Establishing the mood with a pulsing bass synth, astral synth textures and a dramatic energy, Lisa Jo and J-Mac open Lord of the Night with intrigue and subversion as they share the lyrics, “Sitting in the club, lights glowing on their skin, sexy ladies dancing while the bass starts to spin…”
We are immediately enthralled by the narrative that the song manifests, and reminded of early 90s/2000s hip-hop like Eminem‘s Lose Yourself, Warren G‘s Regulate and a bit of LL Cool J, particularly with regards to the intonation and the unique and visual brand of storytelling that comes to life.
The production is brilliant – emotive, cinematic and intricate. We connect with the layered vocals and the empowering nature of the prose. The presence of the electric guitar taps into a rock-rap genre-expansive frequency, which feels refreshing, but also a bit nostalgic.
We learn that Lisa Jo is a Tampa-based producer who has an entire album of collaborative tracks called Hood Rats. She cites the influence of 90s gangsta rap including Eminem, Tupac, Nas, and 50 Cent which also echo through Lisa Jo‘s sound – raw, cinematic, and honest. She confesses, “[The track is] based on real events that took place in Albany NY a few years back.”
Lisa Jo’s lyricism is sharp and purposeful, and the track was recorded in her home studio – rebuilt multiple times, but that attention to detail really did pay off. The final version feels focused, smooth, and fully lived in! Lisa Jo elaborates, “I actually completed the song about five times, slept on it and started all over again five different times because I just wasn’t loving it entirely. Then a friend who creates and sells beats contacted me and said he thought I may like a beat he just created… I bought it… But still ended up remixing with FL Studio and BeatBuddy. Slept on it again, woke the next day and still loved it. It was a keeper!”
Lord of the Night also reflects Lisa Jo’s wider artistic vision. She writes, produces, and refuses to stay in one lane. Over thirty songs in three months proves her momentum is real. This release confirms her as an artist breaking rules and carving her own space. On her artistry, Lisa Jo adds, “I find myself repeatedly saying I cannot fit into a box and I will not be contained to any one genre. Some days I create from my pain, other days from my anger, that requires multiple moods, tones, any genres. So basically I say I am breaking the rules of music.”
Needless to say we are in awe, and have added Lord of the Night to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS playlist, whilst we continue to stream the wider discography of Lisa Jo, including the entirety of Hood Rats!