John Drake Unveils Debut Solo Single 'Ocean' Following His Departure From The Dust Coda

John Drake steps into the spotlight with his debut solo single, Ocean, set for release on 4th April 2025, with the track offering a tantalising taste of what can be expected from his highly anticipated debut album, Separation Songs which is due later this year.

Taking inspiration from the evocative sounds of legends David Bowie and Peter Gabriel, Ocean channels groove, soul, and melancholy, with a glimmer of hope running through its core. Drake describes Ocean as “a song about dreaming big but feeling very small, like you could get swallowed up by your own fears and the gravity of your dreams”.

The release of Ocean marks the beginning of a new chapter for the British Australian vocalist and songwriter, who contributed to the success of The Dust Coda. Alongside his bandmates, Drake saw chart success with Mojo Skyline (2021) which climbed to No. 27 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 3 on the Rock Chart, while Loco Paradise (2023) secured the No. 36 spot in the UK Albums Chart and topped the Rock Albums Chart. The band capped their remarkable run with a European and UK tour, including a career-defining Hyde Park performance supporting Guns N’ Roses. Their hit track Demon gained the admiration of Sir Elton John, earning a spot on his Rocket Hour show and the coveted ‘Elton John: Loves’ Spotify playlist.

Ocean was written at a time when Drake was experiencing self-doubt and there was an air of uncertainty about the direction his life was heading in. The track comes from a place of trying to dream up a new life, but not quite being able to get the pieces of the puzzle to fit together so you knock them off the table and start over. Speaking of the recording process, Drake says: “It started feeling quite slick and commercial, so what we did, which is something I often do when a track is going down one direction, I juxtapose it with something completely opposite, in this case we threw some nasty fat beats and some seventies percussive barely audible bowie style acoustic guitars over it.”

Drake’s decision to leave the band he co-founded over a decade ago and embark on a solo career was not made lightly, with him stating: “Leaving The Dust Coda was scary and took a giant leap of faith, but I knew there was a whole world out there creatively for me—I just had to get to the other side, onto dry land”.  

With the album Separation Songs and its lead single Ocean, John Drake is embarking on a bold and personal creative journey, signalling a promising new era for fans of modern indie thought-provoking rock infused with emotional depth and storytelling.

Pre-save Ocean here

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BIOGRAPHY

When Brisbane born singer-songwriter John Drake stepped off the stage in London's Hyde park in the summer of 2023, having performed to over 60,000 people supporting the legendary Guns ‘n Roses, he felt a surge of wild achievement, as a pinnacle had been reached, but also the strongest call for home had ever experienced.

It had been 13 years since Drake co-founded The Dust Coda, a classic rock ‘n’ roll band in London in 2010, racking up countless miles and performances across Europe and the United Kingdom. In that time, The Dust Coda made significant waves with their 2021 sophomore album Mojo Skyline, which peaked at No. 27 on the UK Albums Chart and secured No. 3 in the Rock category. In 2023, the momentum continued with their third album Loco Paradise, climbing to No. 36 in the UK and topping the Rock Albums Chart at No. 1. Their track Demongarnered the attention of Sir Elton John, earning airtime on his Beats 1 show Rocket Hour and a spot on the prestigious ‘Elton John: Loves’ Spotify playlist.

After so many years away from Australia, Drake knew it was time for a change, propelled by a need to bring to life the contemplative, introspective songs he had been writing for the last decade.

These songs can be found on his debut solo album Separation Songs, an album which was recorded over two years, between Brisbane and London. Completed in September 2024 with ARIA-winning engineer Cody McWaters and longtime friend and producer Chass Guthrie, this album draws from influences such as War on Drugs, early Tame Impala, Nick Cave, Paul Kelly, Radiohead and Bruce Springsteen, to blend introspective storytelling with cinematic, sonic landscapes.