Black Light Smoke (a.k.a Jordan Lieb) will return to Scissor and Thread with his second album.

Ghosts, which is Lieb’s first release on the New York label since 2019, was written across a two-year stretch. Spanning ‘90s house, soulful beats, and dusty grooves, it sees him revisiting his youth by exploring the origins of house music.

Lieb was raised in Chicago, and was an impressionable teenager during the ’90s, with illegal warehouse raves being his access point. That era left its mark and influenced his need to later immerse himself in club culture, which he’d do in New York.

When he was invited to return to the label by Francis Harris, Lieb didn’t know how he’d fit back into it after years away. But, after some soul searching, he decided to focus on his reverence for the origins of house music, “from the founders to the creators behind its ‘second wave,'” he says.

“I found myself in that world. I found my purpose and identity in New York’s scene and did it all with brilliant people. House music was the soundtrack to this transformative decade in my life. It was everything through my 20s and 30s,” he continues. “This LP kinda closes that chapter of my life while creating music that I feel stays true to my roots.”

Scissor and Thread describes the record as “something of an anticipated homecoming” for Lieb, after he debuted on the label over a decade ago.

As Black Light Smoke, Lieb has also put out music on his own imprint, Death Decay Magic.

All of Lieb’s personal proceeds from the album will go to The Little Bit Foundation, a non-profit committed to improving access to education for students living in poverty across St. Louis, Missouri.

For more information on Francis Harris, check out his XLR8R podcast here—one hour of emotionally charged house and techno. Or his XLR8R feature here.

Tracklisting

01. Sprinkles Says
02. 727 Anthem (House Is Back)
03. Hearts Not Broken feat. Léah Lazonick
04. Pleasure Chaser
05. The Beat Direct
06. Love Triangle
07. Ghosts feat. Léah Lazonick
08. Out From Within
09. Prisoner
10. At Home In Strange Places
11. Resonate
12. In The Valley
13. Ghosts feat. Leah Lazonick (Dark Disco Mix)
14. Nighttime Honey
15. The Storm (Bandcamp exclusive)

Ghosts LP is scheduled for June 2 release. Meanwhile, you can stream “Hearts Not Broken” feat. Léah Lazonick in full below and pre-order here.

Photo: Kevin Kendall