Hannah Jadagu

On Describe, Hannah Jadagu learns the hard way that distance is relative. Soon after the release of her acclaimed 2023 debut Aperture, Jadagu temporarily moved to California to work on its follow-up. Jadagu’s second album sees her grappling with that distance, exploring connections that extend beyond the physical and strengthening her voice in the process. Working with producer Sora Lopez in Altadena and remotely with Aperture co-producer Max Baby out of Paris, Jadagu carved out a sound that is both distinctively hers and a total departure from the distorted guitar melodies of her debut. “My Love” is emblematic of that sonic shift: Opening with an effervescent synth, the song is at once euphoric and reserved, combining Jadagu’s diaphanous vocals and the heartbeat of a kick drum. “Gimme Time” is a softer turn for Jadagu, layering an electric piano atop lyrics about growing in the absence of creature comforts. “Doing Now” undulates with her hypnotic vocals; “Normal Today” thrums with icy industrialism that melts into pizzicato violins. Jadagu’s honeyed vocals seem to come from all angles, narrator of her own transformation. Throughout Describe, Jadagu pairs melodies down to their essence. She fittingly closes with “Bergamont,” combining Jadagu’s most brutally honest lyrics and a layered synth that conjures a cleansing breath. On Describe, Jadagu is searching for the words to describe the truth, on her terms, relishing in the uncertainty in that journey.