Tides sounds like summer, is released in spring, and contains a song titled “Snow Day.” While this mix may seem discordant, it fits the album’s theme of ebbs and flows and the cyclical nature of life.The album has already spawned a number of singles, including the house-inflected “GLY,” later remixed by Hot Chip and DJ BORING; the brassy, breezy, Brazil-toned “True Colors” (no relation to the Cyndi Lauper tune), which spawned a Pt. 2 with guest rapping by Erick the Architect & Lord Apex; and of course, the languid and chill “Snow Day,” which we featured in January when it was still snowing. As we realize that we’ve already been enjoying the album for an entire season, and “GLY,” released last April, for nearly 12 months, the theme begins to sink in. The world has been through a lot since then, and so have we; the songs have become pleasant memories, but we’re still playing them, even though the context has changed.
“GLY” receives the gift of a prelude on Tides, which makes its arrival spark a smile of recognition akin to that of a dancer hearing a familiar song at a club. To hear last year’s promise, “I’m gonna love you,” makes one wonder how far the relationship has progressed since then; everything on the album suggests that it has blossomed. “Halo” is innocent and angelic, its heavenly associations cemented by harp samples, its warmth enhanced by the strings that continue past the final beats. It’s easy to imagine an ambient remix of this piece, and since the earlier Silver Linings album was followed by a remix set, we imagine the event recurring: another example of ebb and flow. As for the piano-laced “Snow Day,” strings occupying the direct center, we can’t imagine a better take.
If any song represents the “now,” it’s “Magnolia,” referred to by Bandcamp as “Spring;” we suspect the title has changed after reassessment. A Chinese vocal sample rests at the song’s center; while one listens, one looks forward to seeing the magnificent trees during their two-week bloom. The ephemeral nature of the blossom makes “Magnolia” a better title, reinforcing the album’s theme. When George King (Catching Flies) writes, “sadness gives way to happiness,” many will imagine such a spring, although the southern hemisphere has entered autumn and may receive the tracks in an inverted manner, dancing to “Orsay” as the leaves begin to fall. The title track closes the set, hinting at the experience of seeing the sea for the very first time. No matter what season one may inhabit, Tides tugs the soul upward, away from sorrow in the direction of joy. (Richard Allen)