The Pit LDN speaks to Croydon’s-finest on his latest release ‘Almost An Adult’, the eclectic, visual album providing a blueprint of the musicians wide-reaching talent. Jords discusses everything from filming on location in Jamaica to the growth from his first project ‘A Mean to an Ends’.
Emily: With the recent release of your highly-anticipated project, ‘Almost An Adult’, how has the response been and how has the process of releasing this album been, whilst in lockdown?
Jords: It’s been a big adjustment. I’m used to travelling to radio and performing at shows so it is a big adjustment. But with that being said, I don’t think this would’ve been consumed the same way if we weren’t in lockdown.
What was the creative process of this project like and as both a producer and artist, how much did you want to experiment and push your sound with this album?
It was.. cathartic. I was going through a lot and trying to process a lot of emotions without knowing how to.. until I made music about it. It kept me going. Production-wise, I don’t think I made a conscious choice to experiment, everything I created was just an extension of me, and whichever sound I ended up creating felt right.
What was the main narrative you wanted to explore on the album?
The main narrative was growth. Listening back, it’s all about growth, a coming of age. My favourite films/albums all tell stories of coming of age. Falling in love, dealing with grief, dealing with new expectations and pressures, growing through all of that.
How important is working with live instruments and how do you feel they add to the atmosphere of your sound?
For me, it’s essential. I’ve always worked with the vision to intertwine live instruments with electronic sounds/samples. I think it creates a sound that can easily translate to a live show, which for me is the pinnacle of music.
How was working with the featured artists on the project and what do you feel they individually brought to ‘AAA’?
Very organic and a wonderful experience. All of the features brought something to the project that cannot be replaced or replicated. I really enjoyed creating with other people too, every feature felt like an extension of conversation, especially Jaz and Thea’s, as we were all in the studio on the same day.
What was the influence behind creating a visual film for the album and how important are visuals to you in relation to your music?
It’s always been a dream of mine to create a film. Myself and the label thought the musicality in the project was so broad, that the best way to show all sides of my artistry was by creating a short film.
How was shooting the visuals and who did you work with to create them?
We worked with a collective called 33Bound, and Christina Nwabugo, and the experience was.. eye-opening. Spiritual, powerful, and so refreshing. Going back to Jamaica to create art has long been a dream of mine, one that I didn’t expect to be doing so early in my career to be honest. But it was a beautiful experience, even if it was a lot of work.
