Mind Tides – “Us Two”
Oslo-based trio Mind Tides once again knock us into outer space with the vividly shapeshifting composition “Us Two.”
“Us Two” is a really impressive composition which you cannot really describe in words due to its kaleidoscopic, shapeshifting nature. The nearest comparison I can bring to mind is the band Orions Belte, who are also fellow residents of Oslo. There must be something in the water over there! The song, though, is cosmic psychedelia that brings in elements of surf music, but also disco. It is a true soundscape journey that blends these influences effortlessly.
The track is filled with loose-limbed swagger. It’s up-tempo and cinematic without being grandiose. Warm, melodic and sunny, everything you could want for an opening trip into your subconscious. The atmosphere emerges through restraint. From the flickering, hazy heat of the guitars, the percussive pockets of swing, and the breezy, funky bass which, for me, is the true earworm star of the track as it imbues buoyancy. “Us Two” is melancholy with momentum.
Carrying us through this brilliant composition is the hazy vocal, which elongates stylishly. Heightening the breezy nature of the performance are the effects that it is subtly pushed into to create an even more cosmic undertone to the song.
On the track, the band elaborates: “The song tells the story of two souls who share a deep connection but never become us. Beneath its head-nodding groove lies a bittersweet mix of love, longing and nostalgia.”
Sophisticated, assured, and effortlessly cool, “Us Two” is taken from Mind Tides’ debut concept album, Inward Waves, slated for release later this year.
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