by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Black Light Smoke is the front under which Chicago-born Jordan Lieb makes his music. Currently resident in New York, Lieb has house and techno heritage on his doorstep – and pours it into his debut album.

The album draws on 30 years’ worth of dance music in a search for the real meaning of house music. As it does so it brings in elements of rave, house and soul – and forming them into a structure with strong parallels to a DJ mix.

In a deeper meaning, Ghosts also stands for facing the shadows of the past in order to be able to move forward.

What’s the music like?

This is a cracking dance music album. Jordan Lieb is a talented producer, but he doesn’t have to try too hard to show it – the craft of making a strong album akin to a DJ set comes to him instinctively.

We have an atmospheric, deep opener as Sprinkles Says casts an evocative nocturnal atmosphere, and then a thoughtful, voice-led track in the shape of 727 Anthem (House Is Black), which sets out the stall for an album that works as well for the head as it does for the dancing feet. This is an old-style house track seen through younger eyes, and it’s a strong combination.

Then comes one of two excellent vocal tracks featuring Léah Lazonick. Hearts Not Broken is slightly eerie, the spoken word vocal in the verse cutting to a distant harmony for the chorus. Later on, Ghosts itself has smoky, wispy outlines.

Elsewhere, Lieb gets down to business. Pleasure Chaser, The Beat Direct and Out From Within are the sort of deep house tracks we might have expected from the likes of Kevin Yost in the late 1990s, though Lieb creates a very different mood in each one. Love Triangle goes deeper and sultry, but Prisoner is peak time house, its piano ringing out above the dancing throng.

Resonate feels like classic, late 1980s techno, with fat synth lines, while In The Valley has mellow, rich chords to lie on. By way of a contrast, Nighttime Honey keeps its rough edges, vinyl crackles and all, looking out on a nocturnal city scape as it seeks company. Finally The Storm fizzes and crackles, one of the faster tracks of the album taking us out on a high.

Does it all work?

It does. Lieb keeps his music interesting throughout, crackling with atmosphere, and very much setting the scene of late night cities. Social elements are subtly explored, too.

Is it recommended?

Wholeheartedly – this is a fine dance music record. When you buy it, though, you can kill two birds with one stone, because Lieb is donating 100% of all his proceeds to Little Bit Foundation, empowering students living in poverty to achieve their academic goals.

Listen

Buy