Single Review: Hozier – ‘Someone New’
1 min read
Hot from a show-stopping performance of his breakthrough hit Take Me to Church with Eurythmics legend Annie Lennox at the 2015 Grammy Awards, Hozier is onto a new single from his self-titled debut.
Someone New, the only track off the album not solely written by Hozier, has the Irishman showcasing his bluesy, jaunty plucking of his guitar. Written with fellow Irish soul singer-songwriter Sallay Matu Garnett, the track shuffles nonchalantly and is custom-made for a slow dance. Hozier’s smooth croon supplements the sensual mood of the track, which grooves effortlessly before the choruses.
Then comes the big change. The choruses pleasantly tumble up and down with its ‘I fall IN love just a little…’ hook, adding a bit of unexpected bounce. The organs and bubbly choral harmonies contribute to the infectious chirpiness, managing to do two things. It gets to take listeners to church, yet gets listeners into a slightly unholy mood at whatever bar this song might play in.
The bridge even features some dramatic accented drumbeats to stop the tracks in its place, before cleverly reprising a subverted version of the chorus and launching into an odd ‘the stranger the better’ final verse. The final chorus fortunately wraps things up nicely for Hozier. This single may not sound something entirely new, but is still worth hearing.
