Music Review: Danny Hamilton – “Until We All Rise”
- Indie Talk
- Aug 5
- 2 min read
From the compilation album The Compassion Project: Songs for Animal, Human, and Earth Justice
“Until We All Rise” is a soul-stirring anthem that closes out The Compassion Project with emotional force and unflinching honesty. The track begins with a solemn, minor-key piano line — simple yet elegant — soon joined by sweeping cello lines that add depth and sorrow. Backed by steady bass, the instrumentation alone feels like a prayer. But then Danny Hamilton’s voice enters, and everything changes.
With just the right amount of grit and gravity, Hamilton delivers each lyric like a lived truth. His voice is both storyteller and witness — vulnerable, urgent, raw. Through three vignettes, he tells stories that reflect the fractures in our collective humanity: a queer teenager rejected by their father, an immigrant mother shunned while seeking safety, and a young Black man’s final words: “I can’t breathe.” These verses aren't fictional. They are painfully real, and Hamilton refuses to let the listener turn away.
The chorus — “Till we all rise up, rise up / Nothing will change for better” — is delivered with gospel-like weight, joined by a powerful backing choir that lifts the message to the rafters. There’s a feeling of protest and praise woven together, calling not just for empathy but for action. The refrain is not just a lyric; it’s a directive. A need. A mirror.
The final bridge erupts in a collective cry:“Call it out, run it out / Show it no quarter here.”Here, the song reaches its peak — musically, vocally, emotionally. The energy swells, the harmonies soar, and the listener is left breathless. It’s a release, a reckoning, a reminder that silence is complicity.
Hamilton doesn’t just sing for change — he sings as change. “Until We All Rise” is more than a closing track; it’s the heart of the album’s message: that true justice can only come when we stop standing by in silence.
About the Album
The Compassion Project: Songs for Animal, Human, and Earth Justice is a powerful, genre-spanning compilation album set for release on September 5 via Artists & Activists Records. Each track on the album explores themes of empathy, justice, and interconnectedness, giving voice to the voiceless and inviting listeners to reflect and act.
About the Label Artists & Activists Records is a mission-driven label based in Austin, Texas, dedicated to using music as a catalyst for compassion and change. The label supports artists who give voice to the voiceless — advocating for the rights of animals, the dignity of all people, and the protection of our planet. Through intentional songwriting and powerful storytelling, Artists & Activists Records amplifies messages that challenge injustice, inspire empathy, and promote a more conscious, connected world.
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