Brand new single from Johan Hoffman

In recent years, Stockholm-based artist Johan Hoffman has established himself as a unique voice in modern songwriting, creating music that feels both intimate and original. Since his 2021 debut record End of a Beginning, he’s released three albums, each one formed by stripped-back instrumentation and lyrics that distil themes of memory, identity and transformation. His approach has always been based in minimalist elegance, where space and silence carry as much weight as words and melody.

Across his discography, he’s proven himself not just as a singer-songwriter but also as a storyteller who builds songs out of emotional experiences. His 2023 album Transit epitomised this quality, doubling as a creative extension of the theatre piece Jules, closing with “Never Be Afraid,” a song described by one listener as carrying “a suppressed howl” beneath its quiet acoustic surface, attesting Johan’s ability to evoke intensity through restraint.

This year marked a new chapter in Hoffman’s artistic journey, one that began with the release of “Day One,” the lead single from his forthcoming fourth album of the same name. The track felt like a curtain being drawn back, revealing music that captured delicacy and presence in equal measure. Now, following his recent single “Just In Time,” he brings us his third single of the year with “Waves,” the final song released before his upcoming album arrives in October.

The track is perhaps the clearest expression yet of the atmosphere he’s been building towards. Initially conceived as an instrumental, its lyrics arrived later, born from a late-summer meditation under a starlit sky surrounded by good company. This organic process of creation is stitched into the song itself, which feels less constructed than discovered, as though the music was always waiting to surface.

Built on voice, guitar and subtle touches of Moog, “Waves” is brought in by the hazy sweep of airy guitar chords and Johan’s sparse vocal leads, forming a misty soundscape of intricate songwriting and dreamy aesthetic. With moments of subtly melancholic melodies peppering the mesmeric fabric of the song, the delicate guitar tones float through a hazy scene to craft an absorbing listening experience from start to finish.

Tinged with echoes of bluesy riffs, the song gently drifts to capture Johan’s graceful songwriting in a minimalistic setting, offering a hypnotic sound that’s original, engaging and memorable all at once. It’s a stellar display of Johan Hoffman’s timeless sound that presents an enticing final taste of what’s to come from his highly anticipated forthcoming album.

Listen to Waves below

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