Sled Island Edition: Thanya Iyer - TIDE/TIED
Topshelf Records
Released on April 30th, 2025
Thanya Iyer’s TIDE/TIED arrives like a slow, deliberate wave—steady, patient, and impossible to ignore. It’s a record that slips effortlessly between folk, jazz, and ambient pop, each song unfolding as a carefully layered soundscape. The textures are rich but never overwhelming. Delicate synth washes mingle with subtle saxophone lines, bowed strings hum beneath Iyer’s voice, and percussion pulses with meditative restraint. There is a quiet power in the way Iyer and her collaborators build these arrangements, crafting songs that feel as much about the spaces between the notes as the notes themselves.
The album opens gently, inviting you to settle in with “I am here now,” where airy synths and alto saxophone swirl around Iyer’s calm, grounded vocals. The instrumentation creates a sense of spaciousness, encouraging the listener to breathe and be present. It’s a sonic invitation to pause, a rare moment of stillness in a world that rarely stops spinning. As TIDE/TIED unfolds, the instrumentation becomes increasingly intricate without losing its emotional core. The shimmering harp on “Low Tides,” paired with ethereal loops and supple percussion, perfectly captures the tension of struggling through despair without succumbing to it. The bass and drum work lock in tightly here, providing a subtle but steady foundation beneath the floating melodies and layered harmonies.
Throughout the album, the collaborative spirit shines. Multi-instrumental textures ebb and flow, from Pompey’s adventurous arrangements to Daniel Gélinas’s restrained but expressive drumming. The instruments always serve the songs rather than overwhelm them. Whether it’s the syncopated beats that propel “What can we grow that we can’t see from here?” or the ambient layers that cloak quieter moments, the sound is both lush and precise. These instrumental choices serve to reinforce the record’s themes of resilience and collective healing. The music never feels overly produced or polished. Instead, it embraces a rawness that mirrors the vulnerability in Iyer’s lyrics. There’s a subtle tension throughout, a push and pull between fragility and strength that plays out both in the music and the words. By the time the album closes, you’re left with the sensation of having been gently carried through a sonic space of healing and hope.
TIDE/TIED isn’t about quick fixes or grand gestures. It’s about the slow, patient work of coming back to yourself and to each other amid a fractured world. The careful interplay of instruments and voice invites repeated listens, revealing new details and deepening the connection each time. In an era where music can often feel rushed and disposable, TIDE/TIED is a thoughtful reminder of the power of careful craft and emotional honesty. Thanya Iyer has made a quietly stunning album that holds space for both struggle and grace in a time when we need it most.
Thanya Iyer plays Sled Island on Saturday, June 21st at 4:30PM at the BLOX Arts Center.
