REVIEW: in:tides - in:tides

Instrumental post-rock is often most interesting when it allows the listener to decide what they take away from it. Without lyrics to establish a narrative or tell you how to feel, the music is left to do all the talking. For Glasgow quartet IN:TIDES, this is something they understand particularly well. Their self-titled debut album, IN:TIDES, explores the movement between contrasting emotions through carefully constructed instrumentals, creating something that feels as personal as it does expansive.

Opening track Procession establishes the album's intentions with a suspenseful drum introduction, gradually introducing bass before the guitars arrive just under a minute in. There is something particularly effective about the consistency of the rhythm section, providing a steady foundation even as the melody develops around it. It almost feels like something to hold onto as the instrumentation becomes increasingly expressive. Around the two-minute mark, the arrangement briefly strips back to the melody before the other instruments return, initially with less intensity. These shifts in dynamics give the track an incredible amount of emotional depth, making it an introduction that is both powerful and easy to lose yourself in.

Apparitions takes a considerably different approach, immediately establishing a more eerie atmosphere through its melodic guitar work and underlying drone. While it retains the intensity of its predecessor, the emotions it conveys feel entirely different. There is an almost numb quality to the opening, as though the instrumentation itself is struggling to communicate something that cannot quite be put into words. However, around halfway through, the atmosphere begins to shift, gradually becoming more hopeful as the arrangement builds. It is impressive that just two tracks in, IN:TIDES have already demonstrated such an ability to communicate entirely different emotional experiences without relying on vocals.

Dust leans further into the familiar post-rock sound, with a reflective opening that feels considerably more calming. However, there is an interesting distinction between listening actively and having the album playing in the background. While the instrumentation might provide a sense of calm when heard passively, giving it your full attention reveals considerably more emotional depth. Around three minutes in, the track briefly takes an unexpected direction, almost feeling like the beginning of an entirely separate composition before returning to its earlier sound. Rather than disrupting the listening experience, this transition makes the track feel like two shorter pieces seamlessly brought together.

There is a similar sense of reflection throughout Patterns in the Noise, which opens with ambient textures and delicate guitar work. Even as additional layers gradually enter, there is no sense of urgency. Instead, the arrangement feels as though it is deliberately giving the listener room to breathe. It is difficult to properly articulate just how effectively this album communicates emotion through instrumentation alone. Without lyrics influencing the listener's interpretation, everything comes down to the music itself. Each composition introduces a slightly different emotional perspective without feeling disconnected from the wider record. The transitions between these feelings are so subtle that you almost fail to notice them, making the album feel remarkably cohesive.

A Reverie brings a brighter atmosphere, offering a welcome sense of hopefulness and new beginnings following the more introspective moments before it. This continues into Solace, which is perhaps one of the most emotionally affecting moments on the record. There is something particularly special about music that allows you to connect with your emotions without necessarily needing to identify or understand them first. IN:TIDES manage to create that experience, offering a space to simply sit with whatever you happen to be feeling. It is an incredibly moving quality, and one that makes the album feel far more personal than its instrumental approach might initially suggest.

As the record progresses towards Cianalas and closing track Samsara, the emotional weight continues to develop. The latter brings the album to a particularly powerful conclusion, with a fuller, more expansive arrangement that allows the instrumentation to reach its most commanding. It feels like a fitting ending to a record built around the constant movement between restraint and release.

There is a certain irony in how closely IN:TIDES reflects the name of its creators. Much like the movement of tides, the album is built around a constant push and pull, shifting between contrasting emotions without ever feeling unpredictable. IN:TIDES have clearly approached this record with a desire to demonstrate the full extent of their musical capabilities, and the result is an incredibly accomplished debut. Its production gives every instrumental layer room to contribute to the wider atmosphere, while the dynamic arrangements ensure that there is always something new to discover.

Perhaps the most impressive quality, however, is how differently this album could be experienced depending on the circumstances. Listening alone in your room, hearing it through speakers at full volume or imagining it accompanying a cinematic scene could each offer an entirely different perspective. That ability to create something so open to interpretation is a testament to the band's songwriting. IN:TIDES have created an album that does not need to tell you what to feel. It simply gives you the space to feel it.

Score: 9/10

in:tides will be released on 20th November 2026 via Ripcord Records.

Words: Con McAdam

Photos: Matthieu Gill