Wildlight’s The Tide acoustic redux invokes a sound and era that can be overlooked within our technologically-fueled society. The delicate performances harken back to a period and lifestyle rooted in the past; yet at once paving a path back toward lost innocence and social responsibility. This album serves as reminder that we can exist in that paradigm today. Reimagining the tunes from their stimulating sophomore opus as a stirring blend of global instrumentation, folk sensibilities, and indigenous influence, Ayla Nereo and David Sugalski (The Polish Ambassador) have crafted a statement bathing in sonic serenity.
Listen to the album below.
In tandem with the artists’ reverence, The Tide places a glistening spotlight on the earth, community, gratitude, healing and romance. Sugalski enlists a vibrant team of collaborators to facilitate an energetic transformation; The Tide’s formerly meditative dance music evolves elegantly into a softer, medicinal archetype. The creative ingenuity of lead producer Ryan Herr is a revelation. Sugalski’s compadre courts a courageous cavalcade, among them Tyson Leonard and Jesse Hendrix. The dexterous multi-instrumentalists employ a myriad of organic sounds to soothe and serenade with savoir-faire: banjo, violin, accordion, saxophone, flute, toy piano, melodica, duduk, mandolin, djembe, didgeridoo, kalimba, acoustic guitar and upright bass. These assembled artisans in antiquity deliver the listener to an intersection of love, hope, and awareness.
Ayla Nereo’s multi-faceted melodies give rise to Wildlight’s impassioned vision and focused mission, the promise of our better tomorrow. From start to finish, Nereo’s femininity is found summoning the intrinsic power of her expressive voice. “Rain” and “From the Ground Up” feature poignant pleas in siren song: her angelic vocal tones calling to the spirits, these are soundtracks to the garden we have dreamt. On “The Crucible,” Nereo unveils a resolute rap and hauntingly gorgeous refrain, at once emotive and inspiring.”Ours to Give” is a soothing, warm lament on the benevolence within us all. “Holy Dust” features her aching, arching soprano, while “Grace, Fully” finds Nereo’s layered vocals basking in a bed of blissful banjo and lulling violin.
Wildlight has created an organic, chilled vibe in rewiring their own previous brilliance. Filled with mystifying traditional music, this testimonial transmits a clear and focused intention; to empower community, heal wounds, celebrate love, and awaken the heroic human spirit. Full of evergreen hymns tuned to the magic of mother nature, The Tide (original) is revival strong enough to move mountains. Stripped of bass and bombast, this riveting reprise stays sublime in shadowed valleys.