Hozier Drops Three-Song EP ‘Unaired,’ Following Earlier Offering ‘Unheard’

On the back of his earlier-released four-track offering Unheard, which he added to a deluxe edition of last year’s Unreal Unearth, Hozier has released three new songs from those sessions. The short and sweet EP includes never-before-heard tracks “Nobody’s Soldier,” “July,” and “That You Are.”

“Nobody’s Soldier” has an “Eat Your Young” feel to it musically. It’s more on the rowdy side, with brash explosions of sound and a steady drumbeat. Lyrically, it’s more of Hozier’s poetically deep fare, but ultimately that’s a compliment—he has a particular way about his lyrics; they flow in a similar vein while delivering drastically different emotions every time.

If I saw that this is drowning / You tell me I’m walking on water he sings in the pre-chorus. I could bring fire from the mountain / You tell me it feels a little colder. These are the concerns of someone who’s being contradicted at every turn, who’s tired of the duality, the dichotomy of living in these difficult times. Choose between being a salesman or a soldier, he says in the chorus, bringing to light that ultimatum.

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Hozier Releases Three New Songs from Unreal Unearth-Era, Including Anti-War Track “Nobody’s Soldier”

Per a report from NME during Lollapalooza, Hozier spoke about “Nobody’s Soldier” as a direct response to the war and chaos that has been occurring in the past couple of months. Specifically, the war in Gaza, and how images and reports have been coming through the media.

“We’ve been singing this song in solidarity with anybody who has contacted their representatives or put their feet on the street in honest goodwill and human witness of the lived experience of other people on the other side of the world,” Hozier told the crowd at the festival. He added, “[People] that say ‘We wouldn’t want to see any human be subject to the kind of violence that we have been witnessing on our TV screens in Rafa. We wouldn’t want to see any human being subject to the kind of violence we’ve been seeing in Gaza over these last eight or nine months.’”

There, the song made its live debut, as Hozier urged people to contact their representatives, vote, and work to bring about change. “It doesn’t matter who you are, it doesn’t matter where you come from. It doesn’t matter if you are an Israeli citizen or Palestinian citizen – you wouldn’t want to see any human being be subject to the kind of terror we have been witnessing,” he added.

Unaired Includes Subsequent Tracks “July” and “That You Are”

In the song “July,” Hozier reflects on the summer of 2021, when Ireland planned to lift lockdown restrictions. However, the country postponed the easing of restrictions during that time instead. Additionally, there’s a similar reflection on the Unheard track “Wildflowers & Barley.”

Blooming beyond us like July, July, Hozier sings, waiting for the freedom of the summer. July, July, July is still coming / Just knowing that’s getting me through, the song concludes; a hopeful ending to a moment of uncertainty.

Lastly, “That You Are” is a sweet duet with Bedouine that portrays a longing to be with a cherished person. There is the distance between them, in an unfamiliar city where the rhythm is off. The speaker must find solace in the yearning for this other person as they travel through a place they’re not used to.

Featured Image by Daniel DeSlover/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock