Ocean Alley – Low Altitude Living

By starrymag | November 15, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) This is one of the hardest questions we frequently have to answer. We’ve been evolving our sound ever since we started as a band so it’s difficult to pinpoint what the style of our music is, but if I had to, I would say a fusion of psychedelic surf rock, classic rock, and roots.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) Each of us have different musical influences that have impacted how we play individually, even though we all have common interests. Some of my personal influences are Free Nationals, Kokoroko, Joe Hisaishi, James Taylor and Dave Mathews Band.

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Home.”

 

A) It’s about being out in the world and unsure of where your path is heading, and that you might be feeling a bit of loneliness and longing for the comforts that are home and making the decision to finally head back there.

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) I think the idea of home can be a feeling or a memory, or someone you love, not necessarily a physical place all the time. For that I think fans can relate to the song.

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) It’s a literal depiction of the message we try to portray through the song. A girl is away from home and is trying to find herself, but in the end finds her way back to where she belongs – at home.

Q) What is your song writing process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) We have a very organic style of writing. We will get together somewhere for a week and share ideas that we have been working on in our own time. Some get fleshed out into full songs, others get left on the cutting room floor. We work democratically so if the majority like what they hear, it gets worked on until it is something worth recording. Music and lyrics can come at any time. We don’t have any rules to which needs to come first.

 

Q) How much of hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) We have one hundred percent production input into the sound and style of our music.

Q) What are some themes you explore on your new album Low Altitude Living?

 

A) We never really go out and actively pursue any themes when we write our music, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any. Some themes present in Low Altitude Living are love, change, reflection and honesty.

Q) What tracks were a challenge for you creatively?

 

A) “Simple Pleasures” was a track that we worked on for a long time because we couldn’t find the right chorus. We visited it several times in the writing stages before we settled with something that we thought fit into the song.

Q) What song(s) on the album hold a special place in your heart and what makes them so significant for you?

 

A) “Lapwing” is a special song for me. I love the rhythm and feel of the entire piece and its one of my favourites, but also every album we’ve written has had a song title that is completely unrelated to what the song’s about. “Lapwing” is it for Low Altitude Living.

Q) What do you hope listeners take away from exploring Low Altitude Living?

 

A) I hope they have a sense of calm and feel more grounded in themselves. The album is a reflection of us as a band but also as friends and how we feel about life in general. If the listeners can relate to us on that level, then we have done our job.

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) I’d love to collaborate with Mac DeMarco, Leon Bridges or Tame Impala.

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them? 

 

A) Right this second I am listening to Kokoroko. They have an amazing style and beautiful instrumentation. There is rarely any singing on their tracks, but I think they portray a journey perfectly fine without it. I would highly recommend listing to if you appreciate talented composers with a cruise-y laid back vibe, best enjoyed with a beer by the beach!

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) Social media is such a handy tool when it comes to creative arts because it’s so easy to reach out and get in touch with people and show them what you’re working on or about to work on through every different medium. We use it mainly as a form of news and updates and a snap hot into our lives as musicians, it has helped us get content out to our fans and allows us to act off feedback.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) We love you all and we couldn’t be happier with how much you have supported us through the years. Without you we wouldn’t be able to share our music with the world, and that’s what we’re here to do. Don’t stop believing in us, and we will never stop entertaining you!

 

 

All Questions Answered By Lach Galbraith