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Benn Jordan | |
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.jpg) Jordan, 2014 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Flashbulb, Acidwolf, CHR15TPUNCH3R, DJ ASCII, Dr. Lefty, Dysrythmia, FlexE, Human Action Network, Lucid32, MC Flashbulb, rnd16, 66x, Q-Bit |
| Born | Benn Lee Jordan (1979-10-28)October 28, 1979 (age 46) |
| Genres | IDM,breakcore,glitch,drill and bass,ambient,modern classical,acid techno |
| Instruments | Guitar,piano,keyboards,modular synthesizer,bass guitar,DAW,sampler |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Website | bennjordan |
Benn Lee Jordan (born October 28, 1979) is an American musician operating under pseudonyms. Since 1999, his music has been released under the names of the Flashbulb, Acidwolf, Human Action Network, and FlexE. He runs aYouTube channel, covering acoustic science, economics and technology.
Jordan was born in 1979 and raised inWest Englewood, Chicago, by his mother and grandparents. An only child growing up in a derelict neighborhood, he taught himself guitar as a child. Due to being left-handed and not having lessons, he learned to play a right-handed guitar upside down, which he continues to do.[1] He began his music career releasing instrumental music on small labels in the United States and Europe in 1996 under various aliases, most notably the Flashbulb. In addition to releasing music and touring, he began to work as a freelance composer for various television and film agencies.
As the Flashbulb, Jordan typically releaseselectronic or cinematic styled music. His style differs strongly between albums, but they all have a cohesive bond tied around intricatedrum programming, jazz-influenced melodies, and an array of live instrumentation. He also often records his melodies throughMIDI-synced guitars. His guitar style and skill have gained attention because he typically plays the guitar strung backwards, and makes heavy use of fast sweeping andtapping. More recent Flashbulb albums have featured violinistGreg Hirte, who is also featured heavily on the Flashbulb's 2008 album,Soundtrack to a Vacant Life. This album is, as Jordan stated in a 2008 interview, a step away from thebreakcore genre. He also said that this step is likely to be a permanent trend in the direction of his music,[2] a move that was supported by releases under his own name, such asPale Blue Dot andLouisiana Mourning. However, the 2012 albumHardscrabble represents a return to the harder electronic music heard on releases like Kirlian Selections or Flexing Habitual. The record is named for an area in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Jordan's own Chicago.
Under other aliases, his Acidwolf and Human Action Network aliases feature retro acid music that uses old drum machines such as theTR-808 and relies heavily on the melodies of theTB-303. Tracks made under the FlexE alias tend to be laid-back and classic acid. According to him, he showcases his more fundamental, classical, and personal pieces under his own name, Benn Jordan.[citation needed]
Jordan has seen much success in composing for television and film. In 2006 he composed the original score for the Josh C. Waller shortThe Nail.[3]
In 2006, Jordan's music ("Passage D" from his albumKirlian Selections) was featured inDove's "Evolution" promotional campaign for itsCampaign for Real Beauty website, which has drawn a large amount of attention from the mainstream media.[4] The campaign took the commercial film winner atCannes, as well as many other prestigious awards.[5] In addition, Jordan was nominated for a 2007 London International Award for the "Best Use Of Music" category; he went on to win the ceremony's grand prize.[6] In 2008, he was nominated again at the London International Awards for "Best Use of Music," although he did not take the grand prize. In 2008 he was also aWebby Award nominee and took the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.[7] In 2008, Jordan had completed work inbranding, having created stings and trademark sounds for companies such as Dove andVerizon.
In July 2012, he released an original score entitledThe Universe,[8] which was commissioned by Chicago'sAdler Planetarium for a new interactive exhibit dedicated to the evolution of the universe.[9] In 2013, he was commissioned to score their show entitled "Cosmic Wonder".[10][11][12] In 2016 he composed the soundtrack to the Adler Planetarium's sky showPlanet Nine.[13]
Jordan composes for film, television, and gaming through various agencies; he also owns and operates his own production and recording facilities inMarietta, Georgia.[14]
After the collapse of Sublight Records,[15] instead of taking on another contract, Jordan purchased his previous licenses and released his most anticipated album,Soundtrack to a Vacant Life, on his own record label, Alphabasic Records. On the day of its release, he personally uploaded copies of the album to music piracy sites, including a small HTML file explaining his relaxed views on file sharing and showing listeners where they could give support if they desired.[16] This resulted in attention by the mainstream press, and the album became the most downloaded album on many popular file sharing networks.[17][18]
Jordan has spoken on issues ofnet neutrality,free speech, and copyright laws in the music world. In an interview withTorrentFreak, he encourages involvement in these issues and warns against corporations like Amazon or iTunes and their ability to stem the free flow of information. File sharing, to Jordan, is a way of bypassing this potential oppression and accessing information freely. In the interview, Jordan notes that "file trading is just a peephole to a much larger picture. Copyright, in its current state, holds information at ransom for monetary value. While in music it can stifle culture and art, with literature and education it can be nothing less than a weapon of class warfare."[19]
In a 2024 episode of “The New Music Business” podcast Jordan reviewed these perspectives in the context of having been the subject of False Streaming Activity and having had his music taken down by distributors.[20]
Benn Jordan was the founder and president of 32 Forty,[21] a non-profit music education center located in south Chicago. The music center (now closed[22]), extended services to help independent recording artists with publishing and licensing. In 2011, Jordan released a large collection of unreleased music, titled "Old Trees (1999–2011)"[23] with all proceeds going toUnicef.[citation needed] Jordan is also an ambassador for Unearthed Pictures, a foundation dedicated to publicizing and stopping the sexual exploitation of children and funding safe houses in North America, Africa, and Asia.[citation needed]
In 2014, Jordan left Chicago and moved his home studio to an isolated home inSmyrna, Georgia[24] but moved again in 2024 to a barn outsideAtlanta, Georgia where he set up a studio.[25]
He trains and competes inmixed martial arts andBrazilian Jiu Jitsu in his spare time.[26] In 2024, Jordan was diagnosed withADHD.[27]
Jordan has a self-titledYouTube channel (previously titled Benn and Gear).[28] On his channel, he creates educational videos relating to music making.[29] In 2020, Jordan was threatened with legal action after posting a video aboutLRADs.[30]
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