Hozier, the Irish musician known for hits Take Me to Church and Almost, has returned from a four-year hiatus. Performing at the Castlefield Bowl in Manchester last night, a stadium of many thousands learned (or relearned) why he is a celebrated performer.
Soon to release his third album, Hozier remains a unique, enigmatic talent; deftly weaving together genres and influences to create a sound both soulful and electric, mixing baleful humming with thumping bass lines and head-bobbing rock rhythms.
There’s an atmosphere to his music that achieves its full impact in a stadium, amongst the pairing of many hands and voices. Propelled, in no small part, by the artists themselves; Hozier and his cohort are eager crowd pleasers, happy to interact with the audience at any opportunity, leading us further into the experience.
