Ocean Child is fearlessly trying new things in new EP “Camouflage”
Through the lens of the pop-punk genre, Ocean Child’s new EP “Camouflage” is like a time capsule capturing the many transitional periods in life and how they can be presented musically. In our conversation just hours before the project’s release, I got the chance to meet with lead singer Marco over Zoom to talk about all of the ways this group is navigating the world outside of their comfort zones. With one track tracing back to 2019, it’s no surprise that the making of this project came with a few stylistic changes: “I definitely had to learn that I can’t always trust the process that worked 2 months ago or a year ago, I have to keep changing it for the sake of each song being different…as a songwriter I need to change as well and shift my mindset which is really how this EP came about.”
With less focus on perfecting the lyrics this time around, the sounds of each track take on the role of capturing moments in real time. The rush of cars passing by at the end of “Impatient” caught my attention specifically, and was a touch that I saw as a great way to center the listener in on a distinct memory in the recording process: “Sometimes you think of things and you just do it…when something just feels right, it usually is. I don’t really know what it has to do with the song but I wanted that sound for myself as a reminder of where I was in the middle of mixing.”
Being able to pique curiosity throughout multiple different points in a project is imperative in maintaining engagement with a listener, and is certainly present throughout this EP. For example, “Pink Lemonade” nods to nostalgia through its slow, afternoon stroll tempo. The self-proclaimed “wild card”, “Benton Steps”, keeps you on your toes with the freshly introduced rhythms inspired by the new wave genre and African rhythms. Coming in hot off the waves of surf rock and the spontaneity of a live performance is “Camouflage” –if you close your eyes you can almost place yourself across from the car stereo barreling down a coastal highway, or getting your feet trampled at a basement show.
The 4 piece group that we hear on this EP hadn’t all come together until the summer of 2021, perfectly preceding the success of “Maye” which was released that September. As they’ve developed their collective musicality, they’ve also fostered the personal relationships being formed between them: “It’s cool to have such a talented community involved in this project…that feeling of tapping into something that’s larger than yourself is always really cool.” Other creatives beyond the band include the team at Rax Trax Recording in Chicago, where “Camouflage” was recorded and Grammy-nominated Andy Shoemaker who mastered the final project.
So where did Ocean Child come from? Lead singer Marco cites the name from “Julia” by The Beatles who, among other groups like Paramore and the Arctic Monkeys, have really inspired their sound. Other notable influences include his love for reading: “Whenever I read, it feels like being a kid again when you’re really into something and you can’t put it down…I want that to be a part of my art and I want that to show…I think that it’s important to have that sense of creativity and play in music, art, or whatever it is you’re doing.” As for the ultimate goal of this
EP, the goal is that it will expand on previous work and truly show that “there’s always something new coming, there’s always a new experience you can have.”
“Camouflage” is out now on your favorite streaming platforms, and you can catch their performance at Taste of Chicago on September 10th!