Oakland CA’s Blue Ocean have been working around the fringes of the Bay Area indie scene since 2019, honing their very particular noise-soaked racket into a unique and instantly identifiable sound. They blend elements of shoegaze, pop, noise rock and electronics into a dense, sometimes disorienting soundworld that embodies a spectral mystery that recalls forebears like Disco Inferno, Bark Psychosis and Flying Saucer Attack. Fertile State is their debut album, following on the heels of 3 tape EPs and a LP drawn from those tapes that sold out instantly on release in 2021. Songs like “Ode,” “Fertile State” and “Syncnine” show how much Blue Ocean has grown in the last few years. They’ve easily shrugged off many of the markers of their punk/indie roots, allowing their experimental urges free rein and and the noise to find its own level. It’s a bracing, invigorating album that truly rewards deep listening and points the way forward to an intriguing future.
