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Rating: Friday night, end of the week: so tired I don't even have the stomach for a horror movie, I'm browsing one of my beloved "musical pusher" sites and see this album peeking out. I don't give it too much thought and hit play: it was probably the best way to spend this last evening before the weekend.
Through the Wall by Canadian artist Rochelle Jordan is indeed a work that gives its best when experienced under certain conditions: when night falls, after a long and demanding day, when the world feels muffled; I'm listening to it again now, early in the morning, and it's just not the same. This is an album that feels like the soundtrack to a late summer outing, with flowers spreading their scent, or to an aperitif in good company, surrounded by girls in flowing evening gowns. Like various artists and/or popstars, Rochelle blends dance with R&B, but she's not afraid to take risks and experiment, coming across as fresh and inspired, dipping everything into house music, sometimes garage but often deep. It's a work that should be listened to all in one go, where the intimate, lush, and sensual atmosphere outweighs the individual tracks—an atmosphere perfectly evoked by the cover, with Rochelle seeming to look at us through a wall straight in the eye, a mirror of life experience. The album skillfully moves between more relaxed moments and true club anthems like Ladida. I'd also highlight Words 2 Say, with its shift in tempo and mood that demonstrates this artist’s talent, an artist of color who invites those like her to have the courage to carve out their own space. The main, and perhaps only, flaw is the slightly excessive length (almost an hour in 2025 is a bit much), especially if you want to listen to it all in one sitting, and a second half that’s sometimes repetitive. But let’s not dwell on it.
If you’re in the right mood and like this kind of music, this is an album you simply can't miss, and it stands out as one of the most accomplished of the year. Until next time.
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