Ocean Alley have released a sun-soaked music video for their track “First Blush”, continuing their huge run following the release of Love Balloon.
Playing like a series of postcards, the video captures an afternoon on the water in Waikiki, on holiday at the end of tour back in 2024. Shot by Jamieson Kerr and Tyler Bell, it’s filled with breezy, joyful and intimate moments between the band and their families and friends – across sun, sand and surf.
The video lands amid growing buzz for the track, with “First Blush” holding strong as the No. 1 most played song on triple j, while also peaking at No. 22 on the Australian Shazam Charts, cementing its place as a fan favourite from the recent album.
Check it out below.
Recorded in three stages over roughly three months, Love Balloon (via Community Music) is Ocean Alley’s fifth studio album, and first to feature the sonic talents of legendary rock producer Nick DiDia. It was the Sydney indie-rock outfit’s third consecutive collection to hit No. 3 on the ARIA Charts, following 2020’s Lonely Diamond and 2022’s Low Altitude Living. Their breakthrough second album from 2018, Chiaroscuro, which housed the triple j Hottest 100 leader “Confidence,” reached No. 11.
Ocean Alley are taking the album on tour, kicking off this month with stops in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, Fremantle, and Margaret River – their biggest headline shows to date.
The East Coast shows will feature Nothing But Thieves, Rainbow Kitten Surprise, and Ruby Fields, while the West Coast welcomes Skegss, Ruby Fields, and Smol Fish. The band has extended the run across the Australian coast and regional locations, set to visit Canberra, Torquay, Lake Macquarie, Sunshine Coast and Adelaide in March. They will be joined by an all-star lineup including Skegss, Allah-Las (all shows except Adelaide), Babe Rainbow, The Grogans (Adelaide only), Mid Drift, Le Shiv and Seaside – with all shows selling fast.
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Before the new year, Ocean Alley surprised fans with the release of Live in Melbourne ’23 – a live album and concert film recorded at John Cain Arena during their last Australian tour. Capturing the band’s swagger and technical finesse, the performance gives fans a chance to relive the magic of their last home run and a taste of what’s to come on their upcoming shows.
2025 was a landmark year for the band, with a headline show at London’s Alexandra Palace, North and South American tours including their first dates in Brazil, Chile, and Mexico, plus major festival appearances at Lollapalooza, Sziget, and Austin City Limits.
Their breakthrough hit “Confidence” also placed No. 65 in triple j’s Hottest 100 of Australian Songs, while Love Balloon peaked at No. 1 on the ARIA Vinyl and Australian Album Charts and spent 12 weeks in the Top 10 of the Australian Album Charts.
For tour and ticket information, see here.
