Breaking her musical year-long fast, Hanna Haïs is back with ‘J’en Rêve’ (I Dream of It) the first new single from her forthcoming third solo album. She’s spent a lot of time in Paris working with Alex Finkin on her new album and this song is the prototype, which is quite a departure from her previous releases as she takes a more minimalistic approach.
‘J’en Rêve’ marches out a languid pace with its grungy beat and deep, crepuscular tone. The lyrics, falling bewitchingly from the mouth of Hanna Haïs, swirl the song into an alluring uplift of mystery and noir-esque musical manipulation. Her voice is leisurely and tightly echoing, dripping with French charm until it abruptly pulls back behind its edges and rings out, high and clear, proclaiming the song’s title to the exotic backing of maracas. ‘J’en Rêve’ walks the line between genres, mixing artificial with natural to blend a unique fusion of earthy instruments and electronic dashes here and there.
The fact that the song isn’t in English doesn’t pose much of a problem – it’s the way the melody takes shape and the overall sound that matter most. Plus, there are plenty of successful songs I wish I didn’t understand. The lyrics aren’t exactly the riddle of the Sphinx: ‘energique, dynamique, romantique’. It’s like English but sexier. And she uses this to her advantage, sometimes delving into whispers and pulling the words out from the centre of her body, soaking them with emotion.
Overall, ‘J’en Rêve’ is minimalistic, well-crafted and devilishly French, promising to be the first of many quality releases from Haïs.
Check it out below, as a taster for the full album:
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