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Music

Jordan Fall Gets Moody on His West Side Love Story "Rush"

The DJ turned artist gives us a lush down-tempo, dark, and melancholic track.
Photo by Jousha Din

There’s an unspoken power that DJs wield over their crowd. They’re the attendee’s entry point to an event and, if you think about standout memories from a concert or show you’ve gone to, you’ll likely distinctly remember whether or not the DJ contributed to or took away from the ambience. The responsibility of controlling the mood of an event is a massively overwhelming task. Though many are called to this musical vocation, few are chosen. To be frank, Jordan Fall is one of the chosen ones.

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Fall’s beginnings start with the IXXI initiative. The collective is the brainchild of Toronto-based artist Sean Leon and acts as a catalyst for burgeoning, innovative artists who, in Leon’s words, are a “scary, unstoppable unit.” While taking on the role of the initiative’s A&R, Fall DJed for Leon, becoming part of the cinematic shows that the IXXI have become known to curate. He was successful in setting the tone for said shows but wanted an opportunity to showcase his creative ability. “I hopped in the booth for the first time when Sean and I were in LA back in February of this year,” he shares over email. “My inner circle told me to take it seriously after that trip and I haven't looked back since.”

While the other IXXI artists, like Leon and Daniel Caesar, are east-enders, Fall diversifies the group with his talent and sound, bringing the flavour of the West into the initiative’s fold. So far, he’s released a slew of singles—with the first being a collaboration with Leon on the PARKDALE CARTEL FREESTYLE—and one EP. Now he's releasing his latest, “Rush”—a lush, down-tempo song describing the artist’s desire for the current woman of his affection. It's moody and dark, and quintessentially sounds like Toronto. Listen to “Rush" and read our interview with the artist below

Noisey: What was the inspiration behind “Rush”?
Jordan Fall: The inspiration for the record was a girl I was seeing on and off for about a year. We were from different cities so our time together was limited to weekends. We kind of both wanted more but knew it wasn’t possible due to distance and time. I wrote the song the night of our last day together before she left Toronto.

You're approaching music from a different angle—from being a DJ to an artist—how are you differentiating yourself from other Toronto artists?
Just being myself and fusing sonics I want to hear together. There's a lot of tight acts in the city, but a lot of them, in my opinion, tend to stick in one lane, one type of sound. Everyone has their own approach to their art so I can't knock shit but I try and make the effort to diversify my production and content to keep things exciting for me as a creator and for the listeners as consumers. I want to evoke different types of emotions with my music so I like to switch it up. I think that's really important in connecting with new fans and staying innovative.

How does being from a culturally-driven city shape your music?
Being from a culturally driven city like Toronto is the reason why I'm able to tap into a range of moods and sounds as an artist. Growing up in my city, you're around people from different cultures and different experiences from such a young age. I got to see how different genres and sounds really moved people from different upbringings and why. You can definitely hear a multitude of influences in my music because of that.

More specifically, how does being from West End shape how you craft your sound?
There's just a different vibe in the west. The way we talk, the way we party, the way we move… we got a different swing to us. I think that naturally bleeds into my sound and delivery. Brampton definitely has something special in the water. You can see it in the amount of talent the city has been pumping out all across the board over the last few years. From artists, producers, actors, athletes, et cetera… it's been heavy

Sharine wants to remind you: IXXI forever. You can follow her on Twitter.