Ocean Alley Release Fifth Album 'Love Balloon'

Globally renowned rockers Ocean Alley today return with their most vibrant and confident body of work yet, unveiling their fifth studio album Love Balloon, out now independently via Community Music. The release is led by the luminous focus track and video ‘Drenched’, capturing the six-piece’s gift for transforming vulnerability into something cathartic and universally resonant.

To mark the release, Ocean Alley are joining forces with Auckland hotspot Darling on Drake for a one-off pop-up party this Saturday, 20 September. Kicking off at 2pm, the celebration will give fans the chance to purchase exclusive vinyl variants, signed records, and limited merch bundles, along with the chance to win a selection of epic prizes on the day. Spaces are limited and fans are encouraged to RSVP now at this link to secure their spot.

Across 10 tracks, Love Balloon takes listeners on a journey through life and love in all its complexity, anchored by moments of light, vulnerability and connection. Written during a time of significant personal milestones for each band member, that undercurrent fed directly into their pursuit of new sounds. With legendary rock producer Nick DiDia (Bruce Springsteen, Rage Against The Machine, Powderfinger) at the helm, the album embraces a stripped-back, organic approach that prioritised spontaneity and openness through the recording process. Woven with influences as diverse as Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Bee Gees, Kokoroko and GUM, it wears its inspirations with reverence while carving out its own distinct Ocean Alley-flair.

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Keyboardist and vocalist Lach Galbraith shared, “The album explores the many layered dimensions of love - not just the cinematic kind where you're falling head over heels, but the full spectrum: joy, hurt, discomfort and disappointment. Let’s call it the river of love - whether it’s with a partner, a friend, or family, you never know when it’ll get deep, go shallow, or suddenly change course. It’s such a force that you have to just surrender to its current.”

From the disarmingly simple four-chord progression that opens ‘First Blush’, there is an immediate shift from records past - its melodic ease feels instantly familiar, like a song that you’ve always known. The toasty, sun-soaked ‘Tangerine’ has already cemented itself as an audience favourite, while the driving beat of ‘Thru Everything’ and the bluesy swagger of ‘Left Of The Dealer’ showcase the strength of the band’s rock DNA. At the album’s core sits the buoyant title track ‘Love Balloon’ - anchored by an irresistible groove, pulsating bassline and shimmering guitar riff, threaded with Nile Rodgers-inspired funk that marks playful new territory for the group. And closing track ‘Drenched’, which drifts in like golden hour, warmed by slide guitar and subtle country twang, soaring on vintage synths and whirling guitars. Baden Donegal’s hypnotic vocals swell with dizzying self-reflection to glimmers of hope and release, it’s a finale that transforms introspection into bliss. The accompanying video was inspired by a wave of early-2000s nostalgia, drawing on director Duncan Wright’s own memories of growing up skating and “being ratbags when there wasn’t any swell” in Gracetown where the clip was shot - and aligning similarly to how the Ocean Alley boys grew up. Channeling that energy, the video features first-time actors alongside the band, who were given the freedom to play around in different scenes… surfing, loitering and capturing the carefree spirit of youth.

Love Balloon is a triumphant record that celebrates joy, reckons with change and reaffirms Ocean Alley’s deep commitment to each other and to the music that binds them. It’s the sound of a band pushing their creative limits, surprising at every turn, and reminding us that emotional truth doesn’t need to be complicated to be profound.

To celebrate the release, Ocean Alley will take Love Balloon on the road in early 2026 for their biggest Australasian headline shows to date. Kiwi fans can catch them headlining Spark Arena on Friday 27 February before a huge outdoor set at Christchurch’s sold out Electric Avenue on Saturday 28 February.

The Australasian run will follow a huge slate of international dates throughout 2025, including festival appearances at Lollapalooza, Sziget and Austin City Limits; two North American tours; the band’s first-ever shows in South America; and their largest headline show to date at London’s iconic 10,000-capacity Alexandra Palace.

With a catalogue surpassing 1 billion streams and a reputation for their magnetic live performances, Ocean Alley have cemented themselves as one of Australasian’s most influential contemporary bands. Their breakthrough hit “Confidence” topped triple j’s Hottest 100 in 2018, has since gone 5x Platinum in New Zealand and charted around the world, plus most recently placed #65 in triple j’s Hottest 100 of Australian Songs. 

With Love Balloon, Ocean Alley step into a bold new chapter - a band at the height of their powers, bringing their most open, spontaneous and radiant work to life on their biggest stages yet

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