Interview: High Tyde have grown a lot
High Tyde hail from the south coast of England. We have a conversation with them about their latest EP:
Hi and thanks for taking the time out to speak with us here at Something You Said. Firstly congratulations on your EP, ‘Real’. How would you say your sound has evolved over the past four EPs?
We have grown up a lot in the process of writing the four EPs and a great amount has changed in our lives, so lyrically the songs mean a lot more to me personally and seem to be more relatable when playing them live. I would say our sound is a lot more brash now and has more of a “don’t give a fuck” attitude to it, if you like. I feel as if we are finding our ground and sound now. I never wanted to rush it, as the creative process is always so fun, so why stop making a song just because it doesn’t sound or feel like us? It was never conscious effort to play around with different types of sounds for High Tyde but everything we did felt right. The ‘Real’ EP is definitely our proudest released work to date.
Can you explain some of your motives behind the lyrical content on this album and any significant moments in your lives that helped shape the course of the songwriting?
Piece of Paper is definitely my favourite track from this EP as we’ve never done anything like it and the meaning behind the song is great. It’s about not relying on money to make your world go round, that people are actually way more important than a single piece of paper. Speak and One Bullet have kinda joint meanings, they are both about a person in my life that I spent hours deciding whether to call, or not… Almost an addiction. Speak came first with the thought “are we ever gonna speak again?” then One Bullet was the realisation, actually “Fuck the Feelings”… silence plays on my mind.
What was your biggest challenge in putting out this EP and equally what was a positive surprise during the process?
The track listing changed a few times. One Bullet was never meant to be on it. It was a pretty last-minute thing. We tend to judge what goes on the next release on how the last song was received, but I’m glad it ended up how it is. Also we kept going back and forth on the artwork for ages. Spence was smashing out some of the coolest designs he’d done to date around the time and it was proving difficult to choose a theme. I feel the artwork is equally as important to the musical content. It pushes the songs in a visual way. The most positive thing about the release of ‘Real’ was how well the b-sides Gold and Piece of Paper were received. Gold is now one of my favourite songs to play live.
You already have some huge festival slots under your belt having performed at Boardmasters, Fieldview, Y Not, Arenal Sound, Dot 2 Dot and Reading & Leeds Festivals. Are there any tales of back stage shenanigans you can share with us?
We stayed in tipis at Arena Sound and had the boys from Kodaline back one night for a ‘party’! For our first ever European show I think that’s a pretty decent result… Definitely a cool story to tell down the pub haha.
Having played alongside so many great artists, have words of wisdom been spoken to you that have really resonated and altered the way you approach your music?
Definitely, for a start playing alongside some pretty established artists is very inspiring. It made me look at the creation of our music in many different ways and realise from early on that it’s our sound, we can make whatever we want to make and not to think so deeply into what other artists are creating and follow certain sounds. It’s just a free flow of energy whilst in a creative environment.
Can we expect an Australian tour anytime soon?
I’ve wanted to visit Australia for ever, so any excuse to get out there and join the vibe will be taken up for sure. We’d love to come over and play.
Interview by Courtney Dabb.
