From working and touring with RAC to working with drummer Jeff Brodsky on their joint project CURIO, Jordan Corey still feels like a hidden gem in the world of alt pop and r&b music. Bay Area-raised and fueled by a love for soul ballads, classic rock, disco, and indie electronica, Jordan crafts a sound that’s all heart and color - something I had the pleasure of experiencing in her brand-new record The Tunnel + the Light released on September 18th. As someone who rarely ventures into vocal-driven music, I found the album absolutely refreshing and while it deals with rather heavy themes, it added a sense of hope (despite weird moments) to my day every time I get to spin in in the past few days.
Blending inspiration from indie electronica and alt-R&B, the album captures the feeling of being in transition - of not quite arriving, but sensing the light ahead. Something we all need during tough periods and I do appreciate the positive energy Jordan delivers her experiences. Written during a time of deep personal transformation while caring for her mother through cancer, the The Tunnel + the Light unfolds like a quiet journey, moving through longing, self-reflection, tangled relationships, and moments of escapism, before landing in a space of gentle surrender.
Blending vivid storytelling with velvet-smooth vocals, Jordan's art lives where vulnerability meet grooves. Something felt in the effortlessly vibrant soul/gospel feel of opener "Friend Like Me", which made me fall in love with the record in the span of a minute.
The second single, "Do the Thing", is a shimmering slice of modern pop with the hooks and polish to rival today’s biggest stars and I have to admit, it caught my by surprise (in the best way possible). "It’s about committing to something personal, focusing all your love and energy into it, and shaking off the pressure to be perfect," she elaborates on the song which was also released a single prior the album drop. That track and "Feel Me" is the kind of music one would play while cruising in a convertible during a breezy warm summer day.
For those seeking a mellow comfort, look no further than "One", one of my favourite songs on the record. Jordan soothingly calms listeners with the gentle reminder "no worry for the absence of love, money, it will come to ya", something that circles back to that light at the end of every edgy road.
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Produced by Jordan herself alongside Ryan Aicklen and the help of Danny Thrasher on "Feel me", "Try Me", and "Canadian Rockies", the 12 tracks show the level of Jordan's versatility as a songwriter. From the intimate confession of the slow-burner "647am" to the head bopping energy of "The Story", The Tunnel + the Light is a sonic canvas that depicts the full spectrum of emotions.
I’ve been sitting with this for a while, and honestly, this feels like one of the best entry points into alt pop/r&b for anyone who doesn’t usually wander into that space. I say this with nothing but love and respect for everything she’s created. I genuinely feel lucky to have stumbled across it - moments like these don’t always come around, especially when I don’t often dive into these sonic waters.
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