Our Oceans - "Our Oceans" (Album Review)

By: Anthony Firmin

Album Type: Full Length

Date Released: 15/11/2015

Label: Independent

Overall, this is a prog album on another level altogether, the songs sweep and soar like a warm breeze on a summer day making you glow and feel wonderful inside.  Every song is perfect in its own way.

“Our Oceans” CD//DD track listing:

1. What If
2. Tangled
3. Precarious
4. Lioness' Sunrise
5. Am I Still Here?
6. lluminate
7. Turquoise
8. Let Me
9. Reawaken

The Review:

Every so often an album hits you and makes you think “is this the perfect album?”  Our Oceans may well have produced that perfect album.

Netherlands based, the band was started by singer and guitarist Tymon Kruidenier along with two of his Exivious colleagues, Michel Nienhuis and Robin Zielhorst.  Providing the beat is Jasper Barendregt from black/prog metallers Dodecahedron whom Michel and Robin are also involved in.  And this album is nothing like Dodecahedron, nothing at all.

What is most striking about the album is the feeling of space each song has.  The music is like the oceans, it ebbs and flows wonderfully with Tymon’s vocals surfing above sounding eerily like Jeff Buckley.  Everything is subtle.  Everything is considered.  From the drum sound, gently adding the backbone to the songs; the dreamy fretless bass from Robin which immediately reminds one of Japan’s late bassist Mick Karn and that twists around the guitar and drums.  The sounds achieved are remarkable even making a guitar sound like a piano.

The music though soothing and warming as it is, is in complete contrast to the lyrics on the album.   The songs themselves are a mix of loss, self-questioning, wondering, pain and reflection, as Tymon searches his soul and questions the eternal question of life.  The lyrics are pure poerty, simple but sung slowly and soulfully.

Overall, this is a prog album on another level altogether.  As the songs sweep and soar like a warm breeze on a summer day making you glow and feel wonderful inside.  Every song is perfect in its own way.

“Our Oceans” is available here

Band info: official | facecbook