[Cover photo credit to Neil Shukla]
Brooklyn-based songwriter Elise Okusami’s project Oceanator is back with a newly expanded edition of their 2024 album, Everything is Love and Death. Everything is Love and Death (Deluxe Edition) features alternate versions of album tracks “Happy New Year” and “Lullaby,” along with new remixes from NNAMDÏ, as well as Okusami’s Polyvinyl labelmates Chris Farren (aka Sees Challengers Once) and Plato III.
Okusami shares the following:
When I originally wrote the songs for this record I did two versions of some of them. “Happy New Year” was one of those – I had the “pop rock” version and the “chill” version (that’s what I called the demos). The pop rock one fit better on the album, but I always loved the chill version, too, so I had the idea to re-record the demo of that, and do a scarier version of “Lullaby,” and then figured while I’m at it, might as well get some people I admire to do some remixes! So stoked with what they came up with using my songs!
Originally released on August 30, 2024, Everything is Love and Death showcases principal songwriter Elise Okusami’s Pop sensibilities. It was Produced by Grammy nominated engineer/producer Will Yip (Turnstile, Bartees Strange).
Okusami has a certain framework for her music, which came to bear on her latest album:
In the literal sense, all my songs are about apocalypse and love. I think that most of the events in your life that are important can be put into either or both of those categories. With Things I Never Said and then Nothing’s Ever Fine, Everything is Love and Death feels like a summation of those ideas.
Some of Okusami’s influences include Power Pop, Skate Punk, and 90s Alt-Rock. Working for the first time with Grammy nominated producer Will Yip, Okusami was given an opportunity to spend a full month in the studio, longer than ever before, “in order to take time in build out the songs she had written around the core tenants of love and death.”
Oceanator Tour Dates
09/13 – Kittery, ME @ SOME Fest
09/14 – Catskill, NY @ Avalon Lounge
09/20 – Amherst, MA @ The Drake *
09/21 – Boston, MA @ The Sinclair *
09/22 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *
09/24 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s *
09/28 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat *
10/02 – Chicago, IL @ Schubas *
10/03 – Detroit, MI @ The Sanctuary *
10/04 – Toronto, ON @ Sneaky Dee’s *
10/24 – Gainesville, FL @ The FEST
11/21 – Los Angeles, CA @ Scribble *
11/22 – San Francisco, CA @ Swedish American Hall *
11/23 – Portland, OR @ Polaris Hall *
11/24 – Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project *
* w/ Laura Stevenson
