Q: Was there a particular lyric in “Wash Away” that took the longest to get right because it carried so much emotional weight?
A: The whole song was actually a pretty quick songwriting process, because it holds so much meaning. So it was more like discovering the song than writing it. “You left me to face it all, to feel this on my own” definitely feels like the emotional crux of it to me. But yeah, the process was actually quite quick.
Q: What’s one opportunity you’re manifesting over the next year?
A: A tour with Young the Giant. Currently sitting cross-legged and manifesting so hard right now. And a Love Island collab.
Q: How has the way you communicate creatively evolved since you first started making music together?
A: I think we have more open and clear communication that involves everyone. I would often steamroll a project or song, have a strong vision and be annoyed if people pulled it in a different direction. But over the years we’ve worked to all have a clear voice in the process and that has made our music much better.
Q: What would make this year feel successful for you?
A: I think if we truly connect with people musically as our new album starts releasing, that would mean everything. Specific stories and messages we’ve gotten this year have given us so much fuel to keep pushing and creating, it feels really hopeful right now. Back to the ‘manifesting’ question, that’s really what we want to manifest: connection with people.
Q: If someone discovered Oceanic through “Wash Away”, which song would you like them to listen to next and why?
A: Animals and Way Out. They’re the next in the sequence of the EP, and it’s intentional. The pleading and confusion continues in Animals, just in a more free-form way. Then the anger (and still confusion) sets in for Way Out, as the main character starts to take some pride in the pain they feel. Men will literally write a synth grunge song instead of going to therapy.
Q: Are there any artists outside your genre that have recently inspired the way you think about songwriting or production?
A: Definitely, I’m a huge ambient music fan, so Daniel Loptain, Brian Eno (he’s genre-adjacent because of his work with Coldplay/U2), Jon Hopkins, Harold Budd, Aphex, and a few others are on my ambient Mount Rushmore. I also love pretty much any distorted mumble rape / experimental pop. Stuff like 2hollis or Carti or even ST6 or Ian that are always clipping is awesome to me. And love Slayyyter.
Q: When people look back on this era of Oceanic years from now, what do you hope they’ll remember the most?
A: I think I want them to remember I’m Your Boy and Wash Away the most. Those are the two that have stuck out as the most influential and meaningful over the time they’ve been released. Really I’d like to remember the music and the show that they went to see around this era.
Q: If you could have any artist, living or dead, cover “Wash Away”, who would you choose?
A: Well we released a version of it with Lady Die, and that’s probably the answer. Julia is a dear friend of ours (for many years) and she has the absolute most perfect voice you could ever imagine. So basically we’re already living our dreams.
Q: What advice would today’s version of you give to the artist you were a year ago?
A: Post more on the Instagram application. Feed the Zuck machine. Real advice would be to listen to the people around you who you trust. For example, thanks to some helpful advice, we’re now self-producing our music and it’s been an absolute blast. And it’s been great for the music.
Q: If you could leave one message for someone who’s about to hear your music for the first time, what would you say?
A: We care about you and would like to be your friend.