Blue Ocean
Fertile State
(Slumberland Records)
3.5/5
Oakland-based indie electronic pop band Blue Ocean’s debut album Fertile State is a 12-track journey.
This is the kind of album you’ll want to hear when in need of a return to those nostalgic, ’80s-like synth tunes—it reminds the heart of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” or Erasure’s “A Little Respect.”
The absorbing melody and deep-dive sounds create an engulfing atmosphere: the low rumble of the guitar, the background bass and drums, the muffled voices. It’s what gives this album its echoing, gripping tunes and its otherworldly aura.
My favourite song on the album is “Syncnine,” the music overflowing the voices, giving that movie-like sensation. The continuous beat and the guitar swells popping up now and then fill the melody with feeling.
I do think some songs miss an essence of their own, something that makes them stand out from the rest. But still, Fertile State is definitely worth it.