Drawing us in with a spoken word introduction, accompanied by an intricate piano performance, Dax opens his poignantly titled new single, God, Can You Hear Me? with the words, “Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord hear my voice, let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy…”
The opus expands with emotive chords as Dax shares his turmoil with the lines, “God, can you hear me? I’m silently screaming I can’t let it show on my face, my addictions are beating me down, I bottle them all, then I chase, I’m at war with the man that I am…”
As always, we are captivated by Dax‘s raw authenticity and how he channels his lived experience into a highly relatable and exquisitely executed level of artistry. God, Can You Hear Me? serves as a prayer from a man who has been in deep emotional and spiritual pain. There is no doubt, as we know from his previous releases like Dear Alcohol, that Dax feels trapped by notions of addiction, depression and self-hatred. He is fighting an internal battle between who he is, who he was, and who he wants to become.
Through his words, Dax shares how he feels alone even when surrounded by others. Like many of us, he struggles to express emotions and feels disconnected from the world. The song also explores guilt and shame. Dax feels weighed down by sin and personal failure. He seeks forgiveness and cleansing, hoping faith can free him from this suffering. At the same time, he questions religion itself and feels confused by what he sees as distorted truth. This is the most conscious part of the song.
Dax confesses, “God influenced this release and my relationship with him. It was inspired by a question that I had when I was 25. I asked myself the question God, Can You Hear Me?. Ever since then I’ve been trying to quiet the noise of the world so I can hear his voice.”
Naturally, God, Can You Hear Me? comes with a cinematic music video shot by Patrick Tohill that sees Dax sharing his voice in the streets, in the rain, whilst his friend dramatically takes his own life. There is a twist, however, and faith comes into play. If you or someone you know needs support, you can contact the UK Samaritans at 116 123 or the US Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, both available 24/7 for free and confidential help.
There is no doubt that God, Can You Hear Me? would fit into a remake of a film like Dead Poets Society, A Star Is Born, and Manchester by the Sea, which all explore themes of male suicide or suicidal struggle with emotional depth and sensitivity.
We are always moved by Dax‘s artistry, and have added God, Can You Hear Me? to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream Dax‘s incredible discography, and anticipate future releases from the visionary artist.