiyote, The Cat Empire and Gotye.

Rhythm tracks were recorded in early 2020 at Oaklands Productions in Nunawading while Lucas’ guitar and vocals were recorded in her home during lockdowns.

A string ensemble led by Lizzy Welsh were tracked in 2021 at a church in Chewton near Castlemaine.

Lucas said the album’s title and concept was informed by her creative approach.

“I would give myself one word and write around that, really trying to use the stream-of-consciousness mindset,” she said.

“I find sometimes when I write that way and play it back, it answers some questions for me in ways I hadn’t thought of before.

“Normally I give myself an hour to write a song and I let things come out however they want to come out.”

Dream-self will be released independently on Friday, 31 March.