Label: UNFD
Released: 22nd April 2022
Rating: ★★★★
Australian wild boys Ocean Grove and their unique blending of explosive positive-punk consistently tackling the trials of life are certainly a sight to behold. Carefree till the end, it’s always a maximalist affair, even down to the ALL CAPS SONG TITLES, simply on the endeavour of getting in the face of whatever’s in the way and rightly shoving it to the side.
It’s a formula that they’ve been tinkering with for a while, finding a particular rooting on 2019’s ‘Flip Phone Fantasy’, and it’s hard to argue with. Featuring fellow Aussies Dune Rats (‘BORED’), along with American emo sprite Lil Aaron (‘HMU’), the rich offering from Ocean Grove is as filled with ludicrous braggadocio (‘SEX DOPE GOLD’) as it is heartfelt meaning (‘SILVER LINING’).
‘Up In The Air Forever’ does exactly what it says on the tin; it makes you feel like you’re flying through the air at a thousand miles per hour, ready to collide with the sun because when the world can be so dark and cold we all need a little sunshine sometimes. This is just Ocean Grove running wild with that idea and bringing us the entire imploding star.
