Garrett Anthony Rice’s “Going Up (to see him),” released on August 24, 2026, the Greystones, Co. Wicklow songwriter’s deeply personal single leads into his forthcoming 18-track double album EQUINOX, due in September, and finally gives voice to grief that had remained largely unspoken for decades.
The song is a tribute to Rice’s best friend, who died by suicide aged just 21 in Dublin in the early 1990s. Though the loss never left him, Rice says he could not put the experience into words or music until the EQUINOX recording sessions in 2024. That long silence makes the song’s emotional honesty hit all the harder. Rather than wallowing in sorrow, Rice sings about resilience, living meaningfully and finding a way to keep moving forward while carrying someone’s memory.
Musically, “Going Up (to see him)” gives that message plenty of room to breathe. A warm, grounded bassline anchors the track while shimmery guitars chime around the arrangement, lending it a gentle glow. Tim Will’s piano adds emotional colour, while Geoff Dugmore’s drums provide steady momentum and Chris Webb’s bass deepens the song’s pulse. Then comes the Dublin African Gospel Choir, whose soaring backing vocals broaden the intimate tribute into something almost communal.
Rice delivers the lyrics with passionate sincerity, never sounding as though he is performing grief for effect. There is a lived-in quality to his voice, as if every line has been sitting somewhere inside him for years and has finally found its way out.
Produced by Chris Potter and recorded across studios in London, Bournemouth and Dublin, the single is both remembrance and release. Most importantly, Rice hopes it offers comfort to others navigating similar loss. “Going Up (to see him)” remembers the person who is gone while reminding those left behind to keep going.
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Review by: Naomi Joan