The Ocean's New Album 'Solaris': A Journey Through Technology and Reality
The Ocean, the post-metal band known for their ambitious and conceptually rich albums, has announced their 12th studio album, 'Solaris'. This new release marks a significant turning point for the band, as they have undergone a major lineup change, losing two-thirds of their members from 2022 to 2025. Despite this challenge, the remaining members have come together to create an album that is both musically intrepid and conceptually fascinating.
The album's title, 'Solaris', is inspired by the late Soviet filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky's masterpiece of the same name. The band has crafted a near-70-minute journey through the stars and back, exploring themes of technology, communication, and the human condition. The first single, 'Light Pollution', sets the tone for the album, beginning with familiar synth textures that connect seamlessly to their previous work, 'Holocene'.
One of the most intriguing aspects of 'Light Pollution' is its exploration of the pitfalls of 21st-century technology and humanity's growing obsession with simulated reality. The song's lyrics delve into the idea that despite the many technological and social advances of recent decades, we may not have actually become any better at communicating. The band's founding guitarist, Robin Staps, comments on this, saying, 'We've witnessed several communication revolutions throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, but have we actually become any better at communicating? Has there really been forward movement, or has the motion been orbital — have we merely been treading water?'
The music video for 'Light Pollution' further enhances the album's themes, with filmmaker Craig Murray (MOGWAI, CONVERGE) creating a narrative arc that combines the arrival of new vocalists Lane Shi and Enrico Tiberi with the song's lyrics. Murray's attention to detail and specificity with regards to costume, design, and props elevate the visual accompaniment to a cinematic level, adding depth to the band's exploration of technology and reality.
'Solaris' is not just an album; it's a journey through the complexities of the human experience. The band has expanded their creative circle with contributions from Thorsten Quaeschning of Tangerine Dream on modular synthesizers, and Jens Bogren, who previously mixed the band's landmark albums, once again handled mixing and mastering. The result is an album that is both musically intrepid and conceptually fascinating, with many vital things to say about the world around us.
The album's track listing includes songs like '52°30'11" N, 13°26'12" E', 'Departure Song', 'Simulacra', 'Belligerence', 'Ultima Esperanza', 'Milk Of My Dreams', and '51°28'30" S, 73°6'11" W'. The Ocean's new lineup includes founding guitarist Robin Staps, longtime bassist Mattias Hägerstrand, new drummer Jordi Farré, guitarists Emmanuel Jessua and Marco Gennaro, vocalists Enrico Tiberi and Lane Shi, and keys players Orestis Zafiriou and Thorsten Quaeschning. The band has truly resurfaced, and they've done so in shimmering form.
In conclusion, 'Solaris' is an album that invites listeners to embark on a journey through the complexities of technology, communication, and the human condition. It is a testament to The Ocean's ability to create music that is both musically intrepid and conceptually fascinating, and it is sure to captivate listeners with its exploration of the world around us.
