What’s Random Patterns?

The official newsletter for The Okay Lakes, a Chicago-based music project. Here you’ll find Announcements about new music and Deep Dives on songs from my 2023 debut album, Redshift.

It’s also a blog for me to share my other writing and talk shop on making art. For now, that includes Writings, where I’ll publish essays on movies, music, and other things I connect with. It also includes a Maker’s Almanac, where I’ll compile ideas, insights, exercises, or creative approaches from authors, musicians, and artists who make good stuff. Scout’s honor: I’ll avoid the creative self-help bullshit and stick to what’s useful.

Subscribe, and you’ll receive all things Okay Lakes. If you just want Okay Lakes news, you can go to your settings once you subscribe and opt out of emails from the Writings and Maker’s Almanac.

And you are?

Jordan. A Michigan-born, Chicago-based writer, musician, and creative jack-of-all-trades whose been making art for as long as I can remember.

I wrote my first song when I was 7. As a death-metal-loving teenager, I taught myself how to record music on a Boss BR-8, and started posting songs online. As a sad/sensitive college boi, I devoted all my creative energy to songwriting and recording with other artists. I went through a pretty lengthy bout of writer’s block before figuring out what kind of music I wanted to make.

In February 2023, I put out my first official album, Redshift. I’ve played live in and around Chicago at The Hideout, Schubas, Subterranean, Uncommon Ground, and other places around the Midwest.