Jordana embraces her inner musical enigma on Lively Premonition

Primarily boxed as an indie-rock artist, she refuses to have her style pinned down and restricted to a certain genre, and this is more than evidenced by her collaborations (TV Girl, Yot Club), and her ever-evolving influences (The Mamas & Papas and Carole King). Her four albums to date explore all corners of lo-fi (the debut Classical Notions of Happiness), rough indie-rock (Something To Say To You), breezy pop (Summer’s Over) and bold alternative intonations (Face The Wall) that demonstrate her malleability as an artist and performer.

Coming just two years after her 2022 album Face The Wall, Jordana’s latest hyper-fixation comes in the form of the violin-shrouded conceptual project, Lively Premonition. The release – preceded by a delightful trio of singles – had already established itself as her most explorative and varied record to date, and acts as an aid for both the listeners and the artist herself, to learn more about the musical enigma that is Jordana – “I’m learning more and more about myself through each one [album]”.

Lively Premotion opens with the first single teaser for the record, the folk epic “We Get By”. Acoustic guitars reign supreme alongside Jordana’s lush, octave-soaring vocals that dotes on love and the forgoing materialism for romance (“As long as I have you by my side / No, we don't need a fancy car or bike”). At the halfway mark, however, Jordana returns to her classical routes with the insertion of an almost-minute-long violin solo that’s beautifully placed for reflection.

Following are the summery basslines of “Like A Dog”, the euphoria of which is supported by jolty staccato piano notes that lend an almost theatrical nature to the number. The upbeat and wonderfully jaunty instrumentation juxtaposes the oddly dark narrative - “It’s about fawning over someone so entirely that any ounce of attention from them feeds the desire even stronger, even if that means being treated in an inhumane way…like a dog”. Completely devoted, Jordana pleads “You can tell me you love me back any day you want”.

“Heart You Hold” is the most outwardly-folk cut on the record and features impeccable choral vocals and key changes that allow it to be held as the stand-out track of Lively Premonition. Joyous and commanding, Jordana’s vocals feel most at home in this percussion-heavy landscape.

Sauntering through the bold pop of “Raver Girl” and delicate notes of “Wrong Love”, the record reaches the final single release – “Anything For You”. Melancholia commands as shyness and loss fight to take centre stage (“What is the use? / Point my head down, look at my shoes”), as Jordana reflects on heartache in a delicately stripped-back cut with the aim of moving on. Battling to put herself back together, she tries to “Copy and paste / Put myself back into place / Restore all of the peace” in an attempt to restore the person she once was and everything that “used to come so easily”.

Aptly titled, “Your Story’s End” comes in at just under the four-minute mark to deliver a final push at the indie-folk that finds itself interweaved throughout the record. “I wouldn’t blame you if you never loved again / all I ever wanted was someone who understands” is the final takeaway sentiment as Jordana pleads for consideration and emotional cognisance.

Jordana is anything but a one-trick pony, and Lively Premonition sees her taking sonic risks that pay off tenfold.