An Ocean Full of Islands

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The band’s third, self-produced album is titled ‘An Ocean Full of Islands’ and is set for release in February. I ask what led them down the self-produced route. It was, he says, a natural next step for the band, although, the bagpipes appear slightly less than on the previous albums. What are some of your stand-out highlights from performing this year, which has seen you be part of the National Lottery’s Revive Live Tour and your sold-out Town Hall Tour of Scotland? That audience, Robert confirms, is multi-generational and includes everything from 16-year-olds to 85-year-olds. After their recent return with the single ‘Rivers In The Light’, Tide Lines can now announce that their new album ‘An Ocean Full Of Islands’ will be released on February 24th. The album is the follow-up to the successful DIY release ‘Eye of the Storm’, which entered the charts at #12 in 2020 and only missed the Top 10 by a handful of sales.

We wanted to chart it,” says Robert, referring to ‘Eye of the Storm’ which did actually chart at number 12 in the UK in the first week and made it to number one in Scotland. That was magic!” says Robert. “We got some really nice prime time plays on Radio 2 which is really great. We’ve had good radio play from across the board and long may that continue. We’ll have another single coming out in the new year… so hopefully that can be the same.” The band's first studio album Dreams We Never Lost was released in June 2017 following the release of their first single Far Side Of The World some months earlier. The album is a mix of English and Gaelic songs as well as the Piob Mhor Pipe set. Two further singles Fortunes of the Fearless and The Young and The Restless were also released as singles from this album. In fact, Tiree Musical Festival was the band’s first ever gig. A crowd of two and a half thousand people is not a bad place to start! That said, they only really had one song (‘Far Side of the World’) so the sets proved to be slightly challenging and included mainly cover songs. By the time they released their second album, they had a better strategy.The album was put together on the Isle of Mull,” Robert tells me. “As a title, it encapsulates where we were physically but also, if you listen to the lyrics, it summarises it in quite a lot of different ways in terms of what an ocean full of islands could be.” How is it seeing the listeners’ response to your music and what can they expect from your upcoming album? The third album, however, is already causing a buzz among fans both old and new, aided by BBC Radio 2 who included the single ‘Written in the Scars’ on its playlist.

In March 2023, the band released their third studio album An Ocean Full of Islands and announced a tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland. [5] Members [ edit ] It’s good,” he says, referring to their live gigs. “We bridge that gap. It’s always a lively crowd. We definitely have a young following but it’s not like we’ve left behind the older generation, they can be part of it as well. It feels like a pretty inclusive experience when you see our audience, which is nice. I don’t think you’d find anyone that would feel out of place.” The four lads (Robert, Gus, Ross Wilson and Alasdair Turner) met in Glasgow where they were all living, working and studying at the time. Their roots, however, are spread far and wide. In fact, Robert is talking to me from his home in Fort William while Gus is zooming in from Glasgow. Ross (keyboard) originates from Mull, and Alasdair (electric guitar and bagpipes) was born in Easter Ross in the Highlands.We didn’t really have a proper chance to tour with the last album when it was fresh because it came out in May 2020,” Gus explains. “You want to get out there when the album comes out, get people when they’re really excited about it.” Tide Lines today release their eagerly anticipated new album ‘An Ocean Full of Islands’ featuring the Radio 2 playlisted single ‘Written In The Scars’, plus ‘These Days’ and ‘Rivers in the Light’. Next week they embark on a tour of the UK and Ireland, which includes a long sold-out show at Edinburgh’s 2800-capacity Usher Hall, as well as their biggest London gig to date at the Electric Ballroom. Also confirmed as headliners at The Gathering Festival, Tide Lines recently announced their biggest ever headline show, a 6,000-capacity big top festival-style show at Glasgow’s Queen’s Park. What Tide Lines gained in dramatic scale didn’t compromise the intimacy and honesty of Robertson’s lyrics. The new single ‘Written In The Scars’ shows how his voice truly conveys the meaning of his words. Life charges relentlessly forwards, and you rarely have the time to see how your experiences influence who you are. But just like a long forgotten scar, the impact of those moments may fade but they never fully disappear. There’s less Gaelic and pipes but it’s still very much the heart of what we do. But certainly, in a live set, the bagpipes have his huge effect. In Scotland it goes down well, but when we go down to England it goes down an absolute storm!” Tide Lines (two words) is a Scottish four-piece folk/pop band, not to be confused with Tidelines (one word), the annual Book Festival held in North Ayrshire.

A collection of pop songs that are catchy… built around the idea that people can relate to them straight away, sing along with them and would be good live. It’s at times reflective, at times uplifting, but it’s pretty upbeat throughout. That’s always been the aim of it.”

Tide Lines frontmen will appear on Iona

Having narrowly missed theTop 10with their previous record‘Eye of the Storm’and established a dedicated following in the live arena,Tide Linesnow look to step up another level with a collection of songs that are infused with rousing hooks, spine-tingling emotions and widespread, expansive ambition. It achieves all of that without losing sight of their roots, with the album recorded in their studio and rehearsal space in a former Baptist church on theIsle of Mull. The band’s keyboardistRoss Wilsonled the record’s production process. I’m chatting by Zoom to guitarist and vocalist, Robert Robertson, and drummer, Fergus (Gus) Munro. The first thing I do is congratulate them on their sell-out gig in Edinburgh’s Usher Hall in March. I’m absolutely fascinated by drums,” he says, unashamedly. “I don’t really do golfing or cycling… or archery. To be honest, I just play drums.” Obviously, there’s a bit of life experience in the lyrics, but there’s definitely a bit of fiction in the songs as well where I just try to use my imagination and put myself in other situations. Some of it relates to where I’ve been brought up, some of it to what I’m doing at the time, some of it to Glasgow… or the people… or to the experiences we’re having. And then, there’s a bit of storytelling as well.”

Having narrowly missed the Top 10 with their previous record ‘Eye of the Storm’ and established a dedicated following in the live arena, Tide Lines now look to step up another level with a collection of songs that are infused with rousing hooks, spine-tingling emotions and widespread, expansive ambition. It achieves all of that without losing sight of their roots, with the album recorded in their studio and rehearsal space in a former Baptist church on the Isle of Mull. The band’s keyboardist Ross Wilson led the record’s production process. In the meantime, while Robert is listening to Bruce Springsteen up in Fort William, Gus will no doubt be playing his drums in Glasgow. Tide Linestoday release their eagerly anticipated new album‘An Ocean Full of Islands’featuring the Radio 2 playlisted single‘Written In The Scars’,plus‘These Days’and‘Rivers in the Light’.Next weekthey embark on a tour of the UK and Ireland, which includes a long sold-out show atEdinburgh’s 2800-capacityUsher Hall,as well as their biggestLondongig to date at theElectric Ballroom. Also confirmed as headliners atThe Gathering Festival,Tide Linesrecently announced their biggest ever headline show, a6,000-capacitybig top festival-style show atGlasgow’s Queen’s Park.

Rivers in the Light was released in July 2022 as new material from the planned third studio album, again self-produced and recorded at the group's own studio. Written in the Scars was released in September 2022. The band’s 2023 tour is, Gus tells me, their most extensive UK tour so far. Understandably, they’re all looking forward – with nervous anticipation – to getting started.