ALBUM REVIEW: Flip Phone Fantasy – Ocean Grove

OCEAN GROVE are an Australian nu-metal band who have been making waves in the scene since their formation in 2010. Consisting of vocalist Dale Tanner, bassist Twiggy Hunter, guitarist Matt Henley, and drummer Sam Bassal, this four-piece have been keeping busy. With three EP’s and one LP under their belt, the band are now ready to unleash their second full-length album Flip Phone Fantasy.

Superstar kickstarts the album with a phone ringing and a woman answering, before it descends into a nu-metal chaotic breakdown. Tanner does well in showcasing his rap skills, which are mildly reminiscent of what many can pinpoint to LIMP BIZKIT. Although he makes his effort, unfortunately it is overshadowed by the constant breakdowns that take up the majority of the tracks run time, leaving the balance slightly off. Fortunately, the next track Neo is a complete flip, the vocals take centre stage and everything else takes a balanced backseat. It’s to be noted that on Neo, Bassal carries a lot of the track’s sound with his frantic drumming. Again, it is unfortunate that the song sounds unfinished as it ends abruptly, leaving a lot to be desired. This seems to be a continuous theme in the next few songs that follow, and does not show the potential that this quartet can deliver.

By the fourth and fifth tracks Sunny, which sounds predominantly more as a rock song as opposed to the band’s nu-metal style, and Thousand Golden People, a three and a half minute track that has an airline traffic control introduction, the energy and what has been missing previously comes to light. The instrument to vocal ratio becomes a perfect balance, and the transition between unclean and clean vocals is smooth. However, for all of Thousand Golden People‘s praises, it can’t be helped to notice that it sounds similar to other artists on first listen, especially hearing the electronic outro of the song.

The similarities continue into Guys From the Gord, and whilst there is a neat electronic breakdown, it once again fails to reach its full potential as it fades out into Baby Cobra. The track in itself has a calming atmosphere, and acts as a subtle escape from the chaos that surrounds the rest of the album. The qualities it holds are almost dream-like, and resemble it to a more ‘grown-up’ lullaby.

Moving forward, Ask for the Anthem is pretty bass heavy, whilst bringing a fair bit of funk to the album. The instruments and vocals work together in a smooth fashion, with the production value also hitting the right mark. The deep vocals on the verse are a fantastic companion when paired alongside the bass. It’s a vast improvement on what’s been heard on the album so far, it’s at this point where the band really show their talents off and let it known they do have the potential. Sway is a funky little interlude that sounds like it would fit perfectly into a movie soundtrack as it has an easygoing feel to it. Junkie$ is as every nu-metal song should be, turned up to 11 with the bass booming out of the seams. Freaks on the other hand, starts slow with only an acoustic guitar and vocal accompaniment before everything else kicks in. It doesn’t quite reach how frantic every other song is, but it’s a great album closure that almost pays tribute to every song prior on the album.

Despite most of the songs on Flip Phone Fantasy holding a production that offers little strength, or not fulfilling the potential that could have been reached, it does have some standout material. Towards the end of the album, it does seem to pick up and whether or not that is down to OCEAN GROVE finding their feet with the direction they wanted to go, they have the potential to continue bettering themselves. Whilst Flip Phone Fantasy may not be the strongest, it is certainly one to be enjoyed and is a step in the right direction.

Rating: 6/10

Flip Phone Fantasy is out now via UNFD.

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