This Toronto-based duo connects with like-minded people and talks about the importance of being yourself in every room.
the artist behind good person In fact, they are wonderful people. Majid Jordanis comprised of writer and singer Majid Al Maskati and producer Jordan Ullman, and the modest album title, released last October, captures their humble sensibilities. Their fourth studio album feels like a nostalgic throwback to their 2016 self-titled debut. Listeners feel suspended in time and space, captivated by repeated lines such as “Close your eyes and move slowly,” and “Please stop.” Please let my heart slide. ”
The nine-song record is a reflection of how close these two are, with mutual adoration and respect present in every interaction. When speaking on Zoom in separate rooms, they joked that they “don’t even have to look at each other” to know what the other person is thinking, and it shows.
Creatively, their connection is undeniable. “When I have time alone for more than three hours, music is born 100 percent of the time.” For the past three years, the duo has been in music production mode, and he took an extended stay in L.A. before returning to Toronto. And so this project began. But Jordan explains how this time was different. “We just rented a studio, we don’t really do that. We make music like nomads, take out our laptops and microphones and pack it in our luggage when we get in the car. ”
Majid Jordan has chosen to keep this studio intimate. They could only include a few artists on their final record, and they weren’t actively pursuing other collaborators. He wasn’t Jordan anymore…and that’s easier when there are fewer people. ”
Another notable difference is that Majid spent six weeks recording in his home country of Bahrain. I think we just ignored it. ” Both are gratefully aware of their unique circumstances, saying, “We are blessed with the privilege of our time and understand the power of music and the importance of not taking advantage of it.” The culmination of was an album reminiscent, perhaps ironically, of their first EP. After several hours, and “brand new” at the same time.Burning too much good person This coincidental affinity is why the pair was later released. After several hours as addition good person“I didn’t add any parts or instrumentation or lyrics or vocals that I didn’t feel really fit. It was a deliberate effort to put myself into the music, and I didn’t expect anything from it.”
lonely lyrical feature good person Fellow OVO subscriber Naomi Sharon appears on “Waiting For You.” It’s a perfectly crafted song, with a beat that only Jordan can create, and Naomi and Majid’s voices blend so seamlessly that it’s hard to tell them apart at times. The origin of this track is as natural as their musical chemistry. We were talking about life, what it means to make art, where it comes from, intention, all sorts of things. She is such a wonderful human being. ” The song itself was created in a matter of hours, highlighting the importance of access to creative space.
This is something the duo feels passionately about and is invested in connecting artists from Toronto to the world. Support acts for the tour include Bahraini-born Dar Disku and Belgian-born Alex Lustig, who also enthusiastically shared plans for their Toronto studio space, saying, “People from all over the world “It’s a great place to incubate.” Given the city’s tendency to welcome visitors, there is an urgent need to strengthen these relationships before our paths diverge. Fortunately, the two were able to do this before Majid left Toronto as a graduate more than a decade ago.
Since those early days, there’s no denying that Majid Jordan has developed a distinctive sound. Their skill lies in maintaining this while making music that sounds fresh. This may be partially due to Jordan’s production process, as he is “learning more and more to think like a mixer while producing music,” which is why the untrained ear appears to have a consistent thread of audio. Many assign them a key role in shaping the sound of Toronto that is exported around the world, but given the immense diversity of the city’s influences, they are not “the” sound of Toronto. , which is immediately recognizable as a “certain” sound from Toronto. The fact that it’s actually on the record is where people define the sound. When people talk about the ‘Toronto Sound’, they’re talking RnB, reggae, dub, that’s just the Toronto sound. ” Typically humble in their demeanor, they also praise those around them. It doesn’t feel like a vacuum…we all come from different places and take different paths. ”
When Majid sees the emotional impact they have on fans, he says: You have to be kind to yourself and try not to be too selfish with yourself. ” This balance of self-awareness and introspection towards love is so evident in their music that it cannot be a coincidence. [love] This is not the default setting. You put it into what you enjoy, what you’re dedicated to. We have dedicated ourselves to music, so we practice it with love. ” When it comes to Majid Jordan, practice seems to make magic.
The two seem to get their energy from performing live and meeting fans from all over the world. “It’s always emotional when we take the stage. We’re all here, we’ve all taken the time to come together in this one place.” No statement rings truer than in their London performance. There wasn’t. With suitably minimal stage design, the set was ostensibly divided into his three acts. The first is the nonlinear performance of: good person, Naomi Sharon makes a surprise appearance on “Waiting For You.” The second act took on a party-like atmosphere with up-tempo songs such as “Every Step Every Way” and “Her,” which she performed twice to the delight of the crowd. The pace slowed down in the third act, culminating in an acoustic performance of “Chill Pad Deluxe.” After several hours EP. The show ended with the hauntingly beautiful “King City,” highlighting Majid’s vocal range amidst the atmospheric fog. As Jordan took to the microphone to speak, the audience’s unwavering energy was evident throughout his nearly two-hour set, something that rarely happens on stage.
Both Majid and Jordan speak seriously about the importance of practicing integrity wherever you are, and it shows. They are the same people on stage as they are in a group of friends or in a conversation. Majid says that love is “an unconditional acceptance of calm, chaos, and all of that, without trying to gain anything from it.” It feels as if these two great people are only standing together to make each other better and not seeking to get what they weren’t meant for.
Listen to Good People/After Hours now.