Drawing us in with an ethereal soundscape with astral intricacies, dynamic textures and cerebral nuances, Evelí Ray opens Ocean of You with atmospheric vocals as she sings, “I flow in the ocean of you, my eternal fountain of peace, I flow in the ocean of you, the secret of my dreams…”
The opus expands with layered vocals and a sound design akin to being underwater, taking us on a dramatic and connected journey. We immediately connect with the high spiritual quotient of the song, the star’s poetic prowess, and her intentional nature.
Speaking on the message of her immersive masterpiece, Evelí Ray confesses, “The song was inspired by the quote of Sufi poet, Rumi – ‘You’re not a drop in the ocean. You’re the entire ocean in a drop’. This is a deeply spiritual song as it talks about our origin from the ocean of energy of love where we are all one. This love is us. When we connect with it individually, we can find it then in our relationships. We are able to truly give because our cup is already full. We don’t need anyone to fill it up for us. This is when we can enjoy the pure exchange of love with the other person.”
Ocean of You holds a transcendental energy, fusing electronica, with double bass and Eastern instruments including the duduk, tabla and oud to tap into that spiritual frequency. The soundscape cohesively brings to life the message of the song, rooted in universal themes of oneness with a dimensional edge.
Evelí Ray tells us, “I am not a religious person, but I believe in the intelligent loving force in the universe that guides us at all times. This song talks about wandering in the shadows and longing for light. There are periods in our lives when we feel disconnected somehow – scared, anxious or lost. It’s very easy to make bad choices then and lose hope. We might reconnect with the source of love (this ocean of energy we all come from) within in silence and then share it in the arms of the beloved.”
With reference to her sonic influences, Evelí Ray cites “brave and thought-provoking artists who were able to bring freshness, break a taboo and create atmosphere” including Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, Thom Yorke and David Bowie, as well as Nordic artists such as Ane Brun, Bjork, Marie Boine, Sigur Ros, Eivor, and Olafur Arnalds. We can feel these come through with what Evelí Ray creates, but it is clear that she is manifesting a universe of her own.
We learn that Evelí Ray worked with bass guitarist Marcos Exposito from Uruguay, guitarist, oud, mandoline and ney player Joan Miró from Catalunya, and percussionist Pablo Cruz, from Argentina for the track. For her upcoming record, Evelí Ray also teamed up with Pablo Giménez on quenacho, bombo leguero and flute, Antonio Mazzei on piano, Blai Vidal on duduk, Aleix Tobias on percussion and sound effects, whilst Juan Martín Medina performed soprano saxophone, Mario Ersinger the udu and tabla, and Salvador Toscano shared his skill on percussion.
We deeply connect with what Evelí Ray is creating, and her conscious and intentional artistry. We have added Ocean of You to our New Music Spotlight playlist and our new TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists, whilst we continue to stream Evelí Ray‘s wider discography, and immerse ourselves in the cinematic visual for the opus which brings to life the sentiment of the track perfectly.
