7. January 2026
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Media Review

Dave Helgi Johan – Unholy Hours

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Dave Helgi Johan - Unholy Hours

Dave Helgi Johan - Unholy Hours
4.2

Rating

 4.2/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Nice album structure
  • Characteristic, very relatable storytelling

Whenever I read the name Dave Helgi Johan, I think about Iceland. However, the community in Manitoba, where is he originally coming from, is an Iceland settler-origin village in Canada. After I already reviewed his 2022 album Drumheller, I just had to have a listen to his 2025 record. Unholy Hours will be released on 7th November 2025.

 

Dave Helgi Johan – About The Artist

Dave Heli Johan is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He is originally from Gimli in Manitoba. His music is a mixture of folk, rock and alt-country elements. Since 2019, he is living in Byron Bay, Australia. Unholy Hours is his sophomore album. It was recorded between 2020 and 2023.

 

Dave Helgi Johan – Unholy Hours – Track by Track

The eleven song album lasts 37 minutes.

1. All My Love

The album opens with All My Love, a happy vibe folk pop track. The track comes with a nicely flowing melody, which thus feels very harmonic. The guitars in the background also spread some rock music vibes. The song definitely stay in your mind.

2. Fly High, Swim Deep

Like the opener All My Love, Fly High, Swim Deep has been released before the album already. There are slight alt-country vibes in this song. However, it’s again the melodic flow of the song as well as some unique musical elements which turn the song into a characteristic sound with some indie vibes.

3. About You

You, you, you, I want you – and I, I, I want you to want me to. The slightly naive way of telling story in this song leads to a very entertaining listen. Melodically, About You nicely fits into the songs before. A folk singer-songwriter track with some additional elements, which define a characteristic listen. The ease and simplicity of the song makes it straight-forward to digest.

4. Better Luck Next Time

Don’t we all sometimes run into situations where we hope for Better Luck Next Time? That’s the title of the fourth track of Unholy Hours. The song comes with a present rhythm and a rather fast speed. Thus, Dave Helgi Johan might make you dance and move to this one.

5. Anywhere But Here

With Anywhere But Here, more intense and present rock vibes come back to the album. I wanna be anywhere but here is a clear message the rock’n’roll track with some indie spirit is sending. Needless to say that the overall musical package delivered by the Canadian artist is not lacking ease and happy vibes.

6. Walking Cane, Running Shoes

The title of the sixth feels a bit like a contrast. In fact, the song is comparably slow and also comes with rather strong country music vibes. Thereby, Dave Helgi Johan does the song in his characteristic style. Even though the speed is reduced, the song has a nice flow and thus spreads some harmony.

7. Friends

Friends comes with a country-folk melody. I ain’t going back again, I don’t wanna be your friend – the lyrics spread less harmony than the title might suggest. The bridge of the seventh track of Unholy Hours comes with a nice guitar solo.

8. Having Fun

Time flies when you are having fun – this first part of the chorus feels to be a rather optimistic. However, Johan continues with but this hasn’t been fun for years. Nonetheless, he is presenting the eighth song in his typical uplifting, happy style. The melody of the rather short, 2:38 minute, listen is one of the most entertaining of the album.

9. Tinted Spectacles (Like a Dream)

Tinted Spectacles (Like a Dreams) feels a bit mousy and hidden to me. Hard to judge why I feel this way, the song does have a nice touch, going back to alternative rock vibes. Apart from that, it is the only track on Unholy Hours, which is longer than four minutes.

10. Lonely Flower

More or less the last song on Dave Helgi Johan’s 2025 record is Lonely Flower. The melancholic song has been one of the featured singles before album release. You are a lonely flower is the straight message of this song, which even feels darker in the context of the album.

11. Fly High, Swim Deep (Cleaned Version)

The cleaned version of Fly High, Swim Deep closes the album. The two versions do not differ that significantly that I can really judge on a favorite listen.

 

Dave Helgi Johan – Unholy Hours – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Dave Helgi Johan – Unholy Hours – My View

I really like the songwriting and storytelling style of Dave Helgi Johan. His songs have a nice ease, even when they are telling more critical stories. In contrast to his 2022 release, I feel that the album works well as a whole and comes with a good ten song plot.

Favorite Song: About You

 

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