“In the last couple of months I’ve learnt to use my voice more,” I. Jordan shared on Instagram last August, documenting their transition. The post marked their six month anniversary of taking T (testosterone) and how it has affected their vocals. Having grown up queer in Doncaster, Jordan’s openness about transitioning – which they have often posted about online – has served as a reminder of their commitment to uplifting and supporting fellow working-class LGBTQIA+ folk.
The house DJ and producer delivers propulsive music with a message. On their 2020 EP ‘For You’, they effortlessly meshed French touch and innovative club beats, landing a 5-star review from NME. Follow-up project ‘Watch Out!’ continued this experimental streak, upping the energy even further. Now, Jordan has returned to greet fans where they left them: on the dancefloor.
‘I Am Jordan’ is quick to spark, colouring tracks with moments of pure euphoria. Jordan describes lead single ‘Real Hot n Naughty’, featuring Scouse rapper and Sex Education star Felix Mufti, as “a real queer Northern dance anthem”. It’s a playful, hot and horny number with Mufti taking a comedic swipe at a pal’s dodgy hook-up choices: “You’re still not over him / Girl, we’ve told you he’s a Tory”.
Elsewhere, Jordan switches up the pace with ‘The Countdown’ (ft. DJ TAAHLIAH) with a quick-fire beat drop. Here, the album revs up, cleanly transitioning from uptempo BPMs to twinkly production flourishes that sound like they’ve poured out of an old-school Nokia 3320. With each song, ‘I Am Jordan’ feels like a reintroduction of sorts – an individual catalogue of club music, queer curiosity and expression.
‘People Want Nice Things’ emerges as a soaring tune you can imagine pummelling through a sweaty, overcrowded east London queer club. The song is a love letter to nightlife, and to finding pleasure and liberation in parties, people and desire. Elsewhere, ‘Round n Round’ works as a tribute to the sprawling sounds of the North, a slinky groove that pinballs between stuttering beats and sirens.
‘I Am Jordan’ is a portrait of this artist’s personal growth, with tracks that could shine on any mood-boosting playlist. Ultimately, Jordan’s innovative and uplifting debut gifts us a question: could this be what trans euphoria sounds like?
