Album Review: Majid Jordan – The Space Between

Coming from a label in the midst of drop after drop, Majid Jordan’s new album is the latest this month in a string of OVO releases.

Hailing from Toronto, Majid Al Maskati and Jordan Ulman are back with their second LP since their 2016 debut. The pair met at the University of Toronto back in 2011 and they’ve been delighting us with smooth sounds ever since. After being signed to OVO, they found fame when co-producing the Drake track ‘Hold On, We’re Going Home’, which went triple platinum.

The Space Between is has been expertly mixed by the duo so that it flows seamlessly. Jordan stated he “looked at it like a 50-minute song, so not one of the tracks should be skipped”. You really can’t fault the man, his skill knows no bounds, and on the first listen, you really have no idea when the track is changing, but there is something enchanting about that. As a producer, Jordan is heavily influenced by Quincey Jones and Jamie xx and those are clear to hear, with those expert fades.

The tracklist is highlighted with features from fellow OVO acts PartyNextDoor and DVSN — both have also released albums this month. ‘One I Want’ brings together those heavier beats that expert lyricist PND loves but it is still peppered with those Majid Jordan echoes and midnight drive vibes, showing how these two artists have learnt from each other. DVSN accompany the duo on ‘My Imagination’ which is a beautiful but haunting track about heartbreak and coming back from it.

When thinking about stand-outs with regards to track listing, ‘Body Talk’ is clearly one of them. Much like ‘Phases’ it uses a mix of those higher pitches of Majid’s voice perfectly coupled with Jordan’s light but decisive body-moving beats which we’ve all come to love. For those of you who like unrequited love songs, ‘You’ is perfect, with fading notes and sporadic melody changes. However, the intro and outro tracks make the album golden and appear unbroken as if there was no space between.

With the weather cooling off outside, The Space Between is definitely an album that will warm you up inside. The chemistry between Majid Jordan is something reminiscent of duos from past decades. This record faultlessly delivers what the duo wanted and is constantly characteristic of that signature OVO sound with Majid Jordan continually earning their place on the roster.

9/10