In their fifth album ‘Cape Forestier,’ Sydney-based sibling duo Angus & Julia Stone capture life’s experiences in a beautiful way, turning them into art. In a conversation with Atwood Magazine, the band open up about the process behind these songs, their inspirations, and even some favorite lyrics.

‘Cape Forestier’ – Angus & Julia Stone

We’re all going through the same stuff… we’re all shuffling along trying to make sense of our relationships to others and ourselves. Hopefully our effort to express these things reminds some people that they’re with us on that journey.

After years within the industry and doing some solo work, beloved Aussie siblings Angus & Julia Stone have returned with their fifth studio album, Cape Forestier.

Out now via Nettwerk Music Group, the enchanting, beautiful, record is embedded in detailed storytelling as the duo returns to their roots. Filled with gorgeous harmonies, captivating melodies and tales to get lost in, Angus & Julia Stone present a stripped-back, acoustic-driven, album that will make you keep rewinding and pressing repeat.

Cape Forestier - Angus & Julia Stone — Cape Forestier – Angus & Julia Stone

But the album’s biggest strength lies within its vulnerability. Grounded in openness, it is a collection of Angus & Julia Stone’s own life experiences and personal discoveries, reflecting upon some of their own thoughts and observations about the world around them and the things they have been through. But due to their natural songwriting skills, the album becomes relatable across the board. The twelve tracks will have you pondering on some of life’s biggest themes such as love, loss, forgiveness and growth, and how they have manifested into your own life.

What makes Angus & Julia Stone’s work so hypnotizing though, is their unique sound and pure authenticity. You can tell that every piece of work they put out is intentional and deeply thought out. Whether it be a hauntingly groovy tune like in “Down To The Sea,” questions asked such as, “Cape Forestier, where do we go from here my dear? (Tell me) Cape Forestier, where do we go from here?” in the title track or the little bit of twang that peaks through in the about six-minute song “County Sign” – everything is placed in what seems like a particular manner.

“The creative process for Cape Forestier was not dissimilar to how we always work,” Julia Stone tells Atwood Magazine. “Angus and I collaborate really well now, and there’s a feeling between us, that being in the studio is where we’re most at ease. We share seeds of ideas with each other and then bring them to life through the lens of the two of us. Self-producing is also a huge part of the creativity of making a record for us. We can spend hours tweaking a guitar sound or finding the right bass.”

Cape Forestier is what life is all about.

It is this deep understanding of love, loneliness, heartache and what makes up our human experience. But its peaceful and calming tone makes you know that you are not alone – these are universal encounters we all go through.

Here with you in the city of lights
Where the angels can hardly breathe
Here with you
Where the dreams come to die
I’m happier than I have ever been

– “City of Lights”

There is something for everyone to connect with on this record. While “City of Lights” dives into the happy serenity one feels when being with someone they love, “Little Alaskan Anchor” hints at the possibility of a love gone awry. Then there are tracks like “No Boat No Aeroplane” that give a sense of brokenness and a wish to go back in time. “The Wonder of You,” though, stuck out among others. It’s a quick minute of whimsical instruments. The only line being, “That’s the wonder, the wonder of you.” It leaves a feeling of hopefulness while a shiver runs down your spine – completing the record in utter awe.

Little fisherman’s daughter
Won’t you give me a quarter
I’ll put it in the juke box and I’ll play us a tune
We can dance all night
Doing what we think feels right
Tie the boat up, let’s get moving

– “Little Alaskan Anchor”

“The album is about the beautiful and painful dynamics of moving in and out of the light of love, and it felt like ‘The Wonder of You’ was the perfect way to say thank you to all the people,” Julia Stone adds.

“Both those who have loved us, supported us and nurtured us along the way and those who have brought us deep challenging experiences that forced us to grow… it’s also a kind of a moment of kindness to ourselves. That’s the wonder of you… The wonder of all of us, is all of it. What makes us extraordinary and terribly ordinary and small. We are all this incredible mix of beauty, pain and contradictions. And how bloody remarkable to be that.”

Catch up with Angus & Julia Stone in our interview below and dive into the world of Cape Forestier, out now via Nettwerk!

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:: stream/purchase Cape Forestier here ::

:: connect with Angus & Julia Stone here ::

“Down to the Sea” – Angus & Julia Stone

A CONVERSATION WITH ANGUS & JULIA STONE

Atwood Magazine: Cape Forestier is your sixth studio album! How does this album differ from other ones you have put out into the world?

Julia Stone: Cape Forestier is a special album for us. In many ways, it feels like we’ve come full circle. The sound of the record reminds us of earlier work we created together, with its more stripped-back, acoustic-driven feel… reminiscent of those earlier days writing songs in the living room at home. It feels more raw than our last couple of records.

What was the creative process like for Cape Forestier?

Julia Stone: The creative process for Cape Forestier was not dissimilar to how we always work. Angus and I collaborate really well now, and there’s a feeling between us, that being in the studio is where we’re most at ease. We share seeds of ideas with each other and then bring them to life through the lens of the two of us. Self-producing is also a huge part of the creativity of making a record for us. We can spend hours tweaking a guitar sound or finding the right bass. It’s great that Angus has Sugarcane Mountain Studio now because we can be there for as long as we want. Days, months, years… His studio is right in the middle of nature, stunning mountains around us and cane fields as far as the eye can see. We grew up making music surrounded by nature and almost every one of our records is infused with the natural environments we work in.

This whole album is stripped-back and acoustic driven. What made you decide to take this type of approach for this specific album?

Julia Stone: We decided to take a stripped-back, acoustic approach for Cape Forestier. This approach felt honest and authentic to where we were at when we were recording this.

What is it like working as siblings? Especially on coming together for decisions such as an artistic approach, a creative style or even on choosing what makes the album and what does not?

Julia Stone: Working as siblings has, over the years had its challenges, but it also brings a unique dynamic to our creative process. We’ve learned to trust each other’s instincts and respect each other’s artistic vision, even when we have differing opinions. Ultimately, we both want what’s best for the music. There’s no winners or losers making music, there’s just the process to get to a place where we’re both happy with the song.

I heard that this album felt like coming back to your roots – which I could imagine probably brings in this sense of nostalgia. How does it feel to reflect on the old times while bringing in the experience and knowledge of the present time?

Julia Stone: Making Cape Forestier was nostalgic. Listening to it now is nostalgic. We talked a lot about growing up together whilst making this record. I think it’s been helpful having another person by my side who went through life with me. You can remember things and unpack them together. Make meaning where maybe there isn’t any, or the meaning was lost in the shadows. We find a lot of humour in hard things we’ve been through together as kids and throughout our lives.

What is something that you believe shows your growth as an artist, if you listen back to your old music verse what is on Cape Forestier?

Julia Stone: It’s hard to say from inside the experience. I think for us, the growth that is most apparent is in the way we communicate with each other. Our capacity to accept our similarities and our differences and to respect each other for those things. That comes through in the way we make music too, certainly in the recording process there is a very open and easy way of trying things, melodically, musically, and lyrically. No idea is ever dismissed between the two of us. We always give each other the opportunity to express whatever the idea is.

Going off that, is there something you are most proud of for accomplishing in your career that old Angus & Julia Stone would be astounded over if they knew about?

Julia Stone: I’ll speak for myself. I’m proud that I am becoming more and more authentically myself. We started so young, and it was hard to find a firm footing and not just be pulled along any which way. I feel like now I find it much easier to stay true to who I am despite any pressures, perceived or real, from the industry or external forces.

Our younger selves probably wouldn’t have even understood this conceptually… I didn’t know that you can say ‘no’ to things.

You both are such wonderful storytellers! And this album does not disappoint as it is filled with more stories to get completely lost in and relate to. Do either of you have a favorite lyric or line in this upcoming album? And why does that one stick out the most to you?

Julia Stone: Thank you for your kind words! As for favourite lyrics from Cape Forestier, some lyrics that stand out to me is from “Somehow” –

“Somehow this day is not mine to break
and I must learn now,
there are some things I cannot take
Somehow, this time is not mine to choose
and I must learn now,
sometimes it’s okay to lose”

For me, it speaks to a familiar feeling of trying to control all the outcomes of my life. I’ve slowly been introduced to the understanding that I am in control of absolutely nothing. I have choice about how I relate to what’s happening but what happens, happens with or without me.

Speaking of favorites, which song are you most proud of on this album?

Julia Stone: It’s hard to choose, but I’m particularly proud of “Down To The Sea” on this album. I wrote that song years ago. Angus and I recorded a version of it when we were making our 3rd record, the one following Down The Way – that record never got released- cos we just needed a break from each other after that huge tour cycle.

Angus went on to do Broken Brights and I did By the Horns – when we got back together a few years later, it was with Rick Rubin to make our self-titled record. We wanted to write that record together, so all the old songs from the un-released 3rd record just sat on a hard drive somewhere. When we were making Cape Forestier “Down To The Sea” came up in conversation… and we reworked it to suit this album. I always loved this song- but where we took it and the feeling of it now is exactly how the lyrics and melodies were supposed to be heard. I’m so glad we never released the original version because that wasn’t the song. This is how it’s meant to be heard.

You released your first single off this album, “The Wedding Song,” accompanied by an absolutely heartwarming and beautiful music video that has clips from your fans’ weddings. What is the story behind this fun idea? What made you decide to get your fans involved?

Julia Stone: The idea behind the music video for “The Wedding Song” was to involve our fans and celebrate their love stories. We wanted to create a heart-warming visual montage that captures the universal experience of love and marriage, and the response from our fans was truly touching.

Is there a fun behind-the-scenes snippet of creating this album that you can share?

Julia Stone: Oh sure. I mean, always at the pointy end of finishing a record we end up shooting off to different places. We’re not in the studio together so have to backing vocals from here or there. We both travel with portable recording setups… when we listed all the places that all the parts of the record came from it was wild. Angus recorded backing vocals from hotels in Nashville, Houston, Utah… I recorded parts in Turkey, Berlin.. hotel rooms, airbnbs… you can sometimes hear the background of a harbour and the boats halyards clinking in the track… see if you can spot them.

You end Cape Forestier with the track “The Wonder of You.” Which is such a powerful and moving song. It feels like the bow you place on a perfectly wrapped present. What made you decide to close the album in this artistic way?

Julia Stone: We decided to close Cape Forestier with “The Wonder of You” as a kind of rolling credits moment. The album is about the beautiful and painful dynamics of moving in and out of the light of love, and it felt like “The Wonder of You” was the perfect way to say thank you to all the people. Both those who have loved us, supported us and nurtured us along the way and those who have brought us deep challenging experiences that forced us to grow… it’s also a kind of a moment of kindness to ourselves. That’s the wonder of you… The wonder of all of us, is all of it. What makes us extraordinary and terribly ordinary and small. We are all this incredible mix of beauty, pain and contradictions. And how bloody remarkable to be that.

If people take away one thing from this album, what would you like it to be?

Julia Stone: I think to know that they’re not alone in their experience in the world. We’re all going through the same stuff… we’re all shuffling along trying to make sense of our relationships to others and ourselves. Hopefully our effort to express these things reminds some people that they’re with us on that journey.

While it’s fun to reflect on the past and the present, what is something you are looking forward to within your music?

Julia Stone: Just excited to keep writing and making music. To keep evolving as musicians, producers, and writers. It’s a privilege to make music for a living and just looking forward to hopefully being able to continue doing that.

You announced you are playing Zermatt Unplugged in April, your first show together in Europe in six years! How does it feel to have that on the horizon? Are you nervous, excited, all of the above?

Julia Stone: For sure. 6 years is a long time so definitely a mix of nerves and excitement… but mostly so grateful for the opportunity to share our music with a live audience again, especially in such a beautiful setting.

On your upcoming 2024 World Tour, what can fans expect to hear, see, or experience?

Julia Stone: On our upcoming 2024 World Tour, audiences can expect to hear a mix of songs from Cape Forestier as well as music from across the 6 records we’ve made together. We’re bringing our living room to these theatres around the world, so we want people to feel like they’re sitting with us at home. Sharing music and stories of life.

Is there anything else you would really like to share about this album or your music that you may have not been asked about?

Julia Stone: I suppose that Cape Forestier is deeply personal to us. Each song is a reflection of our own experiences, and we hope that comes through in the music. We’re excited for listeners to come on this journey with us and to connect with the songs in their own way.

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