The Friday Listen: “In Your Ocean” — Iron & Wine

The Friday Listen is a simple, weekly reflection on music that’s been sticking with me — songs worth sitting with, revisiting, or hearing a little more closely.

by Mike Meldon

Iron + Wine's New Album, Hen's Teeth, to be released February 27th.

These The Friday Listen articles are just a fun way for me — Mike Meldon — to share the music I’ve been listening to, or music that has touched me in a way that makes me think others should give it a try… or maybe give it another listen.

Over time, I’ll be creating a playlist archive where people will be able to listen to all of the songs discussed in these simple articles. Think of it as a growing soundtrack — one song at a time.

This week’s pick is a brand-new release, and honestly… it blew me away.

A New Song That Stopped Me in My Tracks

Iron & Wine’s “In Your Ocean” just came out, and I found myself listening to it over and over again. I’ve been a fan of Iron & Wine (Sam Beam) for quite some time — he has an incredible catalog of thoughtful, beautifully written songs — but this one felt different.

Some songs are good. Some songs stick with you. And then there are songs that stop you mid-stride and make you listen again.

This was one of those.

I’ll add a few other Iron & Wine tracks below that are absolutely worth your time, but this one stood apart. It pulled me in immediately and didn’t let go.

Do You Feel Music… Physically?

Are you one of those people who gets goosebumps from good music? Or that strange, ASMR-like feeling some people describe — that wave that moves through you when everything in a song comes together just right?

Good music isn’t just thoughtful or pleasant. It can energize the body, calm the mind, or awaken something deeper — something that can really only be felt through sound.

I’ve talked to plenty of people who aren’t affected by music this way at all. And to be fair, I don’t feel it with most songs either. But when it’s there… it’s unmistakable.

It’s that moment when the melody, the rhythm, the voice, the pacing — all of it — locks into place.

Music, Memory, and Emotion

Songs also have a powerful way of provoking memories — good ones, sad ones, sometimes complicated ones. For me, music often brings back more emotion and realness than memory alone ever could.

A song doesn’t just remind you of something — it puts you back there. Back in the feeling. Back in the moment.

And then there are the lyrics.

I’m definitely a lyrics guy. Lyrics can make or break a song. They can turn something enjoyable into something meaningful — or transform a song into something your soul connects to.

All of these things are why music plays such a special and crucial role in my life.

A Little Context — Without Overthinking It

What I find especially compelling about “In Your Ocean” is how open and patient it feels. To me, the song reads like a reflection on emotional closeness — that space where connection can feel both grounding and overwhelming at the same time.

The ocean imagery suggests immersion: choosing to stay present in someone else’s world even when it’s powerful enough to pull you under. There’s vulnerability in that idea, but also comfort. Iron & Wine doesn’t rush the moment or spell anything out. Instead, the song gives you room to breathe, to feel, and to interpret it in your own way — which is part of what makes it so affecting.

We’re Lucky to Be Living in This Moment

It also makes me think about how lucky we are.

Only a few generations ago, people didn’t have access to music the way we do today. Before the phonograph, if you wanted to hear music, you had to be there — standing in front of the musician, live.

And think about how much new music has come into the world in just the last century or two.

People can be skeptical of new music — and I get that — but I really believe we should embrace it. We’re incredibly fortunate to have music in all its forms, from every corner of the world, available to us at any moment.

I always reach that point where I think I’m probably not going to feel that way about anything new anymore…And then a song like this is released.

And I’m amazed. And inspired. All over again.

That’s the magic of music.

Listen Notes

• Give this one more than one listen

• Try listening with headphones, uninterrupted

• Pay attention to how it feels, not just how it sounds

• Let the song do the talking before you try to explain it

Give “In Your Ocean” a listen. Sit with it. Maybe play it again.

And if it doesn’t hit you the way it hit me — that’s okay. But if it does… you’ll know exactly what I mean.

And give these songs by him a try also: All in Good Time, Call It Dreaming, and Naked as We Came

More Friday Listens coming soon.