Photo: “Unaired” (2024) by Hozier EP Cover
Ever since the release of his self-titled debut album, Andrew Hozier-Byrne, the Irish musician, singer and songwriter professionally known as “Hozier,” has taken the world by storm. With the release of his third studio album, “Unreal Unearth” (2023), his music had gained even more traction. From sold-out shows to releasing the supplemental EP “Unheard” (2024), it seems like he’d take a break from writing music for a while… right? As it turns out, Hozier is feeling more creative than ever, as he recently released a second EP, “Unaired” (2024), which is also a continuation of his third album. It’s unreal how his music continues to get more and more majestic and angelic, especially considering how the culmination of the album and the two EPs links back to his interest in “Dante’s Inferno.” Let’s unearth his newest contribution to the “Unreal Unearth” project.
Nobody’s Soldier
My favorite track on the EP, “Nobody’s Soldier,” is a passionate call to the mental and emotional effects of witnessing worldwide war, conflict and violence, especially with the prominent influence of digital media. As a pro-Palestine influencer, he delves into how being exposed to others’ suffering makes him feel helpless and complicit, thus why he wrote an anti-war song relevant to the ever-changing politics and violence prevalent in 2024. His lyrics, as always, creatively twist these messages into beautifully-woven poetry. In the pre-chorus, the lyrics “if I tell you this is drowning / you tell me I’m walking on water” pointedly demonstrate the frustration of being denied and shunned when attempting to speak up. Moreover, I greatly admire and appreciate how Hozier uses his fame and platforms to promote good. As he stated in a recent NME interview, “[i]t doesn’t matter if you are an Israeli citizen or Palestinian citizen–you wouldn’t want to see any human being subject to the kind of terror we have been witnessing.” In short, the world needs more kindhearted souls like Hozier.
July
Funnily enough, “July” was released this past August. Nonetheless, any time of year is perfect for Hozier. Similar to its sister song “Wildflower and Barley,” “July” narrates the longing for freedom that Hozier felt when anticipating the lifting of pandemic restrictions in Ireland in July 2021. I’m sure many of us can relate to his frustration of these deadlines being pushed further and further back and how that created a sense of lingering hopelessness.
On top of that, as someone born in July, this track feels extra special to me, even though it’s about the pandemic.
That You Are (feat. Bedouine)
I personally feel as though this is the most underrated track on this EP. The instrumentals halfway through make me feel as though I’m gliding through the streets of Paris with a loved one, dancing underneath the moonlight. Hozier, a true romantic, intended an immensely similar meaning to the song. “That You Are” explores the longing to be wherever a loved one is, touching on the uncertainty and adaptability that come with the flow of change.
In reference to Hozier’s interest in “Dante’s Inferno,” “July” and “That You Are” illustrate the longing the main character, Dante, feels for Beatrice, the woman he loves. As Hozier mentioned in a Rolling Stone interview, he wanted these songs to reflect the ghosts that the fictionalized version of Dante meets when traveling through the inferno. As his songs always do, these tracks invoked a multitude of emotions in me. I can confidently say that his “Unreal Unearth” album is my favorite of Hozier’s works. If you haven’t heard “Unaired” yet, know that you have something wonderfully poetic waiting for you.
Charlotte Ruth is a second-year English major with a minor in Creative Writing. CR1009174@wcupa.edu