J Mahon Premieres Video for Appreciative Single “The One Thing That Remains”

With his honest and candid approach, J Mahon can’t help but create a close connection with his audience. The singer-songwriter is currently rolling out new songs for his loyal listeners ahead of a new album entitled Begin Again, Again. Today marks the debut of “The One Thing That Remains” and its accompanying visualizer video. This song is a nice introduction to the album, set to arrive later this year. It sets the stage for the emotional and musical direction of the full-length record.

Mahon is well-regarded for his down-to-earth lyricism and melodies that are able to touch your soul. Much of the album will deal with his experience of getting off drugs, as well as some of his childhood memories. As a boy, he lived in about 13 different houses before graduating from high school. The album is both nostalgic, but within that, looking back is an optimism for what lies ahead.

On “The One Thing That Remains,” Mahon states:

“Much like the rest of the songs I write, this was written in one sitting of a few hours. Even when other people fall away from you, when you have a partner who you feel truly understands you and sticks by you is the most important thing. This doesn’t necessarily need to be a romantic partner—it can be a friendship, or even a song.”

The adventure of writing Begin Again, Again was something of an adventure for Mahon. When he started thinking about making a new record in 2023, he decided he wanted something more expansive. He wanted to create an album that would harken back to the days when he’d lie on his bed with a new record and just get lost in it with his headphones on.

This is the first album where Mahon looked back through a broad range of material he had written. These songs were predominantly written between 2019 and 2023. Choosing songs this way allowed him to reflect on what he really felt was appropriate for an album, and it lent space for the record to evolve on its own.

Mahon adds the following colour:

“‘The One Thing That Remains’ was written in 2023 and was the song that started off the writing process and basically the whole sonic aesthetic for the new album. It was going to be the title track for the LP but decided to use ‘Begin Again, Again’ instead.

I wanted to experiment with making some kind of pop version of Sigur Ros… like, what would it sound like if Jónsi collaborated with Kevin Ayres and The Magnetic Fields? All three of them are big influences of mine and I really feel a lot for this song.”

Begin Again, Again is with certainty Mahon’s most deliberate and mature album. The songs are all very well shaped and developed, just to his liking. It’s a sharp, stirring look into Mahon as a person and as a songwriter, both emotionally rich and sonically dense.

J Mahon “The One Thing That Remains” single artwork