Photo credits: Nostalgia Music

[Review] oceanfromtheblue – oceanfromtheblue

Korean R&B singer oceanfromtheblue came out with his first full-length album. We are stoked to listen to it. We’ve been following his music for a while, so this really feels like the cherry on top!

Oceanfromtheblue

We start off with the track ‘Breath’. This is the first of five title tracks. I am absolutely obsessed with the instrumentation. The synth piano is popping off and going through these crazy riffs. The inclusion of the flute, bass and strings give it a dramatic feel that will really resonate with listeners. All I can say is that this is an incredible opening.

‘Past Life’ starts playing and the effortless transition between the two tracks is wonderful. I really enjoyed the slower parts with the insertion of the acoustic guitar. It’s really lovely and adds even more warmth to oceanfromtheblue’s already warm tone. Also the electric guitar moment with the twinkling piano in the outro was stunning.

After that comes ‘Close to you’ featuring the incredible Sunwoojunga. We’re going groovy in this one. The way he uses his falsetto as a direct contrast to the bass was beyond nice. Sunwoojunga as always, slays.

Next up is the pre-released ‘Come back home‘. This features Yeeun who you’ll know from CLC and her participation in ‘Good Girl’.

‘Open Your Mind’ is a fantastic track! It’s very laidback and has oceanfromtheblue playing with his vocals. It’s super fun to listen to and the synth only enhances that. The xylophone is a really cool addition and there’s even a kalimba in the credits. The bridge will blow you away! It is sexy and the electric guitar is popping off. It’s a total vibe.

Next up

The following track ‘Scent’ was released in January.

‘Marriage’ is up next. This track has backing vocals by Lomi and Slchld. It’s a very laidback track with a cool drum and a very chill vibe.

The following track is ‘Treasure‘. This came out in November.

’30’ featuring Kuhyun follows that. I like the combination of their voices. The track is all about getting older while having a couple of regrets. I like how the song feels quite unresolved at the end.

Peter-Pan’ is a total earworm. The chorus will have you easily humming along. This is tied to the previous track. Both songs are about how hard it is to see your age while not feeling like that at all. We’re all still kids.

Following that is ‘Brother’. The word ‘dongsaeng’ is used to describe a younger brother. It’s a very catchy track and has quite a playful air to it. The addition of the phone call at the end is great and really fits with the playful energy.

The closing track is ‘Room 6 Interlude’. I love how organic this feels. The piano is lovely and it gives us a glimpse of what is happening in the studio.

What a gentle way to end an incredible album. I’m beyond impressed.

Go ahead and listen to ‘oceanfromtheblue’ on Spotify here.

If you’d like to read about some of his previous releases, you can click here.

Ilse Van Den Heede
A writer with a slight coffee addiction and a tendency to find K-Indie gems in the YouTube rabbit hole.