At a time when honesty is so often thrown under the tour bus in exchange for perfection, JWADI's new single "CLOSER" hits like a sledgehammer of emotion, intention, and bare bones soul. As a lead single off his self-composed, 12-song effort "The Year of Subtraction," the release denotes a new chapter for the man once responsible for some of The Movement's most cherished anthems, including the viral sensation, "Set Sail."
"CLOSER" is the complete work of JWADI, performed and produced the track full-out as a moment of confrontation. Based on a rippling fusion of indie-folk intimacy, alternative edge, and hints of reggae and hip-hop grit, the song sketches a portrait of an artist who's not simply reinventing himself but reclaiming himself. And while there is a real weight behind the lyrics, JWADI never lets the emotional intensity feel heavy-handed. Instead, he writes his story with the steady hand of someone who has been through fire and come out intact and awake.
"CLOSER" hits like a slow storm. Delicate guitar lines and spooky vocal melodies ride over atmospheric production that knows when to hold back and when to pounce. That back-and-forth is JWADI's point of style. Raw but not messy, emotional but not indulgent. There is confidence here, not in cocksureness but in truth-telling.
The single's release plays out one part of the story arc of "The Year of Subtraction" as JWADI navigates his experience with recovery, transformation, and internal enlightenment. It's not just rejecting heritage, it's about clearing everything away to the core. And in "CLOSER," all of that intention is palpable.
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