On Aug. 18, 2023, Irish singer-songwriter Hozier released his third studio album, Unreal Unearth, and, in short, my life was changed forever. Aside from his most famous singles like “Take Me to Church” and “Someone New,” I had never listened to Hozier’s music or given him much thought.
Then, about a month before the release of Unreal Unearth, I fell prey to the many TikToks made with the “teasers” for songs that would be on his new album. Most notably, I quickly became obsessed with the 25 seconds of “Unknown / Nth” that I was constantly stumbling upon in my recommended feed.
I was devastated when I searched for the song on Spotify and realized that it didn’t exist yet. So, instead of listening to it on repeat for hours straight, I marked the album’s release date on my calendar and vowed to binge-listen then—which is exactly what I did. What I didn’t expect, however, was to fall in love with Hozier’s entire discography.
As the musician is known for disappearing for five years after releasing new music, Hozier fans expected the album’s release and the corresponding tour to indicate the end of the Unreal Unearth era. However, by the beginning of the new year, Hozier was already teasing new music, and by March, his EP—Unreal Unearth: Unheard—which included his first No. 1 hit, “Too Sweet.” Then, just a few weeks ago, he released another EP, Unreath Unearth: Unaired.
Despite my sky-high expectations, the EP did not let me down in the slightest. While I thoroughly enjoyed Unheard, listening to the newest trio of songs was an indescribable experience, and all three have been on a constant loop through my mind and my headphones for weeks.
The EP begins with the intense, powerful first track, “Nobody’s Soldier.” This was indisputably the most anticipated release on the new EP, and it certainly was worth the wait. Hozier has always been an outspoken activist about numerous social and political injustices and has never shied away from using his voice and platform to call out the need for change—evident in songs like “Nina Cried Power,” “Foreigner’s God,” and “Take Me to Church,” which all voice different injustices experienced worldwide.
“Nobody’s Soldier” continues this influential theme in the form of spectacular lyricism and electrically energetic music. With the lyrics “I don’t wanna choose between being a salesman or a soldier / Just let me look a little older, let me step a little bolder,” Hozier condemns a system that promotes violence and destruction before humanity and a peaceful world. When presented with the choice between being a salesman or a soldier, a butcher or a pauper, he implores the listener to cast aside a life of complacency in the face of injustice and instead actively works to make a change in the world.
The song itself works in perfect harmony with the lyrics. The strong beat and powerful background vocals give the song a vaguely dystopian feeling, which synonymously ignites an undeniable fire in the heart of the listener, empowering them to create their own change in the world, to stand up for what they believe in.
The EP transitions into more emotional territory with the poetic second song, “July.” This song lacks absolutely none of Hozier’s eminent lyricism. Hozier personifies the summer month and poetically expresses the temperate, cyclical nature of life, the ceaseless exploration of intimate human relationships, and the abstract freedom born in love and summertime. Heavier melodies and darker lyrics at the beginning of the song give way to contrasting light and airy vocals, creating an ambiance that somehow perfectly portrays the ache of yearning for the warmth of summer months while trapped in the cold, morose embrace of winter.
At first, this track was the least captivating of the three, mostly due to the repetitive music that did little to catch my attention. However, once I listened to it while reading the lyrics, the song immediately gained a new meaning for me. Hozier’s lyrics in this song are phenomenal and an imperative part of understanding and fully enjoying the song. Like all art, there is much left to interpret in the song, but any meaning chosen to find in the song is beautiful.
Personally, I believe that the “promise of July” he talks about, along with the way it keeps him afloat through the winter months, is meant as a metaphor for the human experience of forever scouring the earth for a soulmate. The constant hope of finding your “July” is transformative in experiencing life.
No matter how the song is interpreted, “July” is a lyrically stunning song that is integral to the EP and now exists on many of my own playlists.
The third and final track of the EP, “That You Are,” is the one I am most terrified to write about. No matter what I say in these next few paragraphs, no matter how many times it is revised and edited and checked for mistakes, it will never do justice to the song itself. My only advice to anyone reading this is to lie down with closed eyes and listen to the song at least three times in a row through headphones.
“That You Are” is an ineffable love song featuring Syrian-American musician Bedouine. It might just be my proclivity for love songs (something Hozier’s poetic disposition allows him to excel at), but from the very first time I heard the song, it became one of my favorites. The incandescent emotion and swelling refrains spoke to me in a way that I have found few other times in music.
The song carries a serene, peaceful melody. It is almost ethereal in the blending of harmonies and music, complementing the lyrics of the song, where Hozier views his lover as grander than the world can compensate for. As the song becomes more otherworldly, so does his love.
Bedouine’s voice, although unexpected at first, is both alluring and emotional. The two artists share harmonies in perfect synchronicity while also showcasing each other’s voices separately. Having two vocalists on the track, especially two who complement each other so well, adds a certain spirituality to the song that would not have been possible with Hozier alone.
As far as love songs go, this is one of the best I have heard. Billowing melodies tremble with such insurmountable emotion that it is impossible to listen without falling a little bit in love yourself.
Overall, Unreal Unearth: Unaired is a spectacular feat of music, the perfect addition to an already breathtaking album. The three songs work together to tell a story of prevailing humanity, inexorable hope, and glorious love, three things so necessary to be reminded of in a world constantly trying to steal them away.
If this is finally the last insertion to the Unreal Unearth era if Hozier disappears into oblivion for the next five years—it will have been worth it for the flawlessness that is Unreal Unearth: Unaired.
