THE OCEAN are an exceptional band, and not just since yesterday. For years the Berlin collective has stood out because of its musical depth, seriousness and high artistic standards. Since their instrumental album “Fogdiver” and the subsequent “Aeolian” it has been clear they are onto something really special in the realm of post-hardcore/noise/ambient music. With “Precambrian”, THE OCEAN have set themselves a monument – from the stunning design by award-winning artist Martin Kvamme, to the double album’s comprehensive concept, to the ambitious music of this behemoth created by 26 participating musicians. Two entirely different CDs bring the listener back to the dawn of Mother Earth. Atmospheric, dense, beautiful – as well as brutal, heavy and destructive. That’s “Precambrian”, the first stage of the Earth’s evolution subdivided into two successive geological eons (“Hadean/Archean” and “Proterozoic”). The songs are divided into 5 subordinate eras, with the song titles carrying the names of subordinate geological periods. There’s no doubt about it – no one calling themselves a fan of highly demanding, alternative, artful music can afford to miss THE OCEAN.