Brandon Hixson is one of those singer/songwriters that has been plugging away in the scene at a consistent pace over the course of years. From covers of songs that have influenced him to his own original compositions, Hixson has released an impressive catalogue since 2008. In 2025, Hixson had a flurry of releases, with the last of those being Into the Blue. This 10-track album found Hixson sequestering himself in his home studio, handling all the writing duties on his own. The result is a record that is at once reflective about the past while looking forward to a brighter future.

If the bevy of cover albums is any indication, Hixson has a long list of musical influences. In past releases, Hixson's sound tended toward a '90s CCM influence. While there are moments where that influence persists (on the more radio-friendly tracks, like "Miracles" or "Broken to Beautiful"), Hixson has upgraded his sound. Pulling from more modern pop influences, there are moments where the album feels like cuts from a movie soundtrack (think Justin Timberlake's Trolls work). Songs like "Goodbye Gravity," "Let Me Overthink This," and "Neon Dreams" have a great groove that will put a bounce in your step. "Feels Like Home" shows off some country influence while the title track surprises with a well-done guitar solo. Really the only two tracks that feel like bumps in the road (musically and lyrically) are the aforementioned radio-ready songs.

The music isn't the only thing that feels improved here. Hixson's lyrical work also feels like he's challenged himself to think more outside the box. The way he writes about his daughter turning 16 ("A Better Place) is both relatable and engaging without falling into sentimentality. In general, the more reflective songs walk a good line of pulling from the past while keeping an eye on the present or the future ("Feels Like Home," "Letter I Wrote"). He's also willing to have fun looking at the past ("Neon Dreams"). Reflection is a big theme for this album, but Hixson also considers the present and how he can live a fuller life in Christ (the title track, "Outrun the Ordinary").

Although Brandon Hixson jumps around in where his focus is on any given track, Into the Blue pulls together in an enjoyable way. Hixson pushed himself to new creative heights and he mostly achieved that end. This is a great album to have on in the background while you do household chores, or you can sit down with the lyrics and take in the deeper messages of the songs. That variety helps Brandon Hixson's latest record be one of the best from his catalogue instantly.

- Review date: 1/5/26, written by John Underdown of Jesusfreakhideout.com

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