Ocean Grove – The Rhapsody Tapes

Melbourne’s Ocean Grove look to shatter the mood with their debut album by not only announcing themselves to the scene but also by introducing an entirely new genre of music, which they’ve dubbed “Odd World”.

The Rhapsody Tapes is certainly odd in the way it implements certain elements which are rarely seen in the hardcore/punk realms. Ocean Grove have written and produced this album entirely in a bedroom, which allowed them the freedom to experiment with dark synths and other electronic instruments layered upon a hardcore base to create something truly unique.

This experimentation however comes at a risk; do too little and it seems futile, but do it too much and you can end up with a jumbled mess. Whilst occasionally they find the right balance, more often than not The Rhapsody Tapes falls into the latter category, thus leaving the record feeling like a collection of singles rather than a cohesive album. (JA)

★★