Kimbra Commissioned Artwork For Each Track On ‘The Golden Echo’: See The Images & Read Her Explanations

1/15

"Teen Heat" - Artwork by Victor Castillo. Kimbra says: This is a song that plays with the idea of surprises and excitement but also has a self-reflective aspect. I felt this strongly from Victors piece, it evokes a sense of discovery and youth but there is an unsettling tension which is perfect for this song. I also love how he has incorporated the Narcissus Golden Echo flowers reflected in the lake which you only notice when you look closely- which is a theme at work throughout the record.

1/15 "Teen Heat" - Artwork by Victor Castillo. Kimbra says: This is a song that plays with the idea of surprises and excitement but also has a self-reflective aspect. I felt this strongly from Victors piece, it evokes a sense of discovery and youth but there is an unsettling tension which is perfect for this song. I also love how he has incorporated the Narcissus Golden Echo flowers reflected in the lake which you only notice when you look closely- which is a theme at work throughout the record.

2/15

"90s Music" - Artwork by devNgosha. Kimbra says: DevNGosha's piece had a sense of chaos, like a collage of worlds colliding when I first saw it. Similarly I think 90s music has this affect on first listen but I am now so fascinated by the layers within this piece and the angular colors and textures that find a harmony together - it's a perfect landscape to accompany the song.

2/15 "90s Music" - Artwork by devNgosha. Kimbra says: DevNGosha's piece had a sense of chaos, like a collage of worlds colliding when I first saw it. Similarly I think 90s music has this affect on first listen but I am now so fascinated by the layers within this piece and the angular colors and textures that find a harmony together - it's a perfect landscape to accompany the song.

3/15

"Carolina" - Artwork by Jono Brandel. Kimbra says: My friend Jono was inspired by the visual of a road trip using animated shapes and objects to transport the listener. It really opened up the song and accented certain parts musically that many might not notice the first time! While watching the visual on iPad the user was able to change the course of the trip by dragging the road in different directions adding an interactive dimension while the listener journeyed through the song.

3/15 "Carolina" - Artwork by Jono Brandel. Kimbra says: My friend Jono was inspired by the visual of a road trip using animated shapes and objects to transport the listener. It really opened up the song and accented certain parts musically that many might not notice the first time! While watching the visual on iPad the user was able to change the course of the trip by dragging the road in different directions adding an interactive dimension while the listener journeyed through the song.

4/15

"Goldmine" - Artwork by Mel Kadel. Kimbra says: This piece by Mel Kadel has such a strong and peaceful quality about it. I love the visual metaphor of diamonds bursting forth from the chest like a spring from within. Her work fits perfectly with the sentiment of the song which is about empowerment and hope.

4/15 "Goldmine" - Artwork by Mel Kadel. Kimbra says: This piece by Mel Kadel has such a strong and peaceful quality about it. I love the visual metaphor of diamonds bursting forth from the chest like a spring from within. Her work fits perfectly with the sentiment of the song which is about empowerment and hope.

5/15

"Miracle" - Artwork by Svetlana Shigroff. Kimbra says: Svetlana's piece instantly made me think about the ordinary bursting into the surreal and the transformations that take place in life everyday - within nature and our own lives. She often uses commonplace fabrics for her work but twists them to feel magical- I feel Miracle adopts a similar idea musically because of its use of traditional instrumentation with a psychedelic spin.

5/15 "Miracle" - Artwork by Svetlana Shigroff. Kimbra says: Svetlana's piece instantly made me think about the ordinary bursting into the surreal and the transformations that take place in life everyday - within nature and our own lives. She often uses commonplace fabrics for her work but twists them to feel magical- I feel Miracle adopts a similar idea musically because of its use of traditional instrumentation with a psychedelic spin.

6/15

"Rescue Him" - Artwork by Candice Tripp. Kimbra says: This piece immediately made me think of the mood in Rescue Him because of it's dark nature and sense of secrecy. I love the visual metaphor of a girl carrying a skull and what that evokes. Sonically I always felt like this song had a creeping quality to it, as if someone were slowly tiptoeing through a forest so it was a perfect accompaniment.

6/15 "Rescue Him" - Artwork by Candice Tripp. Kimbra says: This piece immediately made me think of the mood in Rescue Him because of it's dark nature and sense of secrecy. I love the visual metaphor of a girl carrying a skull and what that evokes. Sonically I always felt like this song had a creeping quality to it, as if someone were slowly tiptoeing through a forest so it was a perfect accompaniment.

7/15

"Madhouse" - Artwork by Nicola Verlato. Kimbra says: The energy captured in this piece is incredible and it felt relevant to the sense of explosion on the song Madhouse. I love the visual metaphor of a warrior as I often feel that character comes forth in a lot of my music. This piece also evokes a sense of triumph and hope as well as being very primal and physical.

7/15 "Madhouse" - Artwork by Nicola Verlato. Kimbra says: The energy captured in this piece is incredible and it felt relevant to the sense of explosion on the song Madhouse. I love the visual metaphor of a warrior as I often feel that character comes forth in a lot of my music. This piece also evokes a sense of triumph and hope as well as being very primal and physical.

8/15

"Everlovin' Ya" - Artwork by Jeff Koegel. Kimbra says: I love how Jeff used the hands as a way to symbolize the mysterious and sensual nature of this song. There is a sense of things being hidden within the layers and the use of colour also reminds me of the music, bright in some ways and dirty in others. The cracking on the painting also makes me think of a secret being slowly found out which is perfect for the song.

8/15 "Everlovin' Ya" - Artwork by Jeff Koegel. Kimbra says: I love how Jeff used the hands as a way to symbolize the mysterious and sensual nature of this song. There is a sense of things being hidden within the layers and the use of colour also reminds me of the music, bright in some ways and dirty in others. The cracking on the painting also makes me think of a secret being slowly found out which is perfect for the song.

9/15

"As You Are" - Artwork by Timothy Armstrong. Kimbra says: Tim's inspiration for this drawing was the sound of the one piano note that repeats throughout the song which reminded him of a raindrop hitting the ground. The evolution of the raindrop into a face is so moving and suggests a sense of fragility and intimacy which is what the song is all about.

9/15 "As You Are" - Artwork by Timothy Armstrong. Kimbra says: Tim's inspiration for this drawing was the sound of the one piano note that repeats throughout the song which reminded him of a raindrop hitting the ground. The evolution of the raindrop into a face is so moving and suggests a sense of fragility and intimacy which is what the song is all about.

10/15

"Love In High Places" - Artwork by Greg (Craola Simkins). Kimbra says: This song explores the idea of finding divinity and sacredness within the very simple, earthly things in the world around you. Craola showed this idea so amazingly in his painting. I love the use of a key to represent the lyric: 'there's a space that I'm saving'. I also love the little creatures in the distance with their glowing eyes which make me think of all the different sounds that creep up on you in the musical landscape.

10/15 "Love In High Places" - Artwork by Greg (Craola Simkins). Kimbra says: This song explores the idea of finding divinity and sacredness within the very simple, earthly things in the world around you. Craola showed this idea so amazingly in his painting. I love the use of a key to represent the lyric: 'there's a space that I'm saving'. I also love the little creatures in the distance with their glowing eyes which make me think of all the different sounds that creep up on you in the musical landscape.

11/15

"Nobody But You" - Artwork by Miguel Jiron. Kimbra says: This piece felt very romantic and adventurous to me - it evoked the same sense of catharsis that I feel from the chorus of this song. There's a youthfulness to the artwork but also a psychedelic element which I feel reflects the off-kilter outro of the song and the drunk-like rhythms. I love the feeling of momentum I get from it.

11/15 "Nobody But You" - Artwork by Miguel Jiron. Kimbra says: This piece felt very romantic and adventurous to me - it evoked the same sense of catharsis that I feel from the chorus of this song. There's a youthfulness to the artwork but also a psychedelic element which I feel reflects the off-kilter outro of the song and the drunk-like rhythms. I love the feeling of momentum I get from it.

12/15

"Waltz Me To The Grave" - Artwork by Vonn Sumner. Kimbra says: This song is about leaving this life with peace and venturing into the beyond as if it were a graceful dance. Vonn's piece plays with the eye because from one angle it appears almost if it were a mirror or a gold panel but from another angle you see the face emerge in the paint. To me this represents the soul leaving the body and also the idea of how things can change according to how you look at them.

12/15 "Waltz Me To The Grave" - Artwork by Vonn Sumner. Kimbra says: This song is about leaving this life with peace and venturing into the beyond as if it were a graceful dance. Vonn's piece plays with the eye because from one angle it appears almost if it were a mirror or a gold panel but from another angle you see the face emerge in the paint. To me this represents the soul leaving the body and also the idea of how things can change according to how you look at them.

13/15

"Slum Love" - Artwork by Mercedes Helnwein. Kimbra says: There's an unsettling energy to this artwork which corresponds so well to the song. I felt a sense of violence and vulnerability to the piece. The smudges across the forehead make me think of something beautiful being distorted somehow which is a similar tension explored in the song.

13/15 "Slum Love" - Artwork by Mercedes Helnwein. Kimbra says: There's an unsettling energy to this artwork which corresponds so well to the song. I felt a sense of violence and vulnerability to the piece. The smudges across the forehead make me think of something beautiful being distorted somehow which is a similar tension explored in the song.

14/15

"Sugar Lies" - Artwork by Travis Louie. Kimbra says: I love how whimsical this portrait is and the distortion of scale that makes it feel very other-worldly. I always had in mind a young girl dreaming when writing this song, similar to this portrait. There is also a sadness in her face which reminded me of a lyric in the song 'all my life, I just wanna be loved'.

14/15 "Sugar Lies" - Artwork by Travis Louie. Kimbra says: I love how whimsical this portrait is and the distortion of scale that makes it feel very other-worldly. I always had in mind a young girl dreaming when writing this song, similar to this portrait. There is also a sadness in her face which reminded me of a lyric in the song 'all my life, I just wanna be loved'.

15/15

"The Magic Hour" - Artwork by Edward Walton Wilcox. Kimbra says: This song is about a moment of contemplation and stillness in the midst of chaos. Wilcox's piece evokes the same mood for me. He captured the light and energy of that time of day when everything softens and life slows down. It transports me to a similar place I envisioned in my head when writing the song.

15/15 "The Magic Hour" - Artwork by Edward Walton Wilcox. Kimbra says: This song is about a moment of contemplation and stillness in the midst of chaos. Wilcox's piece evokes the same mood for me. He captured the light and energy of that time of day when everything softens and life slows down. It transports me to a similar place I envisioned in my head when writing the song.

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