Not all wars are fought with guns. Some battles are waged in traffic jams, in empty kitchens, or in the hollow space between a scream and a whisper at 2 a.m. Dax’s latest single “Soldier” featuring Tom MacDonald doesn’t march with a drumbeat of victory; it crawls, it scratches, it survives. Written for anyone wrestling with life’s demons—the internal kind, the ones that don’t wear uniforms—this track is an anthem for the weary, but somehow, it sounds like home.
There’s something relentlessly human about Dax’s voice—each syllable feels like a handshake that lasts just long enough to make things awkward, and it’s perfect. The guy knows how to drag you into a story like an uninvited but necessary guest to his emotional battlefield. The collaboration with MacDonald is wild in its simplicity; their verses don’t clash but seem to nod at one another, like two drifters sharing a cigarette at dawn. Is it a conversation between friends? Or adversaries? Hard to say, but that’s what makes it hang heavy in the air.
The lyrics themselves, given life in a single take, are an endurance test. You can almost feel Dax catching his breath between each line, which seems fitting for a song about fighting invisible wars. It’s not polished, but it begs the question—should it be? Would you put a bandage on a scar that tells its own story?
Strangely, the song reminds me of a torn Polaroid photo. A picture that was meant to be discarded, but tells a better story because it’s ripped in half. It’s jagged where it needs to be, imperfect but raw.
What happens when a soldier runs out of battles? Maybe that’s a question for December 6th, 2024.
