Holy Ship’s ‘Godless You’ Tackles Familial Relationships with Ethereal Sounds
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- October 25, 2023
Stockholm’s Holy Ship returns to the scene with a new psych-gaze single ‘Godless You’ – exploring the complexity of familial relationships and how impactful longing and grief can be. Holy Ship has already established a global fanbase after being internationally praised by many in the industry including German radio legend Klaus Fiehe at 1Live. The mastery of Holy Ship is their ability to establish a unique and ethereal sound. Through combining psych-rock riffs, shoegaze, and dreamy synths they have now coined their sound as ‘psych-gaze.’ ‘Godless You’ is the first single from Holy Ship’s upcoming debut album Beyond Frames due January 2024.
With an opening instrumental that feels as if it should be played at the start of a coming-of-age movie, the single is immediately memorable. It enables listeners to feel something as we follow Holy Ship trying to navigate the strain of distant family. The single is emotional, it does not sugarcoat the matter, and that is what makes it special.
Listen to ‘Godless You’ by Holy Ship on Spotify:
The opening verse is riddled with poignancy as Holy Ship describes his relationship with his brother. When describing his brother’s lack of engagement in his life he states, ‘he breaks my heart and that may be his goal.’ This lyric is so painfully honest and yet paired with the psychedelic melody it feels almost happy. This trick of melancholic lyrics paired with an upbeat musical score is evocative of Joy Division; known for their utterly devasting lyrics and an incredibly joyful tempo combo. To feel pain is one thing, to share it is another, but to dress it up under the guise of a gleeful melody is masterful.
The song feels hopeful. As listeners are discovering the magic of Holy Ship, the song describes discovering the magic of human connection. There is a balance to this single as they speculate the sunshine returning. Consequently, it reminds listeners that this too shall pass.
The way in which the music is produced encourages self-reflection and enables listeners to fully immerse themselves in the experience of Godless You. The lyrics are both poignant and personal which creates an intimacy between musician and listener that is hard to mimic. The psych-gaze melody is beautifully constructed and absorbing and encourages contemplation. ‘Godless You’ is utterly unique and a beautifully crafted single.
For more info, check out Holy Ship on Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube. If you enjoyed this, check out more reviews from IAMUR here… You might just find your new favourite artist!
