Jordana talks influences behind new LP 'Face the Wall'

Songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist Jordana‘s new album Face The Wall is out today via Grand Jury. The twenty-one year old artist co-produced and played every instrument on the album, which finds her broadening her horizons beyond bedroom pop with an immediately infectious and varied collection of songs. Stream it below.

We asked Jordana to tell us about the influences behind Face The Wall, and she made us a list that includes music and video games. Read it, complete with commentary, below.

Jordana is on tour through the fall, including headlining dates and shows supporting Wallows and Remi Wolf. She’ll be in NYC to play Baby’s All Right on June 4 with Harry Teardrop, and on October 11 and 12 at Terminal 5 with Remi Wolf. See all of her upcoming dates below.

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JORDANA’S INFLUENCES ON FACE THE WALL

1. One of my biggest influences has always been The Strokes, ever since I was 14. I think they’ll influence anything I ever make, whether it’s heard in my music or not. Room On Fire is the greatest Strokes album and I will always want to channel that in some way. A track on the album called “I Mean That” is noticeably influenced by them.

2. As for the indie folk sad tunes, Sufjan Stevens plays a big big role. Carrie & Lowell is one of the most iconic albums of all time, soft and melancholy. I catch myself sometimes slipping back into a mood where it’s just straight weeks of that album on repeat. It influenced “Like You Used To” and the outro to the album at the end of the song “Why.”

3. I grew up on Death Cab For Cutie. The heavier indie rock, lyricism and melody was heavily influenced by Ben Gibbard’s. In my opinion, Plans is their greatest album — it’s just so magical in every way, and it brings back a level of nostalgia I’ll always want to comfortably bottle up and make my own.

4. Another artist that has always been a main influence of mine is Grizzly Bear. Veckatimest and Shields, are very important to me and are also albums I lowkey raised myself on? That is prime indie music that can’t be forgotten — it’s far too special and it’ll always be an influence.

5. I love video games and I thought it was time to come clean about the influences I get from them. I was playing loads of Apex Legends when I wrote “Play Fair”. It’s my favorite online battle game and had to be incorporated in some way since it’s such a big part of my life! Don’t even get me started on Borderlands…

6. Speaking of video games, video game soundtracks are always something I cherish, and I’ve wanted to make a soundtrack for one. It’s one of the very most important things in a game. I wanted to make something versatile like that. A little taste of a variety of genres. Just like different parts of a roleplaying game.

7. While writing the album, my producer showed me a track called “Gasoline” on Haim‘s 2021 album Women in Music Pt. III. I was obsessed. That song is actually perfection and everything I would’ve wanted to put in a song — from structure to beat, harmonies to effects, catchy hooks…I think we both wanted to channel something funky like that hit.

8. Toro Y Moi is hands down my favorite solo artist. I want to inch into that realm of dance music, and “Pressure Point,” the opening track on my album, is the closest I’ve come to really capturing that, yet. I want to work with Chaz so badly it’s crazy. Maybe some day! Until then I can pay homage to him. Outer Peace is one of my favorite albums ever, and was all I listened to in the process of this album.

9. This entire list has just been all artists/songs/albums…but I just can’t help it!!! I love music! I take a lot of influence and get obsessed easily…especially from the start with this band called Voxtrot. I found them in middle school on a computer room desktop on a Pandora radio and they’ve been one of the most important bands in my life and to the start of my musical career. Pure art. I’ll always want to live up to that.

10. Finally, an album that has always had a big influence as well is Radiohead’s In Rainbows. Yes, I know I am a basic indie kid, but I just love it so much, always have, always will! It’s another one of those albums that builds up with others to inspire what I want to make. That one’s a chef’s kiss for me — like a nice, creatively decorated, variety flavored, colorful slice of cheesecake that tastes overwhelmingly pleasant.

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JORDANA: 2022 TOUR
05-20 – Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy ^
05-21 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle ^
05-23 – Orlando, FL – The Orlando Ampitheater ^
05-24 – Miami, FL – The Fillmore ^
05-26 – St. Petersburg, FL – Jannus Live ^
05-27 – St Augustine, FL – The Saint Augustine Ampitheatre ^
05-28 – Columbia, SC – The Senate ^
05-29 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore ^
06-02 – Washington, DC – Songbyrd *
06-03 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s *
06-04 – Brooklyn, NY – Baby’s All Right *
06-05 – Cambridge, MA – The Middle East *
06-07 – Toronto, ON – Drake Underground *
06-09 – Chicago, IL – Schubas *
06-10 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry *
06-13 – Portland, OR – Holocene *
06-14 – Seattle, WA – Barboza *
06-16 – San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw Stop *
06-17 – Los Angeles, CA – The Moroccan Lounge *
06-18 – Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room *
09-22-25 – Dover Heights, DE – Firefly
10-04 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel #
10-06 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl #
10-07 – Richmond, VA – The National #
10-09 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner #
10-11 – New York, NY – Terminal 5 #
10-12 – New York, NY – Terminal 5 #
10-15 – Toronto, ON – Danforth #
10-16 – Toronto, ON – Danforth #

^ w/Wallows
* w/Harry Teardrop
# w/Remi Wolf