Adam Newling Rails Against Life's Uncertainty on 'Ocean'

Adam Newling has returned with his second beautifully mellow song of the year.

“Ocean” thoughtfully considers what it feels like to be overwhelmed by life and all its uncertainty. In his trademark growl, Newling offers words of hope.

“I know you never learnt to swim / But don’t be scared of the water / I know that there’s a chance you’ll sink / But don’t you just want to fall in?” he pleads, and it’s only by giving ourselves fully to life that we stand any chance of overcoming its precariousness.

The singer-songwriter’s new single is gently anthemic and lightly rousing, offering soothing encouragement for any listener in need of being uplifted.

The song is also, according to Newling, for the kids. “”Ocean” is a song I wrote for my 15-year-old self,” he explains. “When I was that age mental health wasn’t a conversation we had all that often. I hung out in circles where I saw a lot of kids lost and not coping, resorting to drugs, crime and self-harm, myself included. So this is a song for those kids.”

“Ocean” follows Newling’s first single of 2023, “Round the Houses”, a sublime collaboration with Scandinavian/English singer-songwriter Kristina Karsegård, whose lovely lilt delicately counterbalanced Newling’s signature grit.

“Ocean” also arrives just in time for the beginning of Newling’s Australian tour, which will see him play in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide in June (see full dates below). Expect the anthemic “Ocean” to be a fan favourite at the upcoming shows.