Chasing the Feeling

With a catalogue that has surpassed one billion streams, nine Gold-certified singles and a reputation for magnetic live shows, Ocean Alley have well and truly carved out their place in Australia’s musical landscape. Fresh from the release of their new album Love Balloon — which debuted at #3 on the ARIA Albums Chart — and kicking off a national tour for 2026, the Northern Beaches-born band continue to evolve without losing the sun-soaked swagger that first put them on the map. Lach Galbraith chats to LOCALE about chasing a feeling in the studio, life on the road, and why home still hits hardest.

I’ve had Love Balloon on repeat — it’s such a laid-back, magnetic track. When you were writing it, were you chasing a feeling or just letting it flow naturally?

In all moments of exploring and writing with the band, it is equal parts chasing a feeling and natural flow. We knew we wanted an energetic, heartfelt foot-tapper like Love Balloon on the album, but we had no idea what that would sound like or where to begin.

I brought some chord ideas to a jam session one afternoon and showed the lads. From there it was our familiar process — trying sounds, playing with rhythm, and turning things on their head in every way we could think of. It’s always a bit of discovery mixed with intention.

First Blush recently hit triple j’s #1 most played track and has become a clear fan favourite. How does it feel to see it connect so strongly — and did that response influence the way you approached the video?

We all have a strong emotional connection to First Blush, so seeing it resonate like that is incredibly gratifying. It’s endearing, really. We’re genuinely thankful to everyone who’s given one of our favourite tracks the time of day.

For the music video, we wanted to lean into the nostalgia that the song swims in. It’s a call back to the “good old days” — growing up as grommets on the Northern Beaches, getting up to mischief, hanging with your mates without a care in the world. Duncan Wright, who directed the clip, captured that feeling perfectly.

Releasing Live in Melbourne ’23 gives fans the chance to relive that energy. Was it about capturing a moment in time, or setting the tone for this national tour?

Whenever we release footage from past shows, it’s about capturing a moment in time, for the audience and for ourselves. It lets us look back at the path we’ve travelled and gives us perspective on where we’re headed.

But in that same breath, it definitely worked as a bit of a primer for the 2026 national run. ¿Por qué no los dos.

Confidence was a defining breakout track and still feels iconic. How did its success change the way you write and perform?

To be honest, we’re always looking to try new things. We’re not interested in rinsing and repeating a format just because it’s worked before. Confidence was a defining moment for us, so the only natural thing to do after that is write something even more defining!

Tangerine was inspired by your Nullarbor road trip. How did that journey shape the vibe and storytelling?

Driving coast to coast across Australia is something I’d recommend to anyone. We live in such a geographically diverse and beautiful country, and driving is one of the best ways to experience it. From golden shores to alpine peaks to arid deserts, hued with every colour you can imagine, it’s almost impossible to not be inspired. 

With Love Balloon debuting at #3 on the ARIA Albums Chart and spending weeks in the Top 10, does that level of success still catch you off guard?

There’s always a bit of a pinch-yourself moment. A lot of the time it doesn’t feel real, especially because we started this journey with no clear idea of where it would end up.

We try to stay humble and keep working hard. At the end of the day, we’re just happy to be doing what we love, and even happier that people get as much enjoyment out of the music as we do.

You’ve toured extensively across Australia and internationally. Is there a place that brings out something different in your live shows?

We recently played our first shows in South America — particularly Brazil — and we’ve never heard a crowd sing that loudly. It was unreal.

That said, playing at home in Australia always stands out. We just played our biggest show to date at The Domain in Sydney and I’m still buzzing from it. It’s sick to have so many people show up just for you. There’s no place like home!

Your catalogue now exceeds one billion streams, with nine singles certified Gold or higher. Does that commercial success feel surreal — or is it just part of the rhythm now?

We definitely acknowledge that we’ve reached a level of success beyond what we imagined, and we make a conscious effort to stay grounded in spite of it all. At the same time, I also think that having the mindset to accept that things like this are now the norm is part of what will help the longevity for us in this as a career. As a group — and as mates — we’ve had to recognise that we’re not messing around anymore. This is serious for us, and if we’re serious about it, we need to treat it as such.

Your live shows are described as magnetic yet precise. How do you strike that balance, and how has your approach evolved since those early Northern Beaches gigs?

From the beginning, we’ve tried to be as strong as possible live. That’s always been the most important thing to us. Like any young band, we played plenty of rough shows early on, but we made a real effort to get together every week and jam, just to hone our craft. There wasn’t some grand plan behind it; we just loved doing it. Years of writing, exploring and getting to know each other inside out, that’s where the precision comes from. There’s no substitute for hard work.

You hail from Sydney’s Northern Beaches but now call the Northern Rivers home. How has living here influenced the band?

We’re all products of our environment. Every artist understands that. Whether we like it or not, our lives dictate how we feel, communicate and express ourselves. We’ve found the right space for us to thrive.

Touring is intense and fast-paced. When you get rare downtime, what helps you reset?

Touring is both the most fun and most demanding thing the six of us have ever had the privilege to do. It’s a dichotomy by nature.

When we’re off the road, we each have our own cornerstone that keeps us grounded. We surf, swim, fish, work out, camp, spend time with family and pets. Personally, I just like to blend in and be with my family. Time at home is never wasted.

You’ve just kicked off your national tour. What’s next after Australia — new music, international shows, or some downtime?

A bit of everything and anything. We’re always looking to push boundaries and try new stuff. Keep us within earshot and maybe we’ll surprise you again this year.