BENN JORDAN - Louisiana Mourning

Benn Jordan has been progressing at a rate of knots over the past few years. Doubtless bored with producing endless glitch-based electronica, he’s attempted to cross over into more acoustic terrains, steering his music away from the mechanised virtues of electronic music and heading towards a more natural, organic reflex.

Naturally, that bold move requires a new level of understanding. It’s not about getting rid of electronics, it’s about enhancing the overall sound, giving it more depth, breadth, and figuring out a way to be able to more freely express the emotions that a songwriter is always looking to express in the most intuitive way.

Jordan’s 2008 album Soundtrack To A Vacant Life, under his Flashbulb pseudonym, was a flawless attempt to broaden his ideals, whilst still opting for the safe platform of the three-to-four-minute song, where ideas can be briefly expressed whilst remaining on terra firma.

With Louisiana Mourning, however, Jordan has jumped feet first into the water - abandoning the short song structures to release a single 21-minute piece of music. In some ways, it’s only half-realised, as the music is not continuous; it fades out – pauses – then moves onto a new section of music, like any ordinary record would. Regardless, it’s Jordan’s half-way step – the EP being a tribute to a deceased friend.

Musically, Louisiana Mourning features Jordan’s familiar use of acoustic guitar, but much more prominently then we’ve previously seen. The guitar forms the spine of Jordan’s music, with the electronic element on the periphery.

It has to be said that there’s some really lovely music on this EP, mostly coming from Jordan’s own acoustic fingertips – he really knows how to bring melody out of the instrument in a simple yet effective way.

However, I’m not sure Jordan has quite so successfully nailed down the arrangement side. The music’s absolutely sumptuous in parts, but struggles for fluidity - the constant intervals tending to break the listener’s concentration. Practise makes perfect though; in the meantime Louisiana Mourning has enough good music on it to be highly rewarding.



	BENN JORDAN - Louisiana Mourning
	8.0
	Alphabasic ~ n/a ~ 21st September
	Benn Jordan has been progressing at a rate of knots over the past few years. Doubtless bored with producing endless glitch-based electronica, he’s attempted to cross over into more acoustic terrains, steering his music away from the mechanised virtues of electronic music and heading towards a more natural, organic reflex. Naturally, that bold move requires a new level of understanding. It’s not about getting rid of electronics, it’s about enhancing the overall sound, giving it more depth, breadth, and figuring out a way to be able to more freely express the emotions that a songwriter is always looking to express in the most intuitive way. Jordan’s 2008 album Soundtrack To A Vacant Life, under his Flashbulb pseudonym, was a flawless attempt to broaden his ideals, whilst still opting for the safe platform of the three-to-four-minute song, where ideas can be briefly expressed whilst remaining on terra firma. With Louisiana Mourning, however, Jordan has jumped feet first into the water - abandoning the short song structures to release a single 21-minute piece of music. In some ways, it’s only half-realised, as the music is not continuous; it fades out – pauses – then moves onto a new section of music, like any ordinary record would. Regardless, it’s Jordan’s half-way step – the EP being a tribute to a deceased friend. Musically, Louisiana Mourning features Jordan’s familiar use of acoustic guitar, but much more prominently then we’ve previously seen. The guitar forms the spine of Jordan’s music, with the electronic element on the periphery. It has to be said that there’s some really lovely music on this EP, mostly coming from Jordan’s own acoustic fingertips – he really knows how to bring melody out of the instrument in a simple yet effective way. However, I’m not sure Jordan has quite so successfully nailed down the arrangement side. The music’s absolutely sumptuous in parts, but struggles for fluidity - the constant intervals tending to break the listener’s concentration. Practise makes perfect though; in the meantime Louisiana Mourning has enough good music on it to be highly rewarding.