THE GAME OF JADU HEART’S ‘DEREALISED’

heart, but hopefully, that will change after their recent ” d erealisation” album. Jadu heart is an e nglish dream/synth-pop duo consisting of d ivas achy Jeffrey and Alex headford. Their album “d erealisation” was released on Jan. 23 and I’ve already replayed it too many times to count. The album is their fourth studio album and consists of 12 tracks.

m any of the songs consist of catchy synths that continuously reappear throughout the record. Through the first track (“Glistener”), there’s a hardhitting drum groove that complements Jeffrey’s autotune hums that slowly get crashed with bass.

“Glistener” is perhaps Jadu heart’s best opener compared to their previous albums and sets up the record’s overall theme and direction. Personally, it’s one of my favorite tracks on the album since its dreamy vocals and distorted guitar effects draw from popular shoegaze bands like m y b loody valentine and Lush. c ohesively, the opener’s lyrics fit the album’s themes of derealization and depression, feelings inspired by the duo’s experience during the cov I d -19 lockdown.

y favorite tracks are the tracks that do sound like the duo had a sit-down with shoegaze legends and asked for the secret formula for the most ethereal beats known to man, the best of which is “I s himmer.” This four-minute-long track is perhaps the strongest song of the whole album. It starts off with a screeching distorted guitar riff that gets drowned with drums. Then, the whiplash-inducing vocals of Jeffrey and headford kick in. The track serves as the album’s thematic center point and defines the album’s laid-back vibe.

“d erealised” is a more mature version of Jadu heart’s sophomore album, “ melt Away,” but I feel as though the duo has more room to grow and build their sound to be more distinct and lucid. The album lacks a bit of structure when it comes to a specific sound. It seems like the band is struggling to choose between psychedelic pop and shoegaze which leads to some sporadic and awkward transitions.

Through doing research for this review, I discovered that the duo performs in masks and performs under stage names: d ina and Faro. s imilar to s un r a and r ammellzee, Jadu heart uses their stage names to amplify their musical storytelling. Jeffrey and headford have mentioned their characters represent the erratic and emotional monsters

“ e mperor’s n ew c lothes.” The album was a success for the band, even after many lineup changes.

The band went on to release two more studio albums in 2018 and 2022. Their 2018 release, titled “Pray for the Wicked,” features the hit song “ h igh h opes,” which peaked at number four on the b illboard Top 100. The song was their highest since “I Write s ins n ot Tragedies.” Their final album was titled “ v iva Las vengeance.” o verall, it is really sad to hear that Panic! at the d isco is no more, but those who loved the band will definitely be singing the band’s most popular tunes to this day. This is truly the death of a bachelor.

Panic! at the d isco was well known for changing the style of music on every one of its seven studio albums. They primarily focused on pop-rock music but did not shy away from other styles, ranging from psychedelic pop to emo-pop to vaudeville. The band won multiple awards, especially for their success with “Pray for the Wicked,” including four b illboard m usic Awards and one American m usic Award award for Alternative Artist of the year.

Contact Nicole at nbilyak01@saintmarys.edu hidden within each person. c oupled with the duo’s modern lust for mystery, their stage presence showcases much of the heart and grit that is central to the band’s message.

“d erealisation,” Jadu heart’s album is a love letter to the overwhelming sense of loneliness and anguish many of us have faced during the pandemic. The album’s push and pull between nihilism and optimism is what the album is about. This draining cycle is what makes the record so intimate to fans who struggle with mental health. Although the duo has much to work on, they’re definitely an artist to keep on your radar.

Contact Marisol at mbohorquez01@saintmarys.edu

“Derealisation”

Artist: Jadu Heart

Label: VLF Records, Anchor Point Records

Favorite tracks: “Glistener,” “I Shimmer,” “The Glass Box Between Me and You”

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