There’s something refreshing about a band that refuses to overcomplicate their feelings. On “worth it!”, Glasgow trio Tidal End doesn’t aim for perfection or polish. Instead, they chase the electricity of being in the moment, capturing the instant where heartbreak meets humor, and regret flirts with release. The song is a short, messy burst of clarity. It’s not about moving on gracefully. It’s about laughing through the ache and realizing that maybe the chaos was the point all along.
Recorded in just two studio sessions, “worth it!” thrives on instinct. You can hear it in the way the guitars seem to stumble into the beat, then catch themselves again, or in how the vocals teeter between vulnerability and defiance. There’s a handmade quality to the production that makes the track feel alive, like it’s still breathing. The band didn’t polish the edges; they celebrated them. The result is a song that feels less like a studio artifact and more like a memory replayed through cracked speakers.
Lyrically, the track revolves around the refrain “the end wasn’t worth the beginning,” a line that could have been delivered as a lament but instead feels almost smug in its self-awareness. The contradiction between the upbeat tempo and the melancholy core gives “worth it!” its spark. It’s the sound of dancing through disappointment, of turning emotional wreckage into something you can sing along to. The irony is sharp but never cynical.
Musically, Tidal End pulls from a palette that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking. You can hear traces of Alvvays in the dreamy, jangly guitar tones, and echoes of 80s synth pop in the glossy textures that swirl beneath the surface. Yet, there’s something distinct about the way the trio arranges their sound. The instruments never compete for attention; instead, they orbit around the vocals like satellites caught in a slow drift. The guitars pan from side to side, creating a dizzying sense of motion that mirrors the narrator’s emotional disorientation.
The production choices are subtle but deliberate. The home-studio recording gives the song a warmth that feels intimate, almost conspiratorial. It’s as if the band is letting you in on an inside joke about heartbreak. The percussion lands just behind the beat, adding a sense of human hesitation, while the synths glide like sighs. When the chorus hits, it doesn’t explode—it unfolds, pulling you into its bittersweet pulse.
What makes “worth it!” resonate isn’t its innovation but its sincerity. In an era where indie pop often feels lab-designed for algorithms, Tidal End sound like they’re rediscovering the joy of just playing. Their chemistry feels real, the kind of creative partnership that was born out of shared laughter and late-night experiments. That authenticity becomes the song’s emotional backbone.
The band’s story—meeting during COP26 in Glasgow, bonding over a mutual love of music, and forming almost by accident—adds a fitting sense of serendipity. “worth it!” captures that same spirit. It feels like an accident they decided to keep, a beautiful one at that. There’s no grand concept or digital gloss here, just three friends chasing the right feeling and catching it before it disappears.
Tidal End calls “worth it!” a reinvention, and it certainly feels like a step forward. After a year-long break, they’ve returned with something leaner, brighter, and more self-assured. The song balances melancholy with mischief, turning heartbreak into a kind of performance art. The irony is that in trying not to take themselves too seriously, they’ve ended up making something that lingers.
By the final chorus, “worth it!” feels like a sigh of relief disguised as a pop song. It’s over almost as soon as it begins, but its echoes stay with you. Tidal End doesn’t offer closure, only catharsis. In their world, the hurt is part of the fun, and sometimes, that’s enough to make it worth it.
Featured Image: Artist Supplied
