motel void

Jaden Sade is a rather enigmatic project – the debut album The Forgotten Chapters unfolds as a story, a collection of echoes. “It’s about the space between what happened and what couldn’t,” Sade explains. The album consists of 13 songs – 13 moments – each one standing on its own.

It’s a deeply minimalist record, a tone set right from the start with Prologue and If I Knew Then, where soft backing vocals occasionally appear like passing thoughts. Listening to it feels a bit like stepping into an old, quiet house where someone in the next room is recording hushed songs just for themselves.

The third track, My Love For You, is emotional yet stripped back – built around a whispery, near-silent vocal performance. The focus is on intimacy rather than instrumentation.

One of my personal favorites is Something Strange Is In This Light, which opens with a touch of distortion – a welcome shift in texture. I also recommend the accompanying visuals for this and other songs: striking, moody photographs that beautifully tie into the lyrical themes. This track stands out as catchier, with the potential to linger in your head.

The Puppetmaster introduces more prominent acoustic guitar, with soft, warm production reminiscent of artists like Iron & Wine. The middle section of the album reaches a peak with At Midnight, where a simple guitar riff, lo-fi drum machine, and Sade’s whispery cadence come together in a haunting melody. It creates the atmosphere of walking down a dimly lit street in a neighborhood you’ve never been to – and yet it feels strangely familiar.

In the second half, Turned to Stone stands out as a highlight – emotional and melodic, with subtle pop potential. With slightly fuller production, it could easily cross into a more accessible space. Still, the minimalist approach works well, and Sade clearly has a strong instinct for melody. Sometimes you wish for a bit more energy or dynamic build, but the restraint is also part of the charm.

The closing track, Feel the Same, might be the album’s most defining moment – built around gentle acoustic guitar, layered vocals, and a raw, heartfelt delivery, it suggests a possible direction for Sade’s future work: more emotionally direct, yet still grounded in minimalism. There’s a quiet confidence here, a sense of something subtly opening up. The album then fades out with a lo-fi Epilogue that gently circles back to where it all began, creating a satisfying full-circle moment and leaving the listener in a contemplative, lingering state – like waking from a vivid, half-remembered dream.

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