“Country. Gonna laugh as I’m losing my country” opens ‘Designer Citizen’, the punchy and politically charged lead single from Jesca Hoop’s newly announced album. The album, titled ‘Long Wave Home’, will be out on 1st May, and it continues Jesca’s exploration of American folk rock, chronicling life as she goes. Hoop takes on production duties for the first time, too.
Speaking about the upcoming album, Jesca Hoop says:
“Writing an album can be very agitating, but it’s a discomfort I am comfortable with. What a gift it is to spend my time examining my inner world, my relationships, and from it make music.
My life took an unexpected turn in 2025. Many people exited my life… like a bus pulling into the station. Some of these relationships were of great importance, so I had much to wrestle with in these verses. Disconnect, or the illusion thereof, was also fodder for songs—amid the chaos and confusion we are creating in this world, I feel a responsibility to record what I see transpiring among us: what is being done… by whom and to whom.
Long Wave Home is not just a renewal of my commitment to the craft of writing and record-making—it’s a vote of confidence and an investment in myself as an artist and authority over my vocation and life’s path.”
The lead single, ‘Designer Citizen’, is quintessential Jesca Hoop. With a slightly awkward rhythm, pointed lyrics, a playful nature, and double-barreled honesty, the track claps and slaps its way into your feet and heart. Jesca Hoop rarely takes the obvious melodic path, and the same is true here. The melodies are catchy, but always with a bit of tension or sharp surprise to them. The lyrics speak of shadowbans, American flags, and the disconnect of fake patriotic gestures. This is all underscored with military drum fills, pum-pa-pum trumpets, and plenty of marimba. There’s a nursery rhyme quality to the chorus, which feels intentional. It’s a strong single that sets me up for another cracking album to come.
The music video is good fun, too. Using three CRT TVs to record the head, body, and legs of different people in a semi-circle, the images switch in and out to create different walks of life. I’m delighted to see the creative art of a music video still rides strong for some artists. ‘Designer Citizen’ is out now. ‘Long Wave Home’ can be pre-ordered on Bandcamp.
For more info about tours and releases, visit Jesca Hoop’s website.
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