[REVIEW] Ocean Alley Return With Sun-Soaked Fifth Album ‘Love Balloon’

★★★★

Since the release of their last album Low Altitude Living in 2022, Ocean Alley have been quietly refining their sound. Their signature mix of breezy sun-drenched grooves with a playful, psychedelic edge is still ever present, but on Love Balloon, it feels brighter, a little looser, and a lot more confident. 

Produced by Nick DiDia, whose credits include Bruce Springsteen and Rage Against The Machine, this record benefits from a sharper focus without losing their trademark sound. Across ten tracks, the band offers a warm invitation and carries listeners through memories of summers past and those lingering moments you always find yourself reflecting upon. 

The album opens with ‘First Blush’, which is a gentle introduction that hints at the softer, more playful sonic direction the band is starting to explore. Its stripped-back arrangement immediately sets the tone for an album that feels emotionally resonant, whilst retaining that warmth and charm that define the six-piece. From the first few notes, it’s very clear that the rest of 2025 will shape up  to be great for Ocean Alley. 

Following this comes the track ‘Tangerine’, which was released back in October 2024, and was the band’s first new music in two years, placing number 15 in the 2024 triple j Hottest 100 and proving as a punchy reminder to listeners why Ocean Alley remain absolute masters of mood and melody. Its sun-soaked grooves and reflective energy perfectly bridge the band’s past sound with  hints of what’s to come. 

Meanwhile, the short and punchy ‘Ain’t No Use’ proves that brevity can be powerful. In a little over three minutes, the song carries that signature Ocean Alley sway, making it almost impossible not to nod your head along. 

The album’s title track, ‘Love Balloon’, definitely provides us with the clearest glimpse into the  band’s new direction. Disco-inspired riffs produce a playful yet confident track. In contrast, ‘Left of the Dealer’, their first single of 2025, eases in with this bluesy rhythm and 60s-inspired vocals from lead singer Baden Donegal. The music video also leans into the same nostalgic aesthetic,  tying it all together quite effortlessly. 

Throughout Love Balloon, the band balances playful sound experimentation with the strengths  that have always defined them. Lighter sounds, simpler setups, and moments that hit a little closer to the heart sit comfortably alongside tracks that have clearly been made for the crowd, built to come alive when played live. While a few songs occasionally lean on familiar tropes rather than breaking entirely new ground, the album’s warmth makes it consistently engaging.  

Compared to Lonely Diamond, which flirted with darker textures, and Low Altitude Living, which stretched across a wider sonic palette, Love Balloon lets themes of love seep through naturally, sometimes keeping it light and easy, other times hitting a little harder, making for an effortless and inviting listen from start to finish. 

Ultimately, Love Balloon feels like a pivotal moment for Ocean Alley. It builds on the unfiltered charm that first brought them global attention while showing a refinement that reflects just how much they’ve grown. The album is playful and sincere, nostalgic yet forward-looking, and it sets the stage perfectly for their biggest UK headline show yet at London’s Alexandra Palace later this  month on the 27th September 2025. Ideal for long drives, festival fields, or those quiet, late-night writing-in-your-journal moments, Love Balloon may not reinvent the wheel, but it’s a reflective journey that’s impossible not to get swept up in.