Moving away from the grooves of his first two records, Jain pours danceable romantic pop on his first album in five years.

Jain didn’t just take a long hiatus after ending the tour that followed the release of her album Souldier (2018) prematurely, she also took the time to reinvent herself. The Fool no longer offers these dance songs with syncopated phrasing and rhythms inspired by Africa and the Middle East where she lived during her youth. He fully assumes his penchant for elegant pop, sometimes even tempted by folk.

Don’t be fooled by the aesthetic of the cover, whose lettering and colors are reminiscent of psychedelic rock. Jain offers nothing mind-blowing here. She said she was inspired by Stevie Nicks and Kate Bush, but what stands out on The Fool are the dancing desires evoking both disco and its reinterpretations in French electro of the 2010s.

There are sure to be some early admirers who will find that Jain lines up and walks the well-trodden paths of predictable pop. This would not be completely wrong, but also perfectly unfair: she remains a skilled composer and, with her producer Yodelice, makes beautiful sound stagings, imbued with a dreamy romanticism.

These musical tapestries stick perfectly to the subject of the singer. Jain says she was inspired by tarot cards to write her new songs. You don’t need to be versed in this art of divination to grasp her point: she sings of love, speaks of the vertigo of being yourself, of reconnecting with yourself, and of finding balance in a disturbing world. All this in a smooth voice that licks the ear.

Jain does fit the mold, but only in appearance. The Fool skilfully synthesizes decades of music (Pink Floyd, the Beatles, Elton John, Kate Bush, Stevie Wonder, and more), revisited with a modern spirit. Above all, it is melodic and catchy, from start to finish.