THE FRONT ROW

There’s confidence, and then there’s The Mind’s Eye. Harvey Jay Dodgson’s third EP doesn’t just experiment with genre, it throws out the blueprint and builds its own system. Across four tracks, the Portsmouth-born artist delivers a genre-mashing, emotionally heavy masterclass that’s packed with pulse, precision and punch. This isn’t just another collection of tracks, it’s a signal flare from an artist on the cusp of something bigger.

Combining hip-hop bite, soulful touches and full-throttle rock swagger, The Mind’s Eye proves Dodgson’s not interested in playing it safe. This is music born from urgency, personal, poetic, and bursting with purpose.

Love Hurts

Opening track Love Hurts hits like early Sam Fender (Play God-esque) but twists itself into something completely its own. The build is immediate, a pulsing rhythm that pulls you in before it explodes into a chorus with a slick, Justin Timberlake-style beat that shouldn’t work in this setting, but absolutely does. It’s sharp, magnetic, and confident, a firestarter of a track that sets the tone for everything that follows.

Embers

Track two, Embers, is a swaggering standout. Think Barns Courtney on a Netflix binge, huge hooks, blazing guitars, and enough drama to soundtrack your favourite scene in Suits or Selling Sunset. It’s cinematic and untamed, the kind of track you throw on when you need to feel bigger than the moment. There’s a real theatricality to this one, but it never feels forced, it’s full-tilt and full-blooded.

Kids on the Firing Line

This is where things get even more interesting. Kids on the Firing Line flips the tone entirely. Opening with spoken-word intensity and a bassline that creeps rather than slaps, it’s haunting, urgent, and unforgettable. Dodgson’s vocals take centre stage here, raw and defiant, before the track detonates into a ferocious, explosive chorus. It’s the most ambitious and unpredictable moment on the EP, and it absolutely lands. A true highlight.

Freedom

Closer Freedom is pure live-show magic. It begins with a haunting choral chant, “Left, Right, Freedom”, before ramping up into a storm of guitars, rhythm and raw release. You can feel the stage lights on this one, it’s built to close a set and shake a room. There’s defiance in every line, but also unity, a rallying cry disguised as a rock song.

---

Harvey Jay Dodgson has never been an artist to sit still, and The Mind’s Eye proves he’s just getting started. There’s no filler here, no background noise. Just four explosive, considered, emotionally-loaded tracks that show exactly why he’s on so many radars right now.

It’s not often you find a project this fearless and this tight, where each track feels like a chapter in something bigger, yet stands tall on its own. With The Mind’s Eye, Dodgson isn’t just making noise, he’s making moves.

FFO: Sam Fender, Barns Courtney, Dominic Fike, Billie Holiday’s grit filtered through a gritty amp stack
Spin it when: You need to believe in something louder than your doubts
Gig Tip: Don’t miss Freedom live, this one’s going to blow roofs off

Upcoming shows
30th May 2025 – Hope & Ruin, Brighton
31st May 2025 – Paard, Den Haag, Netherlands supporting Corella
1st June 2025 – Luxor, Cologne, Germany supporting Corella
3rd June 2025 – Lido, Berlin, Germany supporting Corella
4th June 2025 – Cafe V Lese, Prague, Czech Republic supporting Corella
5th June 2025 – Strom, Munich, Germany supporting Corella
7th June 2025 – Arci Belleza, Milan, Italy supporting Corella
8th June 2025 – Musikcafe X-TRA, Zurich, Switzerland supporting Corella
20th June 2025 – Isle of Wight Festival
27th June – Glastonbury Festival
19th July 2025 – What’s Happenin’? Digbeth
24th August 2025 – Victorious Festival