Joe Hodgson – You I Think Of (2025)
For some odd reason, and please don’t ask me what the reason is exactly, because I don’t know, Irish artists hold a special place in my heart. Perhaps it’s the passion of their poignant music drawing from their challenging roots – think of The Cardigans’ ‘Zombie’. Perhaps it’s the charm of their voices, the soul in their sound, or the rollercoaster ride from joy to tragedy with each chord. Whatever it is, the Irish hold a particularly special place.
After several years of international tours, recording with London-based bands, and earning critical acclaim far beyond his Irish borders, singer-songwriter Joe Hodgson returned to Ireland to explore a solo project. Honing and defining a signature sound, Hodgson is known for an eclectic blend of jazz, soul, blues, rock and traditional Irish roots that simultaneously haunt and slap a grin on your face. The latest addition to his discography is the instrumental single, ‘You I Think Of’.
Following his double-sided singles, ‘Since You Had A Hold On Me/ Stick Or Twist’ and ‘The Grass Is Greener/ Shapeshifting’, ‘You I Think Of’ is another track off Hodgson’s highly anticipated upcoming album, Fields Of Redemption. Self-recorded, composed, and produced, ‘You I Think Of’ embraces the beauty of instrumental music with soaring guitars, a bold drum, and some interspersed strings adding a kick of that little something-something.
A harmonic union of instrumentation, ‘You I Think Of’ is easy, laidback, and shimmers with a soft, gentle calm lingering in the rock-inspired tone. Interestingly, while there is a chilled-out groove to the track, a certain degree of classical structure is intricately interwoven, making it free and easy, but also a contained bubble of music.
The composition is intriguing as Hodgson is joined by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra; however, and this is just my opinion, it is the tale behind the story beyond the track that enhances its heart-warming quality. Hodgson shares that “…while I was working on the track, I started envisaging this story in my head of meeting and falling in love with a woman from Dublin…”, and this is where the super-sweet and romantic part comes in. Hodgson met the fantasy woman, and in 2022, the couple were married with Hodgson’s bride walking up the aisle to a string arrangement of ‘You I Think Of’.
Find out more about Joe Hodgson on his official website, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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