Hozier Unveils the ‘Unaired’ EP
Following the March release of the Unheard EP, Hozier has officially unveiled Unaired, the second EP extension of Unreal Unearth. Fans were stunned by both EPs, as Hozier’s releases are typically staggered by a few years. Thankfully for fans, Hozier says that the Unreal Unearth album writing sessions were an “intensely creative period” that created “far more material than [he] could put onto one album.”
The first song of Unaired, “Nobody’s Solider,” which Hozier debuted live at Lollapalooza, is the standout of the Unaired trilogy. A bracing brass beat emphasizes the intensity of the song that Hozier described as an “anti-war song.” Its catchy, energetic melody and poignant lyrics about disillusionment with violence and consumerism—“I don’t wanna choose between being a salesman or a soldier”—evoke the artistry of “Take Me to Church” and “Nina Cried Power,” two of Hozier’s most memorable tunes.
The EP’s energy mellows on “July,” described by Hozier as a “sister song” to the track “Wildflower and Barley” from the Unheard EP. A restrained melody, staccato piano riff, and gentle cymbals bend around ruminative lyrics. Hope is described as looking towards summer in the middle of a difficult winter—“And July is still coming / Just knowing that’s getting me through.” The push and pull of melancholy and optimism makes sense within the context of the song’s conception, as Hozier told Parade that he wrote “July” during the pandemic, and the song’s namesake came from the month Ireland was scheduled to end pandemic restrictions.
Image via Hozier.
The last song on the EP, “That You Are,” features the folk artist Bedouine, who also co-wrote the track. The song’s acoustic plucking, breathy vocals, and the undertone of warm strings make this track the most relaxed on Unaired. It further settles the vibrancy established by “Nobody’s Solider” like a thick quilt wrapped around the listener’s shoulders, and parallel to its placement after “July,” the song captures the transition from summer’s vitality into the introspection of cooler months.
Like “July,” the lyrics also touch upon longing as the speaker prays “That I’d be / anywhere that you are” even as they’re hesitant to be vulnerable and act on their desires—“Maybe I have yet to venture out / See the places that I hear about.” This uncertainty evokes the lyricism of “Nobody’s Soldier” and its rejection of opposing identities without expressing a definitive answer of how to move forward, an identity characterized by negation instead of acceptance.
Bedouine’s husky tone blends seamlessly with Hozier’s, the two voices twining into ethereal melodies. (Are we absolutely certain that Hozier and Bedouine aren’t nymphs? All I’m saying is, if they were to beckon me into a mysterious forest, I wouldn’t hesitate to follow.)
Fortunately, you don’t have to venture into a forest to listen to Unaired. Find the EP here, and check out Hozier’s North American and international tour dates.
