If 90’s grunge had a baby with The Pretenders, you would get ‘A Crack In The World,’ the lead single from Oceanator’s debut LP, Things I Never Said. If the album, due out August 28th, is anything like its lead single, fans are in for a treat. ‘A Crack In The World’ walks the fine line of being a breath of fresh air musically while remaining lyrically dense. The first eighty percent of the song is an up-tempo, fuzzy-guitared commentary on the all-too-common realization many come to experience in life, especially in your twenties: the expectations, plans, and dreams you had are not coming to fruition – while simultaneously coming to the understanding that the everyday grind of life is the new normal. The remaining twenty percent is where the song goes to another level – rising from simply catchy to a song with meaning… a song that creates a connection with the listener. The end of the song drops tempo to sludgy guitar (hello early 90’s) while also changing the lyrical content to optimistic defiance. It cannot be overstated how powerful the change of tempo/lyrical content is to end ‘A Crack In The World.’ Most of the song is musically upbeat and happy with lyrics that are not. The change to the sludgy guitars and slower tempo puts a focus and heaviness on the happier message to end the song: “And I’m still trying my best/You know it keeps getting harder and harder every day/When you see the news of the tv, on the radio/ But I’ll keep trying to keep the skies blue anyway. ” Damn!

Elise Okusami, A.K.A. Oceanator, is releasing Things I Never Said under Plastic Miracles record label. Her bio states that she has been a musician since first learning guitar at the ripe old age of 9, and that she is the sole band member but “sometimes my friends play, too.” Hailing from Brooklyn, NY, the Oceanator name is explained by the following: “Immense amounts of wonder and power are often found tucked away in the most dark and unpredictable parts of the ocean. In much the same way, immense amounts of wonder and power can be found throughout Brooklyn, NY solo artist Oceanator’s work– even in the most dark and unpredictable moments.” ‘A Crack In The World’ is a testament to this description. August 28th and the release of Things I Never Said cannot get here fast enough!

This review is written by MuzicNotez writer Dustin Mathias. Follow him on Twitter @DustinMathias31 & Instagram @dusmima