Jordan F - Oblivion

(Rossa Corsa 2018)

Jordan F's 2016 album, Timelines, had this bouncy, almost elastic quality to it, paired with a "space cruising" aesthetic. Set against synthwave as a whole, I found it quirky and appealing. His new release for Rossa Corsa, Oblivion, tries to pick up right where Timelines left off--and more or less hits the mark. If you like your synths lush and shimmery, and your grooves laid back but tight, this may be the record for you. 



Oblivion starts with "The Portal," which is a great example of Jordan F's aesthetic: a laid back groove, bouncy bass and sweet, sweet synthesizers. "The Organism" slows things down, and has a lot of atmosphere and sentiment. My favorite track, though, is "Energy," which reminds me of a more chilled-out Botnit. The soundtrack-ish downtempo number, "The Blight," is another high point. It puts you right in the middle of a movie like Turbo Kid.

Overall, Oblivion is a very high quality release. Jordan F has a signature sound, which is very appealing to me. The album is well produced and the mix is dynamic. However, the second half of the album disappoints in relation to the first. It just doesn't feel like his best work--songs like "Night Breed," for example, rely too heavily on synthwave cliches. And nothing after "The Blight" really stuck in my mind. I was also surprised to find that there are no vocal tracks, given how strong those were on Timelines.

In the end, for me Oblivion is an extraordinary 4-song EP glued together with 6 pleasant but forgettable filler tracks. But those first 4 tracks are really something, so it is still on balance a good release.

Score: 7.5