On “Ocean Serenade,” the debut single from The DADA Project, Diane Arkenstone and David Arkenstone open a creative new chapter, one that feels refreshingly of the moment while remaining firmly in line with the visionary spirit they've sustained throughout decades of groundbreaking instrumental music. Quite simply, two of the unsung individual pioneers of modern New Age, meet again to traverse new, unparalleled terrains together.
“Ocean Serenade” is built on a rhythmic pulsing base that undulates like tides, quiet but insistent and quietly thrilling. In this mix, The DADA Project pulls vocals as softly as possible, an easy step into a softer, relaxed world for the listener. The song offers a vision of an environment where people are connected to their surroundings, mirroring a yearning for beauty that is both inside and out. The result is work that feels emotionally grounding while also providing a sense of forward momentum.
This premiere uses Diane and David’s well-oiled forces to create something that nonetheless comes across as never before seen. Their extensive background across genres from ambient and world music to immersive video-game scores is evident in the song’s layered textures, which flit by intuitively. “Ocean Serenade” also possesses the intimacy of a profoundly personal creative reset, that moment when two master artists are determined to return to music-making with open intention and fresh curiosity.
The DADA Project's “Ocean Serenade” isn’t just a reunion but a reinvention. It establishes the scene for a corpus of work that is imposing, rejuvenating, and unfailingly imaginative, an invitation to breathe out, listen in, and step into a world more concordant.