Foreigner is a poetic and powerful debut LP from London based rising star, Jordan Mackampa.
With a thorough tour schedule taking him all over the UK and Europe and enough US shows to warrant several care packages, Mackampa is set to bring his soulful, timeless songwriting to an even bigger audience in 2020.
Indie Top 39 were lucky enough to bag a coveted invitation to the artist’s recent album launch hosted by Levi’s. In stark contrast to some of the shows Jordan has played recently, this was a small, personal gig which turned out to be the ideal setting for him to speak candidly about the album as well as show the real power of one man and a guitar.
As scared as I am, I’m even more excited for you to hear my heart stories & everything else in between.
jordan mackampa
Speaking about the album Mackampa revealed the responsibility he felt to “use my voice to say something meaningful.” Foreigner is a beautiful and authentic use of this voice where the smooth grooves and full production only help to juxtapose the stark reality of his lyric.
If you’ve been following Jordan Mackampa over the past year or so, you will already be familiar with his personal brand of slow-burning pop. In Foreigner this is solidified with songs such as ‘What Am I’ and ‘Care For Your Mother’ which ooze sweet, simple melodies, rich production and honest lyrics. If we needed any convincing, there are plenty of moments throughout this debut that proves Mackampa’s breadth and musicality as an artist.
The driving, samba infused opening track, ’Magic’ has you positively jumping out of your seat and heading for the dance floor. In contrast the intimate title track, Foreigner shows a more raw and downtempo style – both are entirely fitting of the artist.
Jordan’s talent lies in being able to make music that is simultaneously melancholy, deep and honest yet wonderfully uplifting.
emma miller » indie top 39
However, it’s not until we stumble upon ‘Lula’, halfway through the album that you are hit by the fact that this is an artist delivering a truly cohesive body of work, ready to make a statement. The intimate, yet frank conversation we overhear between Jordan and his mother in ‘Lula’ lends a sense of poetry and depth to the following track, ‘Foreigner’, and only furthers the sentiments resonating from ‘Care For Your Mother’. This trio of songs, one after the other reveal the depth there is to Mackampa and leave no question that this is an artist who has something to say, in his own words.
This album is a collection of songs inspired by my journey from boyhood to manhood; from falling in and out of love, to feeling alienated, to being able to use my voice to say something meaningful. That’s why I called it ‘Foreigner’…
…It’s a word that holds a lot of power and I want to change the way people view it so it’s no longer taboo. It should represent strength or even something deeper than that. Through this album, I’ve been able to share emotions and memories of the people who have been in my life”. (Jordan Mackampa).
Catch Jordan Mackampa perform live in the UK and Ireland:
April 24th – Southampton, The Joiners
April 25th – Cambridge, Waterbeach Baptist Church
April 26th – Brighton, Hope & Ruin
April 29th – Birmingham, Hare & Hounds
April 30th – Edinburgh, The Mash House
May 1st – Manchester, Yes
May 3rd – Middlesbrough, Westgarth SC
May 5th – Bristol, Rough Trade
May 6th – London, Scala
May 10th – Dublin, Grand Social
Make sure to connect with Jordan Mackampa on Instagram » Twitter » Website » Spotify
