Hayden Calnin - “A Turning of the Tide”
Photo by Bri Horn
We are pleased to welcome back to the blog the indie folk craftsmanship of Hayden Calnin. In the past, he has wooed us with such folksy delights as “Gravity Find Us & Bring Us In” and “If It’s Time,” and today he returns with “A Turning of the Tide.”
Atop a canvas of dark piano and acoustic guitar, Calnin focuses heavily upon his lower register for the majority of this track. This brings an air of seriousness to the subject matter, which explores themes of growth and navigating change, landing perfectly within our introspective niche. And though it is oftentimes difficult to look positively toward the future, a song like this will hold your hand as a means to give you strength in doing so.
The arrangement within “A Turning of the Tide” is very raw and sparse and we are totally here for it. And when the vocal harmonies arrive at just past the one-minute mark, the bareness of the production makes them stand out as though beacons of light in an otherwise dark existence. A subdued rhythm then begins to pulsate beneath the track and, as ear candy, Calnin has provided many gifts of glitchy and ethereal artifacts.
The last third of the song brings the crescendo, which expands to a full band soundscape, complete with a string arrangement and a more soaring vocal performance. For this reason, “A Turning of the Tide” acts as a sonic map that shows the journey of growth, beginning in isolation and ultimately ending in enlightenment. We cannot recommend it enough.
Calnin adds: "I connected to it the most sonically and lyrically. It’s very much about the moment of realisation when you’re like, ‘Okay, shit’s changing. I have to deal with it and get it together’. ‘A Turning of the Tide’ put me back on track and sorted me out. In a way, it’s my therapy song.”
-TM