Do Not Be Afraid is the debut album from Oxford band bedd, a musical project led by singer, songwriter, composer and producer Jamie Hyatt. Jamie is a longstanding Oxford musician known for his previous bands The Family Machine, The Daisies and Medal as well as his scores for films Elstree 1976 and The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee, which features lead single Party on dude (Endless) on its soundtrack. Do Not Be Afraid is due for release on 31st October 2025. Do Not Be Afraid opens with Everything's Coming Around which showcases bedd's mastery for blending cathartic existentialism with killer pop melodies and intimate, conversational vignettes. The richness and subtlety in the production and arrangements speak of Jamie's long career in the business, including his compositional work for film director Jon Spira. On the poppier end of the musical spectrum Paulie's A Bum opens with a synth-led jaunty melody which explodes into a wall of noise crescendo, I Whoo Yeah captures something of the The National's strident melodies and heart tugging lyrics whilst Five Years culminates in some beautiful guitar atmospherics that call to mind shoegaze stars such as Ride and Sigur Ros. Walkie No Talkie is an indie electro tune reminiscent of classic bands such as Grandaddy and The Cure and even a touch of Blur in the melancholic, powerful climax, with reverb-laden guitars and analogue synths giving a suitably elegiac backing to Jamie's emotive vocal. When asked about the inspiration behind the album as a whole, Jamie says, “I think I’m always trying to make sense of the beauty and fragility of life against the backdrop of the certainty of pain and loss. There’s humour and messy beauty in every day life as well as moments of feeling like you're being crushed. These songs go back and forth between memories heavy in nostalgia, and back to the present". Do Not Be Afraid masterfully tackles these weighty subjects with a finesse and skill that is remarkable, a truly great debut from one of the leading lights of the ever-thriving Oxford scene. Alongside Jamie, bedd is made up of a range of celebrated local Oxford musical talents including bandmates from his previous project The Family Machine in the shape of bass player Darren Fellerdale and guitarist Neil Durbridge. Also in the mix are guitarist Tom Sharp, electronic musician and producer Tim Midlen, also known as The Manacles of Acid, and drummer Sam Spacksman. Do Not Be Afraid was performed, recorded and produced by Jamie with the band at Glasshouse studios in rural Oxfordshire, mixed by Robert Stevenson at Sweetzerland Studios and mastered by Tim Turan at Turan Audio, Oxford. Previous bedd EP 1⅞ received plaudits from across the blogosphere and airplay from across the BBC network.
