In a seamless tapestry of earthy instrumentals, raw candor and soulful melodies, alternative indie artist Hozier released his eighth EP “Unheard” on March 22. The extended play, a sequel to Hozier’s prior album “Unreal Unearth,” artfully interweaves four tracks that were cut from the album’s initial release. Like its predecessor, the tracklist interlaces literary threads from Dante Alighieri’s 14th century epic poem “Inferno,” delving into four circles of hell: gluttony, limbo, violence and greed.
“You treat your mouth as if it’s heaven’s gate / The rest of you like you’re the TSA,” Hozier sings in track one, “Too Sweet.” Backed by rolling waves of chords and church bells, “Too Sweet” languidly reflects on excess and overindulgence. The speaker is reluctant to renounce sinful pleasures in the form of whiskey, black coffee and languorous mornings. Conversely, the subject of the song, illustrated as “sweet as a grape” and “bright as the morning,” has a starkly opposite lifestyle, both disciplined and pure. Hozier’s rich vocal range, minor instrumentation and cyclical chorus all contribute to the track’s poignant effect as an examination of the third circle of hell, gluttony.
The soft chirping of birds and crickets provide a smooth segue into the second track, “Wildflower and Barley,” featuring Canadian folk singer Allison Russell. Written to portray limbo, the first circle of hell in “Dante’s Inferno,” the track’s acoustic buildup adds to the layered aural imagery of warm, humid springtime in the countryside. The chorus, echoed by Russell’s velvety callbacks, is a warm reminder of peaceful domesticity and eerie stagnation. The conclusion of the track quiets once again into buzzing and twittering, resolving into stillness with the same gentleness of its buildup. “Wildflower and Barley” completely utilizes both Hozier and Russell’s capacities to paint an intricate picture and diversify the album.
Hozier’s signature use of literary devices and ornaments in lyrics to communicate his themes is especially present within the first two tracks. These embellishments, though barring accessibility to casual listeners, augment the artistry of any work it’s in when thoughtfully absorbed.
On a simpler note, simultaneously futuristic and traditional track “Empire Now” is a powerful testament to faith in the future. Describing a rapidly evolving world, the speaker is assured of the eventual fulfillment of their dream in the distant future. Throughout the track, Hozier integrates both twanging acoustics in the verses and powerful beats in the chorus to create two distinct worlds in the listener’s soundscape. Though “Empire Now” is set apart from its preceding tracks in both style and structure, the song is a triumph in its own right, drawing listeners in with orchestral bridges and contagious optimism.
Sharp contrast delineates the artistry of “Fare Well,” the final track of the EP. While the song’s instrumentation resolves both warmly and softly, the lyricism points to the speaker’s inability to escape a habit of focusing on destructive self-soothing for momentary relief. “I’ll take any high / Any glazin’ of the eyes / Any solitary pleasure that was sorrow in disguise,” Hozier sings against a persistent clapping beat. Blended with choral backing and uplifting chords, Hozier’s self-destructive lyricism weaves a thoughtful dissonance that is both effective and intense.
“Unheard,” though similar in style and theme to “Unreal Unearth,” is a complete experience in itself — each song is dynamically distinctive in its unique soundscape and structure. Though Hozier’s songwriting at times vies for artistry above accessibility, restricting his listener demographic, each track on the EP is complete both on its own and through the larger lens of the EP’s focus on literary and biblical themes. With unmatched thoughtfulness, songwriting, instrumentals and lyricism, Hozier’s latest work is artistry at all levels of understanding — untangling every layer only deepens the listening experience.
4.5/5
