The Ocean "Solaris" CD

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• digisleeve printed on 360 g/sm cream-coloured cardboard with metallic red hot foil print • foldout booklet The end of The Ocean’s 2023 album Holocene concludes with a bleak visio n of adystopian landscape on Earth, depleted and uninhabitable. The only option to ensuresurvival is a drastic course of action; one that signals a new era: the creation of new,artificial worlds with living conditions resembling those on Earth. Human intelligenceforms the foundation of technological progress; yet it is precisely this progress thatinevitably leads to self-destruction. As rational beings, we are fundamentally just ascapable of initiating our own extinction as we are of preventing it.Since the release of Holocene, The Ocean itself has gone through radical changes, andthe arrival of a new album in the shape of Solaris signals the beginning of a new era forthe band. Solaris introduces new vocalists Lane Shi and Enrico Tiberi, as well as guitarists Emmanuel Jessua andMarco Gennaro, who join founding guitarist Robin Staps, longtime bassist Mattias Hägerstrand, anddrummer Jordi Farré. Each contributes their own unique flair to bring to life the near-70 minute opus thatmarks a new high point for The Ocean in terms of ambition and narrative scope.As theHolocene-era lineup collapsed in the wake of heavy touring, shifting life priorities and bandmembers moving away to other countries, Staps contemplated the future of the band he had dedicatedalmost 25 years of his life to. The way forward became clear through a series of chance encounters andexisting connections: one by one, pieces of the new band formation fell into place, and when the oldlineup played their last show at Hellfest 2025, he found himself already in the middle of working on a newalbum. Existing instrumental compositions gained a new impetus under the gaze of the fresh incarnationof The Ocean, and over the course of 2025, Solaris began to take on a tangible shape and presence.Solaris is the name of an intelligent ocean in Andrey Tarkovsky’s 1972 film of the same name, andcombines the dystopian sci-fi storytelling with existential contemplation inspired by the journals andrecords of real-life explorers. By poring over the historic documents related to explorers such as DaGama, Magellan, and Sir Frances Drake,Solaris draws parallels between the cosmic explorations ofTarkovsky’s film, the explorative nature of artists and current-day political leaders. It asks questions ofthose among us who are seekers; what is the psychological cost of being so driven? What do we leavebehind in pursuit of answers? What is the tipping point between exploring new terrains and dominatingthem for our own gain? Solaris is The Ocean’s 12th studio album – one that honours the progress of the band to date andimbues it with a fresh sense of intensity.Featuring members from six different countries in the core lineup, The Ocean returns to its collective formation and is able to draw on the experiences and talents of apool of extraordinary musicians. Whilst never seeking to replicate what has gone before, Enrico Tiberi’svocals deliver a familiarity, energy and vocal range that is sure to resonate with long-time fans of TheOcean. Meanwhile, Lane Shi who used to sing for the American band Elizabeth Colour Wheel and alsoperforms under the solo moniker Otay:Onii adds a new direction to The Ocean sound and performance,comprising elements and experience as a musician and performance artist who has appearedat eventssuch as CTM, Biennale or as part of Florentina Holzinger’s polarizing opera production ‘Sancta‘.For the recording ofSolaris, they expanded the circle further still to incorporate the contributions ofThorsten Quaeschning of Tangerine Dream on modular synths, Greek composer Orestis Zafiriou(Playgrounded) who also contributed electronics and synths to the record, and Simen Eifring ofNorwegian post rock actSpurv on trombone. During a week of collaborative work at Quaeschning’sstudio in Berlin-Rudow, the synth maestro immersed himself deeply in the rhythmically intricate world ofThe Ocean lurking beneath the surface — a challenge for his work with step sequencers.In many ways,Solaris signals a homecoming for the band who played more than 100 shows per yearsince the end of the pandemic, on all continents except Antarctica. The meeting point for the line up –both literally and figuratively – is immortalised in the opening track 52°30’11” N, 13°26’12“ E, thecoordinates of the band’s studio and rehearsal space in Berlin. The album was tracked at the legendaryHansa Studios, Berlin, where David Bowie’sLow andHeroes, Iggy Pop’sLust For Life and DepecheMode’sConstruction Time Again were recorded. Within the studio walls,Solaris became a living,breathing testament to the power of exploration and teamwork. With new vocalist Tiberi being a virtuouspiano player and multi-instrumentalist, the tones of the celesta, grand piano, Rhodes and Hammondbecame an integral and idiosyncratic component of theSolaris sound. The Ocean’s signatureatmospheric post-metal is embellished by the adventurous spirit of their new members, as well as thecontributions from the excellent guest musicians. Like the opener, the album’s closing track title are coordinates again, this time making reference to thehistoric exploration of the South American continent: Ultima Esperanza (Spanish: “last hope”) is aprovince in Southern Patagonia, the fictional cosmic journey ends back on earth. It’s a full circleconceptually and musically, concluding with the same haunting sound of the celesta as at the verybeginning of the record.After taking a different route with previous albumHolocene, the expansive and organic sound of Solarisis once again the work of Swedish producer Jens Bogren, who already mixed the band’s most popularalbumsPelagial andPhanerozoic I andII. “In the light of the recent lineup changes, we wanted to offerour fans a core sound that they are familiar with”, says Staps. The level of attention to detail extends beyond the musical component ofSolaris. The Ocean haveenlisted the talents of filmmaker Craig Murray to bring the album’s narrative elements to life in a visceraland captivating way. TheSolaris album artwork is a collaborative effort by German artist Phillip Janta,and Norwegian designer Martin Kvamme. Janta is best known for his work with Metallica, Queens Of theStone Age, Envy or Emma Ruth Rundle; his distinctive, highly detailed line work is instantlyrecognisable.Kvamme has worked with The Ocean on all albums since 2007’sPrecambrian, and hasworked on many Mike Patton projects over the years.The deluxe version of the record comes as a fabric-wrapped hardcover book designed like a historicalnautical diary, with 6 screen prints by Janta, a celestial constellation finder and other printed ephemerathat further bind fantastical storytelling to real-life.When it comes to album packaging, The Ocean havealways gone to the limits of what is physically possible, andSolaris is no exception. In the age ofstreaming and thumbnail-sized album art,Solaris —with its sharp focus on physical formats— stands asan absolute statement album. Solaris is a place where fiction and reality meet; an open invitation to join The Ocean on this next leg oftheir voyage, through the cosmos and into the unknown. Biography by Becky Laverty Show more