Originally a solo effort by Melbournian Thomas Lee, the sparkling bright blue azure sounds of Oceans are now the creation of a fully fledged five piece band, and their new single ‘Pure’ is a hazy summer breeze of delight. Waves of jangling guitars and melancholic layered vocals feature in an immersive fugue.
The sound draws in a variety of venerable heritage influences (think Slowdive, Ride, Lush) and yet creates a distinctive modern vibe that stands this band in the company of fellow antipodean janglers such as Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Hatchie, Flyying Colours and Mild Orange.
Lee says of the track:
‘Pure’ is written about trying to find a pure expression of art that is totally freed from the ugliness of the world. By escaping into isolationism I can use music as a canvas to open myself up in ways that I couldn’t do otherwise without fear of judgement.
The muscular melodic bass creates a rambling distinctive spine upon which the song glides, while the shimmering guitars thunder and caress their way throughout. The lyrics are romantic and yearningly beautiful:
The love I see in you and what you see in me
This feeling is so Pure and i’m feeling this way tonight
The accompanying monochrome perfomance video, directed and edited by Declan Harding at Manifest The Psyche Productions, is both enigmatic and dynamic:
This is pulse-quickening stuff. You can get the single here. Oceans will be launching the single at the Old Bar in Melbourne on Friday, 20 January 2023 – details and tickets available here.
The band has also announced their full-length record, ‘Dreamers In Dark Cities’, set for release on 10 March via Portland label Shelflife Records. The record was recorded and produced with Lindsay Gravina (Rowland S. Howard, Magic Dirt).
