Tidal Water’s Debut Album “Polarity” Tackles Important Societal Issues With Uplifting Rock Sounds
Samantha Colleran, June 2024
Martin Hovden (lead vocals, head songwriter, lead producer) describes the union of Tidal Water as a series of fortunate events over the past few years. He met each member as individuals and was inspired by their talent, hoping to collaborate with them some day in the future. As the new year rang in, Martin decided to bite the bullet; he rented out Vålerenga Platefabrikk in Oslo, Norway, and brought his collaborators (Renato Anesi on guitar and bass; Markus Matland on keys; Leif Johansen as lead sound mixer at Stable Studios; Txai Fernando on keys, percussion, co-production, and mixing; Jim Lehner on drums; and Johannes “Papa J” Radøy as a co-producer) together. The result is a well rounded album that is equal parts entertaining and thought provoking.
To better understand Tidal Water’s inspirations and musical influences, you can check out their This Is Tidal Water playlist on Spotify. Major lyrical inspirations include the likes of Eddie Vedder, Leonard Cohen, Xavier Rudd, and Cornelis Vreeswijk, just to name a few. Although this playlist consists mainly of rock acts, it’s important to note that Tidal Water has an eclectic taste of music and pulls from a number of genres.
The recording process for Polarity can be described as hectic but fun. A few of the tracks originated from melodies Martin paired with lyrics he had written, while others had emerged from studio jam sessions with lyrics written later to fit the instrumentals. As a whole, the project focuses on societal concerns that have come from personal experiences as well as being a participant in the corrupt system we function in as a society (“Neo-Colonialism” was inspired by Danish journalist Mads Brügger’s The Ambassador documentary, while “Pixelated Perfection” focuses on the issues tied to dating online). Instrumentally, the album has more of a jam band like live feel that listeners will feel a deep connection to. Contrasting the deeper, heavy lyrics with more upbeat and lively instruments was intentional for the band, they hope to bring awareness to societal issues without being seen as know it alls. They may not have the answers to solve every global issue, but addressing them and bringing awareness to people is the goal with Polarity.
The main message Tidal Water hopes listeners take from this album is to remember that just because society has normalized something, it doesn’t always mean it’s always okay. Further expanding on this point, Martin shares, “Being an actual anarchist means you take responsibility for your own actions even when societal laws say it’s legal not to. So I say, strive to be responsible within your own conscience.”
Whether you’re looking to dance, or find a modern Rage Against the Machine to connect to in the trying times of today, Tidal Water has a bit of something for everyone. For the future, Tidal Water hopes to hit the road to share their album with fans in a live setting. They also hope to continue sharing their thoughts on pressing world issues in hopes that people become inspired to take action and make change.
Polarity will be released in the back half of the year, but for now you can listen to the first single, “Corrupted”, the heart of the album that focuses on issues of greed and systemic inequality, on Spotify and Apple Music today. Their second single ahead of the album release is “Imperfection”, which encourages listeners to break free from restrictive rules and discover their true happiness amidst chaos. Be sure to follow Tidal Water’s official Instagram to stay up to date on future releases and all band related news!