Matt Crocker Announces New Project ‘IN LIEU OF ME (Vol. 2)’ For October Release
Matt Crocker is going back to where the songs began. The worship songwriter and former Hillsong UNITED vocalist has announced IN LIEU OF ME (Vol. 2), a new collection inspired by the stripped-back atmosphere of his recent house partiii sessions. The project is set for release worldwide on October 23.
Crocker revealed that the new project was born from a desire to build on what he started with house partiii, taking the songs back to a more natural and intimate setting. “It really came from wanting to continue what we started with house partiii,” he shared. “So we lit a big bonfire, got a couple camping chairs and hit record, capturing these songs just as they were back at their beginnings.”
For Crocker, the project is also deeply connected to his own musical journey. He explained that the songs carry years of personal history and said he is looking forward to sharing the stories and memories surrounding them.
The first preview from the project has already arrived with “Hear Like Heaven,” a stripped-back revisit of the worship song Crocker co-wrote years ago. The track was originally associated with Hillsong UNITED under the title “Heart Like Heaven” and now receives a more intimate treatment as part of his latest chapter.
The new collection follows the creative direction of house partiii (Vol. 1), where Crocker revisited songs including “Oceans,” “Scandal of Grace,” and “I Surrender” through a rawer and more personal lens. Rather than focusing on elaborate production, the sessions allowed the songs to breathe in the kind of environment where their ideas first came together.
That approach appears to continue on IN LIEU OF ME (Vol. 2), with the campfire setting placing the emphasis on songwriting, atmosphere and the stories behind the music.
For an artist whose songs have been heard in churches and worship spaces around the world, Crocker’s decision to strip things back to a few chairs, a bonfire and a recording setup offers another look at the beginnings behind the music.
“Hear Like Heaven” is available now, with IN LIEU OF ME (Vol. 2) scheduled for release on October 23.
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