Australia's Lime Cordiale craft upbeat pop rooted in '70s and '80s sensibilities while incorporating soul, funk, and rock touches. The group first appeared on the full-length front with 2017's Permanent Vacation, then reached the summit of the Australian album chart with 2020's ARIA Award-winning 14 Steps to a Better You. Actor, singer, and rapper Idris Elba joined them for the 2022 release Cordi Elba. Their third album, Enough of the Sweet Talk, returned the band to the ARIA top spot in 2024 and spotlighted the singles "Country Club" and "Colin" with Colin Hay.
The Sydney-formed outfit dates back to 2009 and revolves around brothers Oli and Louis Leimbach, who tour backed by a sizable ensemble and horn section. Early output included the 2012 debut EP Faceless Cat and the follow-up Falling Up the Stairs, produced by Daniel Denholm and issued the next year. Studio sessions and an intensive touring regimen filled the years that followed. Permanent Vacation, their first album and again produced by Dave Hammer, arrived in 2017.
The hook-driven 2019 single "Robbery" cleared the path for sophomore LP 14 Steps to a Better You. Once more guided by Dave Hammer, the set contained "Addicted to Sunshine" and "On Our Own." A major breakthrough, the album topped the Australian albums chart, captured the J Award for Australian Album of the Year, and earned six ARIA Awards, including Breakthrough Artist - Release.
Lime Cordiale issued the collaborative EP Cordi Elba with actor and musician Idris Elba in 2022, landing at number nine on the ARIA charts. Further singles appeared that year, among them "Facts of Life," "Country Club," and "Colin," the last a tribute featuring vocals from iconic Men at Work frontman Colin Hay. These tracks preceded the band's third studio album, 2024's Enough of the Sweet Talk. Produced by Dave Hammer, the record explored a hooky, '80s-influenced palette and assembled songs loosely organized around the emotional progression of a romantic relationship. It topped the ARIA charts, reached New Zealand's Top 40, and generated additional singles such as "The Big Reveal; Ou L'Hypocrite" and "Cold Treatment."
