By: Krizia Ramos Signing with Drake’s OVO Sound gave them a name in 2013 and now the R&B duo Majid Jordan, comprised of Majid Al Maskati and Jordan Ullman, are back with their second studio album titled The Space Between released on Oct. 27, 2017.
The new album is composed of 13 tracks including features from PARTYNEXTDOOR and dvsn.
The album starts with an intro of pure synthetic pop sound. The sound of a motorcycle or a revved-up car engine in the distance can be heard like a scene from a Steven Spielberg film. It transitions smoothly into the next song “Gave Your Love Away.”
Sticking to their R&B sound, their sophomore album is just as dark, smooth and mysterious as their previous. Compared to their other music, this album reminds you less of an eerie underground disco vibe and provides slower paced jams coupled with steady backbeats in “You,” “Asleep” and “One I Want.”
Aside from the previously released singles “Body Talk,” “One I Want” featuring PARTYNEXTDOOR and “My Imagination” with dvsn, “OG Heartthrob” is the best song on the album. The catchy chorus and feel-good beat and kicks make it sound like the next party anthem and can even help heighten your mood. The lyrics are pretty average, your typical song about a girl, however, the song ends up working out well with the overall production. The claps and snares in the hook continuously make you want to nod your head to the beat.
At three minutes and 30 seconds, where structurally a bridge would be, the song shifts, which is typical of Majid Jordan. They’ve done it on other hit songs like “Hold on We’re Going Home” with Drake. The original beat and hook disappear and a one worded echoed voice sings the rest of the song. It’s reminiscent of some songs of The Weeknd or PARTYNEXTDOOR, which is what makes OVO Sound unique.
All it takes is pop electro synths to carry a steady beat before PARTYNEXTDOOR starts in “One I Want” to make it a strong track. The old-school R&B sounds add flare to the beat and the vocal skills are highlighted in this collaboration when Majid sings emotionally and hits those high notes with smooth ad-lib runs.
If the goal is to transport the listener to a far-away galaxy, it’s working with this album. “What You Do to Me” is a prime example of being transported somewhere else. Rhythms bounce and wave in a way that makes you feel like you’re not on earth anymore. The vocals are smooth and sexy against the strong bass and crazy mixed electronic production.
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Majid Jordan fans will appreciate the effort the duo put into this album. In an interview with Billboard, the duo said that with this album they wanted to make a musical journey from their experiences -- after all, it is called The Space Between. And like being in a dark space or an alien film, you really do feel like you’re on a journey. Majid Jordan’s album tells a story and listening to their music is like being in a different world.