Tide Lines

Saturday, V65

There’s a palpable sense of longing that pours out of the songs of Tide Lines, a folk-pop four-piece whose roots begin in the Scottish Highlands, around the country’s islands, all the way down to the bustling hive of Glasgow. The vast and verdant expanse of Scotland’s most mountainous region pervades the band’s anthemic brand of folk, but at its beating heart, their music is fixed firmly on the horizon.

Led by lead singer and principal songwriter Robert Robertson – who originates from Lochaber and spent his formative years honing his musicianship in various cèilidh bands and Gaelic choirs – Tide Lines escapist ambitions were evident from the get-go. 

Forming in 2016 with Alasdair Turner (guitar and bagpipes), Ross Wilson (keyboards) and Fergus Munro (drums), their initial single releases ‘The Young And The Restless’ and ‘Far Side Of The World’ were clear intentions of their youthful desire to explore a world beyond their borders. It’s their traditional sensibilities, however, that anchors Robertson’s songwriting and awards the band their unique appeal – the dichotomy of conjuring imagery that’s inextricably tied to their homeland and its serene beauty, but centred around the perennially relatable message of the human desire for connection and the kinds of chance encounters you bypass from being entrenched in the same place you grew up. 

This restless notion fed into Tide Lines’ work ethic, who would release their 2017 debut album Dreams We Never Lost not long after the band’s conception. Their humble, grassroots graft clearly went down well with audiences too. They’re an independent band with a fundamentally independent spirit which has endeared them to domestic fans as well as folk aficionados further afield. Tide Lines continue to cultivate their online community by using their social media platforms as a two-way forum rather than simply a promotional tool, posting performance videos of new tracks in idyllic local surrounds or offering guitar tutorials to learn certain songs.

The four-piece’s passionate fanbase has steadily snowballed since, culminating in the lofty chart position of their 2020 sophomore album Eye Of The Storm. Self-produced and self-released throughout lockdown of that year, it was a sizable feat peaking at No.12 in the UK’s official album charts without being able to effectively promote their second full-length (with the exception of a ten-day virtual world tour of livestream shows) with live music being shut down during the pandemic. It was indicative of the band’s dedication and close bond with their growing fanbase – after years on the road garnering word-of-mouth praise, the hard work paid off.