Knoxville, Tennessee based independent pop singer/songwriter and producer, Jorden Albright has released her 3rd EP, "Pretty Party". The 8-track bedroom-pop project was fully self-produced and recorded in Jorden's home.
TRACKLIST
The Fool (prelude)
oh god!
kick it
if i go out
S.O.S.
The Empress
TIL I BREAK
pretty girl sh!t
Jorden is originally from Memphis, Tennessee and has always had a natural gravitation towards the spotlight. She had been singing since she was young, and she started posting videos of herself singing on YouTube over a decade ago at the age of 9. Her first video to gain traction was a cover of Sia's song "Chandelier" which gained over 27,000 views and then a parody of Fetty Wap's "My Way" which went viral which now almost has 3 million views! She officially released her first original song in 2017, titled "The Wonder" and has been consistently releasing music ever since. "Pretty Party" is her 3rd EP, and blends sounds of electronic pop, indie rock, RnB, and hip-hop to create a unique experience for every type of listener.
"I wanted 'Pretty Party' to feel like hanging out with me, but doing it from inside my brain. This EP is a celebration of my journey towards appreciating myself and my mixed bag of emotions both in and out of my dynamics with others, and I hope that people can relate to it." - Jorden Albright
The Fool (prelude)
"The Fool" introduces us into the album with a one-minute instrumental experience; and when I say experience, I mean an experience. This track forced me to close my eyes, and just feel the incredible sounds that were happening. I felt like I was floating; like I was about to transcend into another dimension. If this is what was preparing me for the rest of this album, I was so ready. You find yourself taking deep breaths, and as you reach the end of the track, you hear an electronic voice exclaim, "ready!".
Okay, here we go. Into the next track.
oh god!
"oh god!" is about reflecting on your relationship that just isn't quite feeling right. Even though you love them and you want things to work out, it doesn't seem like they're giving you that same love and energy back. The song starts with Jorden implying that love just isn't like the fairytales. The song has a really strong synthesized bass, paired with a unique blend of dreamy layered harmonies and a hip-hop groove. The whole mid-section has a melodic rap moment that just makes you want to exclaim "yes girl!". The hook consists of a play-on-words with the old prayer, "now I lay me down to sleep"... you know which one; expect Jorden sings, "Now I lay me down (to sleep), I pray my baby's heart (I keep), If I should die before (I wake), I pray my baby's at my grave". "'oh god!" is an incredibly clever and catchy song that has me excited for what else is to come.
kick it
Next, we have "kick it", a fun little guilty pleasure track about knowing when you shouldn't pursue someone, but you just might do it anyways. The production sound straight out of a classic video game - which is done on purpose! Jorden mentioned wanting it to sound like Nintendo DS, which is very nostalgic for many. Mixed with incredibly smooth, controlled vocals and an ear-worm hook, don't be surprised if "kick it" gets stuck in your head.
if i go out
Going in the complete opposite direction mood wise of "kick it", we have "if i go out". This track takes a more experimental approach. It starts with a very catchy electronic beat, and then has melody that is sung across the same tone throughout the duration of the song is a very dark, sorrowful type of way. There are dissonant harmonies that add to the haunting essence of this song. "if i go out" is about wanting to leave your house, but then thinking about the possibility of running into that somebody that caused you to stay in your house for so long in the first place.
S.O.S.
"S.O.S." is a get up and dance out the stress type of song. The beat is high energy with a tropical type of groove that will get you moving. The repetitive refrain feels like a mantra, that you can easily sing along to over and over again. Jorden says, "the overall vibe feels like running through the Serengeti at sunset." If you're ever having an overwhelming day, put on this song, close your eyes, start dancing around and repeat these lyrics along with Jorden to let it all out.
The Empress
"The Empress" is a self-empowerment / "i'm feeling myself" kind of song. It's giving permission to love yourself, compliment yourself, and say "yeah, you know what? I am that bitch!". The soundscape has a "i don't care what you think" kind of attitude. It's very sonically dark pop / alternative pop in it's production, which is different from the rest of the songs on this EP so far. It really shows Jorden's diversity in her creativity and as an artist. "The Empress" is truly a bad-ass anthem for anyone out there who feels they deserve for recognition for just how incredible they truly are. Brag about yourself, and show off! Say it louder for the people in the back!
TIL I BREAK
"TIL I BREAK" is another track that feels more experimental and abstract, like "if i go out". I love hearing when artists take a step away from mainstream beats and grooves to create something unheard of. The song seems to be about Jorden asking herself just how much of the same old negative situations can she take or go through until enough is enough, or until she just completely loses it. This song features naturistic, ethereal sounds and production. Jorden says the style of this track was inspired by artists like R&B/Soul singer ODIE and singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Cautious Clay.
pretty girl sh!t
Closing out the EP, we have the Pop/RnB bop "pretty girl sh!t" which is another self-love anthem kind of like "The Empress", but this one feels more personal and vulnerable. The gist of this song is, you're allowed to be proud of your accomplishments. When you've been through the wringer and you've worked your butt off to reach success, there shouldn't be anything or anyone who can bring you down now. You are beautiful and strong, and it's valid to feel for yourself. There's a break down in this song, that feels like a stream of consciousness where Jorden sings, "There's beauty in my obstinance / I love myself, I'm proud of it / I'm happy to take ownership, of all of my accomplishments/ 'Cause girl, I really did that shit / I'm pretty, 'Cause I own my shit" - This part feels so special, raw and real before it gets back into it's groove and continues with the rest of the song. We end this EP with the same voice that asked us if we were ready in the prelude, spelling out the word pretty and closing this chapter in such a cathartic way.
The fact that this entire EP was done completely alone by Jorden Albright herself in her home is so unbelievably impressive. The quality of sound and production are what you'd expect straight out of a professional studio, not to mention her stunning voice and complex lyricism. Jorden's natural and diverse talent for music as a whole entity is beautiful and I'm so glad that I had the honor of experiencing it. If she's this amazing on a recording, I can't even imagine the energy and aura she emits when she performs live. If you enjoyed the "Pretty Party" EP as much as I did, I also suggest checking out Jorden's previous EP from 2022, "ANATOMY". Make sure to also follow Jorden below to keep up on her journey and see what she does next!
Written By Kaitlyn Nicole
FOLLOW JORDEN:
*Sponsored Post - Discovered on Musosoup. A contribution was made to help create this article as part of a promotional campaign.