B-Side Guys

Memory possesses its own mythology—stories we tell ourselves about what happened, what might have been, and what lingers in the spaces between action and consequence. On “The Forgotten Chapters,” Austrian artist Jaden Sade transforms these intangible territories into 13 songs that function less as individual compositions and more as fragments of larger narrative about “love turning into stone, of letters never sent, of memories that haunt more than they hold.”

Released June 20th as Sade’s sophomore effort following 2024’s “endless time,” this concept album demonstrates remarkable artistic evolution while maintaining the introspective approach that distinguishes independent artists willing to prioritize emotional authenticity over commercial calculation. Entirely written, produced, and mixed by Sade, the collection creates unified vision that transforms personal experience into fictional narrative that invites listeners to “see your own reflection in it too.”

Opening with “Prologue,” Sade immediately establishes the album’s literary aspirations through atmospheric introduction that suggests story about to unfold rather than traditional song. The production creates intimate space—bedroom recording aesthetic that enhances rather than diminishes the material’s emotional impact. This DIY approach serves the project’s conceptual framework perfectly, creating sensation of discovering someone’s private journals rather than consuming polished entertainment.

“If I Knew Then” follows with the kind of retrospective wisdom that can only emerge from genuine experience of loss and regret. Sade’s vocals carry distinctive vulnerability that recalls early Kings of Convenience or Belle and Sebastian, though filtered through more contemporary electronic textures. The song’s exploration of hindsight creates perfect bridge between album’s fictional framework and universal emotional territory that allows broad audience connection.

“My Love For You” provides necessary romantic foundation for the heartbreak that follows, its tender arrangements contrasting sharply with the darkness suggested by the album’s overall concept. Rather than mere setup for eventual disappointment, the track establishes genuine emotional investment that makes subsequent loss more impactful. Sade’s production choices here demonstrate sophisticated understanding of dynamic range—the song’s beauty becomes more poignant when contextualized within larger narrative of dissolution.

“Something Strange Is In This Light” marks the collection’s first significant tonal shift, its title suggesting ominous change within previously comfortable relationship dynamics. The atmospheric production creates unsettling quality that mirrors the psychological uncertainty of recognizing familiar situations becoming alien. This transition demonstrates Sade’s gift for translating complex emotional states into sonic equivalents.

“The Puppetmaster” emerges as perhaps the album’s most overtly dramatic offering, its title suggesting manipulation and control within relationship contexts. The song’s darker production palette and more aggressive rhythmic patterns create stark contrast with earlier material while maintaining cohesive vision. Sade’s vocals here carry particular weight, suggesting someone discovering their agency within situations designed to prevent it.

Mid-album track “At Midnight” provides temporal anchor point that grounds the album’s more abstract elements in specific experience. The song’s nocturnal imagery creates perfect backdrop for the kind of late-night reflection that often accompanies relationship dissolution. The production incorporates subtle electronic elements that enhance rather than overwhelm the essentially acoustic foundation.

“Criminal” represents the album’s emotional nadir, its title suggesting transgression and guilt that accompanies complicated romantic situations. The song’s arrangements create claustrophobic atmosphere that mirrors psychological state of someone questioning their own actions and motivations. This psychological complexity distinguishes Sade’s approach from simpler heartbreak narratives.

“The Author’s Interlude” provides meta-commentary on the storytelling process itself, acknowledging the artificial nature of transforming lived experience into artistic statement. This self-awareness prevents the album from collapsing into mere autobiography while maintaining emotional authenticity that grounds fictional elements in recognizable truth.

“Turned To Stone” serves as the album’s thematic centerpiece, its title referencing the opening description of “love turning into stone.” The track’s geological imagery creates powerful metaphor for relationships that calcify rather than evolve, becoming monuments to what once lived rather than continuing sources of growth. The production here achieves remarkable balance between beauty and desolation.

“A Letter From Paris” introduces geographic displacement into the narrative, suggesting distance both literal and emotional. The song’s continental imagery and melancholic melody create sense of romantic possibility existing alongside geographic impossibility. This tension between longing and logistics adds realistic complexity to the album’s exploration of complicated love.

“Goodbye” and “Feel The Same” form complementary exploration of ending and aftermath, the former addressing necessary conclusion while the latter examines persistent emotional attachment that survives factual termination. Both tracks demonstrate Sade’s understanding that genuine healing requires acknowledging complexity rather than pursuing simple resolution.

“Epilogue” provides appropriate conclusion through reflection on storytelling process and its relationship to lived experience. Rather than tidy resolution, the track acknowledges that some stories resist conclusion, continuing to evolve through retelling and reinterpretation.

Throughout “The Forgotten Chapters,” Sade demonstrates remarkable maturity for a sophomore release. The album succeeds as both cohesive artistic statement and collection of individual songs, creating rare synthesis of conceptual ambition and emotional accessibility. The production throughout maintains consistent vision while allowing individual tracks room to breathe according to their own narrative requirements.

What distinguishes this project from typical concept albums is Sade’s understanding that effective storytelling requires universal themes expressed through specific details. The fictional framework serves emotional truth rather than constraining it, creating space for listeners to project their own experiences onto carefully constructed narrative.

“The Forgotten Chapters” stands as compelling argument that independent artists possess unique advantages in creating deeply personal work—freedom from commercial pressure allowing genuine artistic exploration that prioritizes emotional authenticity over market calculation. Sade has created something genuinely distinctive that honors storytelling traditions while establishing individual voice worth following closely.