There’s something quietly defiant about Dodgy in 2026. Not for them the heritage-circuit autopilot or the easy nostalgia cash-in. Hello Beautiful, released today, is the sound of a band not just revisiting their past, but expanding it – brighter, deeper, and somehow even more essential than before. This is a record that doesn’t just justify their return; it demands it.

From the off, the title track “Hello Beautiful” reminds you exactly why Dodgy mattered in the first place. Those sunlit harmonies, that effortless melodic lift – it’s all intact, but there’s a richer emotional grain running through it now. The comeback single didn’t just mark a return; it kicked the door open, earning the band their first Top 40 appearance in over a decade and setting the tone for everything that follows.

Then there’s “It’s Not The End”, a track that feels almost meta in its message. Built on a chiming, widescreen chorus and a quietly euphoric undercurrent, it’s Dodgy doing what they’ve always done best: finding hope in the everyday and making it sing. Both singles land even harder in the context of the album – they’re not just highlights, they’re cornerstones.

But the real moment – the one that already feels like legend – is “Summer Forever.” A shimmering, sun-soaked colossus, it’s everything you want from Dodgy and more. Anthemic without trying too hard, nostalgic without ever feeling stuck, it’s the kind of track that seems destined to soundtrack long evenings and festival fields for years to come.

Its exclusive debut yesterday on Virgin Radio – revealed on Chris Evans’ morning breakfast show – only added to the mythology. Played live by the band, it was so immediately undeniable that Evans asked for it again. Twice in one morning. Not hype – just instinct. And honestly, once you hear it, you’ll get it. This will be one of the tracks of the summer. No question.

Elsewhere, Hello Beautiful reveals its depth. Tracks like “The Likes of You And Me” and “Looking Back” carry a reflective weight, hinting at the years behind them without ever losing that innate sense of uplift. There’s a maturity here – a lived-in quality – but it never dulls the band’s melodic instincts. If anything, it sharpens them.

Nigel Clark’s words about approaching each song as “its own individual” ring true. This is a cohesive album, but never a predictable one. Each track has its own identity, its own emotional temperature, yet they all orbit that unmistakable Dodgy core: warmth, melody, and a belief – however hard-earned – that things might just turn out alright.

And crucially, this isn’t a band looking backwards. With a UK tour kicking off tonight in Grimsby, they’re taking this new chapter straight to the people, back into the independent venues that shaped them. It’s a full-circle moment, but it feels more like a relaunch than a victory lap.

Hello Beautiful isn’t just a return to form – it’s a reminder of why Dodgy mattered in the first place, and why they still do. Uplifting, reflective, and absolutely brimming with life, it’s a record that earns every ounce of its optimism.

Hello Beautiful. Five stars. No hesitation.