What is Dr. Lefty?

Benn Lee Jordan is an electronica musician operating under many pseudonyms. Since 1999 his most widely distributed and eclectic music has been released under the name of The Flashbulb. Other names Benn operates under are Acidwolf, CHR15TPUNCH3R, DJ ASCII, Dr. Lefty, Dysrythmia, Flexe, Human Action Network, Lucid32, rnd16, Sixty Six Ex, and Q-Bit.

Biography

Benn Jordan was born in Georgia in 1978, but moved to Chicago to live with his grandparents at a young age. His career began releasing instrumental music on small labels in the United States and Europe, but has recently developed into other paths such as record producing and freelancing as a television and film composer. Benn is also an active jazz guitar player and drummer in Chicago venues. In 2005, The Flashbulb toured with Dillinger Escape Plan which helped diversify his listeners, and has recently been working with Ben Weinman on creative efforts. Most recently, Jordan's music (from 'The Flashbulb - Kirlian Selections') was featured in Dove's award-winning ad campaign: Dove - Evolution (Campaign For Natural Beauty), which has drawn a large amount of attention from the mainstream media. The campaign took the commercial film winner at Cannes this weekend as well as other awards.^[1] Jordan is a sufferer of bipolar disorder^[2], which may explain the extreme diversity in his musical endeavors.

Musical style

As The Flashbulb, Jordan typically releases drill 'n' bass music. His style differs strongly between albums, but they all have a cohesive bond tied around fast drum programming, acid-influenced melodies, and a wide array of live instrumentation from various instruments Jordan has acquired. He also often records his melodies through MIDI-synced guitars. His guitar style and skill has gained attention because he typically plays it strung backwards, and makes heavy use of fast sweeping and tapping. The last two Flashbulb albums have featured violinist Greg Hirte, who will apparently feature heavily on The Flashbulb's next album, Soundtrack to a Vacant Life, as well.

Under other aliases, Benn Jordan's work varies quite a bit. His Acidwolf and Human Action Network aliases feature retro acid music that uses old drum machines such as the TR-808 and relies heavily on the melodies of the TB-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.

Discography

All as "The Flashbulb", unless otherwise indicated.

LPs

• M³ (2000, Metatone)
• These Open Fields (2001, Alphabasic) (re-released in 2002 with different cover art and a bonus track)
• Fly! (2002, Metatone Records)
• Girls Suck But You Don't (2003, Accel Muzhik)
• Resent and the April Sunshine Shed (2003, Alphabasic)
• Programmable Love Songs Vol. 1 (2004) (as FlexE), Nophi
• Red Extensions of Me (2004, Sublight)
• Kirlian Selections (2005, Sublight)
• Acidwolf Legacy 1995-2005 (2005 (as Acidwolf), Bohnerwachs, Alphabasic)
• Réunion (2005, Sublight)
• Flexing Habitual (2006, Sublight)
• Welcome to Chicago (July 17, 2007, (as Human Action Network), Alphabasic)
• Soundtrack to a Vacant Life (To be released on Alphabasic)^[3]

EPs/etc.

• 2 Remixes for Bogdan Raczynski (w/Nautilis (artist) 2001, Rephlex)
• Drain Mode = ON (2001, Suburban Trash)
• Lawn Funeral EP (2004, Alphabasic)
• Binedump EP (2005, Suburban Trash/Bonnerwachs)
• That Missing Week EP (To be released on Alphabasic)^[3]

Production and Live Gear info

Benn Jordan claims to have used the following software and hardware over the years:

Studio:

• Roland- TB-303, TR-808, TR-909, SH-101, GK3 Guitar/synthesizer
• Eventide - H8000FW
• Native Instruments - Reaktor, Guitar Rig, Kontakt
• Symbolic Sound Corporation - Kyma
• CDP (Composer's Desktop Project)

Performances:

• Various Schecter guitars customized with classical-style fingerboards and MIDI pickups.
• Roland- TB-303, GK3 Guitar/synthesizer
• TC Electronics - FireworX
• Muse Research - Receptor
• Ableton Live

Citations and references

External links

• The Flashbulb - official site
• The Flashbulb - iTunes music
• Suburban Trash
• Alphamart
• Campaign For Real Beauty A Dove Soap campaign that showcases some of Jordan's original compositional and sound design work.
• Vapor Music Company Benn Jordan is an in-house composer for the Vapor Music Group, a company that does music consulting for commercials and the CBC (Canadian News).

•  • [ e] Benn Jordan
Discography
As The Flashbulb: Ephedrine EP (1999) - M (2000) - These Open Fields (2001) - Drain Mode = ON (2001) - FLY! (2001) - 2 Remixes for Bogdan Raczynski (2001) - Girls.Suck.But.YOU.Don't (2002) - Resent and the April Sunshine Shed (2003) - Red Extensions of Me (2004) - Lawn Funeral EP (2004) - Kirlian Selections (2005) - Binedump EP (2005) - Runion (2005) - Flexing Habitual (2006) - Music From My Laptop (?) - That Missing Week (2007) - Soundtrack to a Vacant Life (2007)
As Acidwolf: Acidwolf Legacy 1995-2005 (2005)
As Benn Jordan: Digital Sex (1996) - Sleep (1997) - Phoenix (1998) - Yencat EP (1999)
As CHR15TPUNCH3R: Sielle (2000)
As DJ ASCII: Untitled (1999)
As Dysrythmia: Clone EP (1999) - The Puncture (2000)
As Dr. Lefty: Get Mad Now EP (2005)
As FlexE: Programmable Love Songs Vol. 1 (1995)
As Human Action Network: Welcome to Chicago (2007)
As Lucid32: Lucid32 (1999)
As rnd16:
As Sixty Six Ex: Diffusion (1994) - The Art of Killing Pain (1994) - 40,000 Whores (1995) - An Opening (1996)
As Q-Bit: I Love Anna Log (2000)