Jordan Reyne Biography

Jordan Reyne is an experimental musician originally from New Zealand, now living in the UK. Jordan's sound has been variously described as "industrial-tinged folk" and "antipodean Steampunk" yet defies any cut and dried genre description. She combines the two usually disparate genres of folk and industrial, bringing in Celtic vocal melody, historically based narrative and the sounds of steam, iron and industrial "found sound". Several of her releases are set in the time of the Industrial Revolution.

Jordan has been nominated three times for a New Zealand Music Award and released six full length CDs, several of which were produced with the assistance/ funding of Creative New Zealand, the New Zealand Arts Council. "How the Dead Live" (2009) was an Arts Council and Department of Conservation commission based on one of New Zealand's first pioneer women who arrived in New Zealand from Gravesend London in 1874. Her most recent release, "Children of a Factory Nation" (2012) is similarly a series of song-form tales based on fact - this time, a Welsh family who lived near Cardiff in the 1880s, and who dispersed to the workhouses of London after the death of the father at sea.

In 2012 Jordan joined The Eden House as one of two primary (live) vocalists, along with Laura Bennet. She also contributed vocals to the album "Half Life" and is currently part of the band's permanent live lineup. Her album "The Annihilation Sequence" (2013) also features the voice of Tony Pettit and the mixing / mastering of Stephen Carey from the band. Between 1999 and 2005 Jordan wrote under the moniker "Dr Kevorkian & the Suicide Machine", and also performed live under this name. Two of her CDs were also recorded under this title, which gained her attention and a following internationally in the darkwave and steampunk scenes, and prompted a move to Germany in 2006. As well as the neo-folk, industrial and gothic scenes, Jordan has also been involved in several notable New Zealand electronic music projects including Strawpeople, Zane Lowe's Breaks Co-op project, and Baitercell and Schumacher. A collaborative track between Jordan and Johnny Chrome also appears on the Cafe Del Mar 25th Anniversary album. She also performed as a vocalist on one of the scenes in Peter Jackson's second Lord of the Rings film, in a scene that depicted Theodred's funeral. This scene, however, was not included in the final edit of the film.

Life

Jordan grew up in an isolated community on the west coast of New Zealand's south island, 30 km south of Westport. As a teenager, Jordan moved to New Zealand's north island where she studied software engineering at the Central Institute of Technology in Wellington. She later moved to Auckland to study philosophy at the University of Auckland before leaving for Germany in 2006. Jordan remained in Germany until 2011, when she relocated to the UK.

Discography

Albums

• Birds of Prey (1997), Lost Records, New Zealand.
• The Ironman (2000), Universal Music, New Zealand - as "Dr Kevorkian & the Suicide Machine".
• The Loneliest of Creatures (2002), DDV Laboratories/Mediatrix, New Zealand - as "Dr Kevorkian & the Suicide Machine".
• Passenger (2004), Jayrem Records/Mediatrix, New Zealand.
• How the Dead Live (2009). Sounz, New Zealand.
• Children of a Factory Nation (2012). Factory Nation / Believe Digital UK.
• The Annihilation Sequence (2013). Factory Nation (UK).

Collaborations

• Breaks Co-op - "Transister" (1997)
• Strawpeople - "Wire" (2004)
• Baitercell and Schumacher - "Leap of Faith" (2005)
• The Eden House - "Butterflies", "Indifference" and "The Tempest" - on the album "Half Life". Jungle Records (2013)