Ocean Alley Essentials

Ocean Alley spins the sun and surf of its native Australia into a groovy blend of reggae, soul, psychedelia, and classic rock. Bonding on a love of Pink Floyd, Dire Straits, and Bob Marley, the group of six friends began jamming in a backyard shed in Sydney’s Northern Beaches in 2011. Those casual sessions transformed into vibrant live performances and loose, lively recordings that encapsulate the sextet’s coastal environs and disparate influences. A triple-guitar threat—including Angus Goodwin, Mitch Galbraith, and frontman Baden Donegal—the collective weaves woozy psych riffs through sauntering reggae rhythms on collections like 2013’s Donovan-alluding Yellow Mellow. That foundation has held strong through 2018’s sultry, soulful breakout single “Confidence” and the heavier rock meditations of 2022’s Low Altitude Living—a name that honors the band’s organic, laid-back approach.