A self taught pianist and accordionist, Finn's songwriting has been shaped by his knack for poetic storytelling and penchant for the theatrical; drawing comparisons with Rufus Wainwright, John Grant and Antony and the Johnsons.
The Uncharted Lands EP, a collaboration with producer and multi-instrumentalist David MacFarlane, was released in February 2016. To celebrate the release Finn set out on an House Concert Tour, performing intimate solo shows in living rooms and gardens throughout the UK.
singer-songwriter, vocal jazz, adult standards, neo mellow, folk-pop, piano rock, melancholia, chamber pop,
New Horizons
Finn Anderson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Reaches the tide
Abandons the shore
Rainclouds gather
Sending it back to the land
Broken islands
Floating in time
New horizons
A future is born on the sand
Tensions come and tensions go
Toward the tide, all rivers flow
Toward the sun, all mountains climb
Between all things lies only time
Thundering crack
Earth-moving roar
Island departs from its origin shore
Fading away
Leaving the sand
Gone till the day when it comes back around
The song "New Horizons" by Finn Anderson reflects on the cycle of nature and the inevitability of change. The river-water that reaches the tide and abandons the shore represents the constant ebb and flow of life. However, the rainclouds gather, and the water is sent back to the land, signifying that nothing truly disappears, and everything is interconnected.
The broken islands floating in time signify how nothing is permanent, and things are always in a state of flux. Yet, these islands meet once more in the future, and a new horizon is born on the sand. The tensions come, and they go, and all rivers flow toward the tide, while all mountains climb toward the sun. The only constant is time, which lies between all things.
The thundering crack and earth-moving roar represent the momentous changes that occur in life. Just like an island departing from its origin shore, things fade away, leaving only memories that return when they come back around. The song portrays that change and new horizons are essential, as they bring growth, new beginnings and a chance to start again.
Line by Line Meaning
River-water
The natural flow of a river that ultimately connects it to the ocean.
Reaches the tide
Describing that the river water connects with the ocean.
Abandons the shore
The river water drifts away from where it began and embarks on a journey towards the ocean.
Rainclouds gather
Weather phenomena that harness natural forces into creating something powerful.
Sending it back to the land
All the rain that comes down feeds into the soil, rejuvenating it to give life to new growth.
Broken islands
Describes land that has been dissected and shattered in some way.
Floating in time
These jagged landmasses are dispersed and aimless in a sense; lost in the vast ocean.
Meeting once more
Islands that were once together and have drifted apart are coming into contact once more.
New horizons
A view towards the future, symbolizing the novel connections and adventures that lie ahead.
A future is born on the sand
The sands of time sweeps away what has come before and paves the way for new growth and possibility.
Tensions come and tensions go
The highs and lows that make up the complexity of life will always be present and going through a cycle.
Toward the tide, all rivers flow
All life's twists and turns follow a natural cycle, just as all rivers flow inevitably towards the sea.
Toward the sun, all mountains climb
Just as mountains aim upwards to the sky, everything else aims to grow and ascend in life in some way.
Between all things lies only time
The one constant throughout everything is time, which governs all change and growth.
Thundering crack
Nature's raw power and fury that divides and transform the world.
Earth-moving roar
A closely related line to the previous, that demonstrates the sheer scale and magnitude of nature's transformative abilities.
Island departs from its origin shore
This line shows the idea of leaving behind our old ways to embrace a new direction and destination.
Fading away
The memory of the past is diminishing and retreating from the forefront of one's mind, clearing the way for fresh experiences and opportunities.
Leaving the sand
The shifting sands symbolize a world that is in constant flux and transition.
Gone till the day when it comes back around
This line speaks to the cyclical nature of life, and how new opportunities and events are constantly coming back around.
Writer(s): Finn Anderson
Contributed by Adrian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.