Interview: Jordan Moten of Kharma

Photo by Jessica Perez

We are thrilled to present an interview with Jordan Moten from the hardcore powerhouse Kharma. Since their formation in 2015, this Chicago-based band has been delivering a relentless and rhythmic style that’s bound to make you move. Recently, they announced their fourth release, “A World Of Our Own,” set to drop on April 12th via Flatspot Records. Working with Jon Markson at The Animal Farm, they aimed to create their most personal and colossal material to date. The first taste of this sonic journey is the single “Clip Your Wings,” a track characterized by intense execution, pulverizing riffs, menacing drums, and an unwavering vocal delivery. Get ready for a glimpse into the world of Kharma as we dive into the inspiration and creation of their upcoming release.

Your upcoming album, “A World Of Our Own,” is described as your most personal and colossal material yet. Can you share some insights into the creative process and the inspirations behind this record?

The creative process for this record was pretty long, I (Jordan, the vocalist) write most of the songs myself and then bring them to the rest of the band to learn and find tune with everyone’s input. So we rewrote parts of alot of these songs at least 2 or 3 times because we really wanted to put our best foot forward on our first LP. Inspiration came from a lot of places. We really just wanted to write a record that we’d want to hear.

The single “Clip Your Wings” showcases an intense sonic execution with pulverizing riffs, menacing drums, and a relentless vocal delivery. How did the recording process contribute to capturing the energy and aggression you wanted for this track?

Recording this record was the most fun I’ve ever had tracking music. Jon Markson is a genius and really helped pull the best out of us. The original version of this track didn’t have the singing in the background of the chorus. I was walking around singing it on a whim and Jon said “hey let’s try that” and we all loved it. He really got us to step out of our comfort zone. 

The video for “Clip Your Wings” directed by Derek Rathbun is described as a short horror film. How does the visual representation complement the themes and emotions conveyed in the song?

Derek and the rest of the team involved in putting the video together killed it. We hadn’t really done a video with this much going into it before and it turned out amazing. I think he captured the vibe and theme of the song perfectly through the short plot we put together collectively. 

You mentioned that the overall theme of the new record stems from the title track, which is a love letter to Chicago Hardcore and the hardcore community. How has the city of Chicago shaped your music and lyrical themes over the years?

Chicago Hardcore has shaped me as a person a lot. I’ve been going to hardcore shows since I was 14 so I’ve grown up here and alot of my life experiences have come from this. My lyrics on this record are those experiences and feelings and thoughts on the world around me put to music. 

In the title track, “A World Of Our Own,” you talk about hardcore being a world where you can escape and build yourselves up. How do you see the role of hardcore music and community in today’s world, especially in dealing with everyday life?

I think hardcore more than anything else is an escape. Its a community of (what should be) like minded people who have all seen what the outside world has to offer and maybe its not for them. Hardcore is a place that we can come and feel we belong and that’s so important. 

Having toured across the US and Europe, what are some memorable experiences or moments that stand out for Kharma on the road?

We’ve been touring since we were freshly 18 so there’s so many memories but my two favorite tours have been recent ones. Europe with Worst Doubt was amazing. I never thought I’d get to go overseas to play music. It was surreal and I’m so grateful for it. The full US tour we did with Knocked Loose, Gatecreeper, and Magnitude is really special to me, too. It was the first tour we did after the pandemic and it felt so good. Like I’ve said, hardcore is an escape for me and after 2 years to immediately be gone for a month playing music with so many friends, it was amazing. 

With influences rooted in the forebears of the Chicago hardcore scene, how do you balance paying homage to your predecessors while bringing a fresh and modern sound to your music?

I think we try to pay homage in a few ways. Most of all, we fly the flag everywhere we go. You aren’t going to see Kharma and walk away not knowing we’re a Chicago Hardcore band. That’s important to me. I always try to throw in lyrical nods in our songs as a way to pay homage. A lot of that happens in hip hop and I kind of picked that up from there. 

The lyrical topics on your previous releases range from finding community to experiencing oppression. How do you approach addressing these themes in a way that resonates with your audience and maintains authenticity?

I honestly just write from the heart with a lot of stuff. Sometimes it does come off a bit too specific and not as relatable to an audience so I fine tune it to make it a bit more broad, but for the most part I just write how I feel about whatever the subject may be. 

You’ve shared the stage with notable bands like Knocked Loose, Speed, Zulu, Bulldoze, and Terror. How has sharing the stage with such diverse acts influenced your own live performances and musical evolution?

When we started Kharma we were highschool kids not really taking it serious and not really knowing what we were doing. I think over the years of sharing the stage with the bands you mentioned, we just kind of figured it out as we’ve gone. I’d like to think we have, at least.

Kharma has a reputation for intense live performances. How do you translate the raw energy of your recordings into your live shows, and what can fans expect from your performances in 2024?

Hardcore is about energy and passion. It’s a give and take relationship while you’re in stage. The energy you give to the crowd is what they’ll give back to you. So we try to put 100% into every show we play and that’s not going to stop at all.

The album cover for “A World Of Our Own” suggests a powerful visual representation. Can you elaborate on the artistic choices and symbolism behind the album artwork?

Jose perfectly incapsulated the vibe and feeling of this record on the artwork. It’s a record that’s dark at times but at it’s core it’s about my experiences. There was a bit of subtle scarface influence in the artwork as well. 

On your previous EP, “Most Dangerous Game,” you delivered uncompromising, reality-driven hardcore. How does “A World Of Our Own” build upon the foundation laid by your earlier releases?

A World of Our Own is our most complete release by far. I think MDG was the release where we really found our sound. On A World Of Own we took that, fine tuned it and expanded on it. I’m really proud of the record because we stepped out of our comfort zone at points and broadened what a Kharma song can be.

As a band that has been part of the hardcore scene since 2015, how have you seen the genre evolve, and what do you think sets Kharma apart in today’s hardcore landscape?

Hardcore is bigger now than ever before, by far. From bands like Knocked Loose, Turnstile, etc who are getting high spots on MAJOR Festivals like Lollapalooza, Coachella, etc to bands like Pain Of Truth, Sunami, Speed, etc. that are headlining the big hardcore fests, so many new kids are finding hardcore through these bands that are huge right now. It’s beautiful because a lot of those kids actually love this and get it and will stay around. A lot of them won’t which is fine, too. Hardcore is for anyone but not everyone so not everyone is meant to stay, but a rising tide raises all ships so I’m thankful and excited about it. As far as what sets us apart, we try to just make music that is authentically what we want to play and hear and I hope that comes across.

The album is set to be released on Flatspot Records. How has your collaboration with the label influenced the creative and promotional aspects of “A World Of Our Own”?

The entire process of putting together this record with the Flatspot team has been great. I appreciate Ricky, Che, Jose, and everyone involved on the Flatspot side for everything we’ve done so far with the record. I can’t wait for the world to hear and see everything else. 

Source: thoughtswordsaction.com