I Am Jordan

フレッド・アゲインとのコラボもする2024年最も期待を集めるプロデューサー アイ・ジョーダンがデビュー・アルバムをリリース!!

フレッド・アゲイン、プランニングトゥーロック、シェレルとのコラボレーションや、フィーヴァー・レイやロミー、エリザ・ローズといったトップアーティストのリミックス、自身の楽曲もResident Advisorの年間ベストトラックで1位、Crack Magazineで2位、PitchforkでもTop25にランクインするなど、高揚感と恍惚感が同居する攻めの効いたトラックで今最も期待を集めるプロデューサー、アイ・ジョーダンが〈Ninja Tune〉より待望のデビュー・アルバム『I AM JORDAN』をリリース。
DJ Magazine【Best of British Awards 2023】では最優秀DJ賞にノミネートされ、AIMアワードでは【Breakthrough Artist 2023】にノミネート、Mixmagの年間ベストDJでトップ10入りを果たすなど、DJとしても高く評価を集めるアイ・ジョーダン。
ドンクやハードスタイル、ユーフォリック・トランスやハウスといったダンス・サウンドへのリスペクトを払いながら、自らのアイデンティティを背景にオリジナルのスタイルを追求している。重要なのが、今作がアイ・ジョーダンにとってのパーソナルな音楽活動を綴ったダンス・ミュージック・ダイアリーであると同時に、新たな価値観が反映された激動の時代を物語っているという点だ。
アルバム発表に合わせて解禁されたクィア・ダンス・トラック「Real Hot n Naughty」には、Netflixの人気ドラマ『セックス・エデュケーション』にも出演する俳優、フェリックス・マフティがフィーチャーされている。アイ・ジョーダンとフェリックス・マフティは、トランス系アーティストを中心に開催されたイベント『I. JORDAN & Friends』で知り合ったという。
『I AM JORDAN』というタイトルではあるが、今作はアイ・ジョーダンのソロ・アルバムというよりは、コミュニティから生まれた革命的作品だという方が正しいだろう。

I. Jordans first full-length was recorded after the genderqueer DJ/producer had stopped using their original name and started taking testosterone. The album is a vibrant expression of trans joy, as well as a document of the artists personal journey and self-discovery. Musically, it calls back to their Northern English upbringing, far from the trendsetting club scene of London, where they relocated following university. While their previous EPs embraced glittery French house and booming breakbeat hardcore, I Am Jordan is a love letter to less fashionable dance styles that have always flourished up North, particularly donk, euphoric trance, hardstyle, and bassline. (The album doesnt quite tap into the cartoonish lunacy of happy hardcore, however.) After an opening track mainly consisting of big synth sweeps that slowly build and gain a ticking beat, "Casino High" is filled with skipping garage beats, flickering filtered loops, and fluttering vocal sighs. The record starts to let loose with "Real Hot n Naughty," a carefree anthem featuring a cheeky Scouse rap by Felix Mufti. "The Countdown" (featuring Taahliah) puts a banging donk on it and rockets to warp speed, elevated by sirens and gleeful rave melodies. The hazy downtempo reflection "Reification and Pathetic Fallacy" is a bit of a comedown, and "People Want Nice Things" similarly seems to stop and look around instead of push forward. "Round n Round" kicks the tempo back up, setting more sirens and rapid vocal samples to a massive speed garage bassline. "The Woodpecker" is shameless whimsy, preceding a comically overdriven whomp of a kick drum with an exuberant "yeehoo!" The remaining few tracks are shimmering and trancey, with "Close to You" being the biggest standout, due to its passionate vocal sample. A fun, celebratory record, I Am Jordan is an inspired effort that charts Jordans growth as an artist and as a person. ~ Paul Simpson

I. Jordans first full-length was recorded after the genderqueer DJ/producer had stopped using their original name and started taking testosterone. The album is a vibrant expression of trans joy, as well as a document of the artists personal journey and self-discovery. Musically, it calls back to their Northern English upbringing, far from the trendsetting club scene of London, where they relocated following university. While their previous EPs embraced glittery French house and booming breakbeat hardcore, I Am Jordan is a love letter to less fashionable dance styles that have always flourished up North, particularly donk, euphoric trance, hardstyle, and bassline. (The album doesnt quite tap into the cartoonish lunacy of happy hardcore, however.) After an opening track mainly consisting of big synth sweeps that slowly build and gain a ticking beat, "Casino High" is filled with skipping garage beats, flickering filtered loops, and fluttering vocal sighs. The record starts to let loose with "Real Hot n Naughty," a carefree anthem featuring a cheeky Scouse rap by Felix Mufti. "The Countdown" (featuring Taahliah) puts a banging donk on it and rockets to warp speed, elevated by sirens and gleeful rave melodies. The hazy downtempo reflection "Reification and Pathetic Fallacy" is a bit of a comedown, and "People Want Nice Things" similarly seems to stop and look around instead of push forward. "Round n Round" kicks the tempo back up, setting more sirens and rapid vocal samples to a massive speed garage bassline. "The Woodpecker" is shameless whimsy, preceding a comically overdriven whomp of a kick drum with an exuberant "yeehoo!" The remaining few tracks are shimmering and trancey, with "Close to You" being the biggest standout, due to its passionate vocal sample. Something about I Am Jordan feels a bit moderated, because even though its a fun, celebratory record, it doesnt always hit the ecstatic highs that its shooting for. Still, even if it isnt chock-full of wall-to-wall bangers, its certainly an inspired effort that charts Jordans growth as an artist and as a person. ~ Paul Simpson

もともとローカル・アクションから楽曲を発表し、フレッド・アゲインとのコラボやロミーやSGルイスらのリミックスでも知られたロンドン拠点のプロデューサーが、ニンジャ・チューン移籍と改名を経てフル・アルバムを完成。テクノ～ハードスタイル、トランスやプログレッシヴ・ハウスを織り込んだスタイルは往年のニンジャが連想させるものとは違う煌めきを幻想的に散りばめた多幸感で迫ってくるが、自身のアイデンティティを背景にしながら多様なスタイルへの敬意をオリジナルのダンス・ミュージックへと引き上げている様がとても清々しい。後ろめたくなるほどユーフォリックな大作だ。
bounce (C)香椎恵