Reigniting their roots while stepping dauntlessly into a new era, Melbourne heavy enigmas Ocean Grove announce their fourth studio album “Oddworld”, due out on November 22nd, 2024, via Oddworld Records in Australia and SharpTone Records for the rest of the world.
Recently showcasing insatiable creativity and a renewed sonic identity via the nu metal-soaked singles “Fly Away” and “My Disaster”, “Oddworld” is ultimately a celebration of Ocean Grove’s endless capacity for staunch innovation and sharp execution, with today’s announcement also accompanied by the release of a buoyant new single “Raindrop”.
Diverting from the nu metal tendencies of its predecessors, “Raindrop” radiates shadowy exuberance alongside the creative and vocal additions courtesy of Ocean Grove studio member Luke Holmes. “‘Raindrop’ was forged in a very ‘Tapes’ kind of way i.e. the ‘Oddworld Collective’ got in the studio and fused multiple ideas from multiple members together until we struck magic”, shares vocalist Dale Tanner of the album’s origins. “Blending Twiggy’s melancholy demo with Sam’s hyperactive production style, the track is definitely an outlier on the album for its dark-meets-playful energy and we’re pretty pumped to play this one live”.
“We wanted to further cement the ‘OG Collective’ with the ‘Raindrop’ visuals, highlighting the creative and vocal contributions of studio member Luke ‘Poochy’ Holmes”, Tanner continues. “Knowing that we had full creative license (as always) to depart from the fast-paced, action-based style of the previous two music videos we instead opted for a slow-mo, off the wall visualiser. The dissonance of the dark lyrical undertone met with the upbeat music was something we especially wanted to exaggerate with this clip”.
A collection of songs that captures the band’s sonic roots as well as their fierce evolution over the years, “Oddworld” emerges instantly as the definitive Ocean Grove record; one that pays homage to the delectable diversity of 2017’s “The Rhapsody Tapes”, while also spanning their entire catalogue and steering into exciting uncharted territory. Produced by Ocean Grove’s own Sam Bassal along with creative and performance contributions from studio members Luke Holmes and Running Touch, “Oddworld” is exactly as its title suggests: beautifully chaotic, sonically kaleidoscopic and wholeheartedly one-of-a-kind.
“It says it all in the title: ‘Oddworld’. This is Oddworld Music. Period”, shares Tanner of the upcoming album. “We’ve curtailed the attempts of outsiders who’ve tried to define our sound and pigeonhole our art for over a decade now. This is Ocean Grove’s signature-defining record, the benchmark from which all future sounds project and reflect. A journey back to our experimental, unconventional roots whilst forging full-blast into a new and fearless era”.
“The ‘Oddworld Collective’ was in full force when writing and recording this album. For the first time in a while there was unfiltered and untamed collaboration between ALL the individuals who have, and ever will, define the Ocean Grove sound. The process of us all coming together and collaborating in the same room again was reminiscent of the early OG days when we worked on the ‘Black Label’ EP and debut album ‘The Rhapsody Tapes’”.
“There was a certain youthfulness and innocence that reignited when we all came together over the days and months creating ‘Oddworld’ and this clearly coloured the musical output, reflecting the sonic and energetic influences that have inspired this band to make music all along. It was a timely reminder, now as we are aging like fine wine, that we are our strongest, as mates and as musicians, when we are working as one. Coupled with a shared goal and void of distraction or interference from the outside world, ‘Oddworld’ is both oddly familiar and uncharted territory, and ultimately something we’re all incredibly proud of”.
“Creating ‘Oddworld’ was an exercise of capturing and flowing with energy and emotions”, adds Luke Holmes. “Small snippets of songs, whether a riff, chorus melody or bass line were absorbed into the OG brain matter and took control. ‘Oddworld’ spans as many of these mind states, as it does genres. I think the album, for the most part, sits in the stasis of mourning the loss of something you never had and accepting the beauty of being doomed”.
“I entered into this project with the mindset that I was a conduit to express the dark experimentalism of the ‘Oddworld’. Proudly, I can say that when I worked with Sam in the studio and closely collaborating with Twiggy, Dale and Running Touch we were successful in firstly loving the creative process, and secondly delving deeper into our psyche to better paint a picture of life in the ‘Oddworld’”.
Pre-order & pre-save here.
Tracklist:
1. Og Forever
2. Cell Division
3. Fly Away
4. Stunner
5. Raindrop
6. No Offence Detected
7. My Disaster
8. Last Dance
9. Sowhat1999
10. Otp (FT New Babylon ; Adult Art Club)
Weblinks:
oceangrove.tv
www.facebook.com/oceangrove
