A Project Called Love – Chicago (2026)
“No boundaries. No genres. Just music straight from the heart.” – this is the pure sound of A Project Called Love. Bringing a distinctive European flavour to the US alternative music scene, German Jay Hope is doing just what he mentioned – creating music without genres or boundaries. Raised in Cologne, the singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist first made his way to The Other Side Reviews with the well-received single ‘Chance Encounter’. It’s a song we highly recommend, but today we’re taking a look at more of A Project Called Love’s discography and wonder what else is there. Come along and take a listen to ‘Chicago’.
Finding a line between his upbeat ‘Smack Dab In The Middle’ and grunge-laden ‘Chance Encounter’, ‘Chicago’ embraces the heart of ska in a three-and-a-half minute rush of music. From the first moment, you’re tossed into the air and sent off on a dreamy sonic cloud with a “get up and dance” attitude.
From the outset, Hope’s bold bass guitar keeps you running along and his guitar soars across the tune, slipping, sliding, and sweeping in a kaleidoscopic rush. While Hope is a multi-instrumentalist, ‘Chicago’ sees the skills of Dennis Aubele (drums), Julian Schneid (trumpet) and Marcus Seibert (saxophone) bring that pure, raw energy. The drums crash in the background, weaving with the guitars and bass; however, it’s the brass section that enforces the ska-driven sound.
The great thing about ska is not only its energy and insatiable need to dance along, but it’s also the emotion packed behind the pure fun. With ‘Chicago’, Hope tells a tale of romance – the glittering lights and fancy-free laughter of love. Hope shares that the track is about “Meeting an incredible girl in Chicago. Staying for a few days, falling in love.”
What can I say? ‘Chance Encounter’ was a memorable rock-tinged tune, but A Project Called Love becomes even more inspiring with ‘Chicago’. Setting a spark to a dull Monday, you can’t help but feel moved by the single. Highly recommended!!
Find out more about A Project Called Love on their Instagram, TikTok and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
Listen to more ska music on The Other Side Reviews Ska playlist:
