Dumo Cargo has reimagined the sounds of the late-2000s for the modern age with his debut EP, ‘Codependency’.
The four-track collection draws inspirations from the likes of M83 and MGMT, all while honing the Brasbane artist’s own sonic signature.
‘Codependency’ was co-produced by Holy Holy collaborator Graham Ritchie, and sees Dumo Cargo — the brainchild of musician Roy — navigate the complexities of life and relationships.
The EP opens with the whirring electronics of ‘What I Need’, a slice of synthy ambience that immediately forefronts Dumo Cargo’s vocal talent.
With the assist of brooding guitar melodies and shimmering keys, the singer-songwriter delivers a transcendent track about a partner who gives him “something to look forward to.”
The deeply textured track provides ear-catching moments at every corner, from punchy drum sections to backing vocals to airy they might just touch the heavens.
This spirit of rich production continues on ‘Sleep/Maybe I’, another showcase of layered synths and classic indie rock stylings.
In what remains a throughline across the entire tracklist, Dumo Cargo weaves an opulent tapestry that feels both anthemic and dreamy, with this second track delivering a mesmeric blend of electro-ambience.
The subtle tinkle of keys and swelling production reach explosive levels on the chorus, where Dumo Cargo’s knack for 2000s indie rock takes centre stage.
Here, he sings of making mistakes in a relationship atop noisy percussion, before a moody outro slows down the pace with angelic vocals and spacey atmospherics.
‘All My Love’ is perhaps the EP’s purest indie-rock cut, with catchy, pop-leaning vocal riffs and an ascendent chorus that lays bare Drum Cargo’s thoughts on a non-reciprocal relationship.
“I don’t want anything else from you,” he croons, “you just make me sad every time I look at you.”
The triumphant chorus makes it feel as though Dumo Cargo has freed himself from this time-wasting and emotionally fraught romance, showcasing his knack for combining a cathartic sound with powerful storytelling.
He sketches even more contours of his sound on ‘Tell Me’, an almost R&b-sounding closer that coasts on simmering rhythms and electro-pop flourishes that feel destined for the dance floor.
Here, Dumo Cargo adopts hip-hop cadences alongside layered vocals and pulsating production, all while ridding himself of the toxic relationships that had pained him on previous tracks.
“I don’t need this trauma anymore,” he sings triumphantly, offering a fitting closing chapter to the journey he’s taken on ‘Codependency’.
It’s fitting finish to an extremely polished and transcendent EP, one that establishes Dumo Cargo as a breakout voice to watch. Listen to Dumo Cargo’s debut EP ‘Codependency’ below.
